Windies rally behind Lara

Brian Lara sigs an autograph on arrival in Australia

West Indies captain Jimmy Adams has questioned whether corruption can ever be entirely be removed from the game following his team's arrival in Australia for the forthcoming Test series.

The squad includes batting star Brian Lara, who has denied claims by an Indian bookmaker that he accepted $40,000 to under-perform in two one-day matches in 1994.

Adams queried whether it was possible to completely prevent bookmakers gaining access to players.

"You will always have gambling - and that is the root problem. How do you remove that?" he said.

Rumours

Coach Roger Harper confirmed that during his time as a player, he had heard rumours about money changing hands, but the West Indies Cricket Board will not be carrying out its own investigation into allegations against Lara.

Roger Harper: Full support for Lara

He added: "If Brian tells me he is not involved, that is good enough for me. I have every reason to trust him and believe what he says."

Tour manager Ricky Skerritt said the other players were giving Lara as much support as possible, but and refused to allow their inaugural press conference in Perth to be focused on the issue of corruption in cricket.

He told journalists: "As the tour goes on, as Brian makes his hundreds, you will have access to Brian the cricketer.

"If we feel it is necessary for Brian to speak to you - if his lawyers want him to - then he will. We in the Caribbean believe people are innocent until proved guilty.

"This conference is not about Brian - it is about the West Indies tour of Australia."

The tourists play their first match against an Australian Cricket Board Chairman's XI on Tuesday and then have two four-day warm-up games before the first Test in Brisbane, which starts on 23 November.

Favourites

Jimmy Adams: No negative thoughts

They were beaten 3-1 in England during the summer and Australia are overwhelming favourites to win the series.

But Adams insisted: "This is the bottom line - we have come here to win. Anyone who travels for any competition, competes to win. We are no different.

"With Australia's reputation at the moment, for any touring team to come here is the ultimate challenge. I believe all the lads look at it that way."

The West Indies will face up to Brett Lee for the first time in Tests, following the paceman's spectacular debut last year.

"I am not an Australian selector, but I imagine we will be seeing quite a bit of him this summer," Adams added.