West Indies batsman Dwayne Bravo looks up after being bowled for 21 by Sri Lanka's Chaminda Vaas during their Cricket World Cup Super Eights match in Georgetown, Guyana yesterday. - reuters

georgetown guyana (ap)

Desperation has given way to crisis for Brian Lara and his West Indies World Cup squad.

A 113-run loss to Sri Lanka on Sunday followed heavy defeats to defending champion Australia and New Zealand, and left the West Indies needing to win their last three matches - and rely on other results.

"We are in a crisis situation, pertaining to cricket," Lara said. "We're in a hole, and we've got to take ourselves out of that hole.

"That performance was not up to scratch. We know that."

After a promising start, having the Sri Lankans at 35-2 in the ninth over, the West Indies bowling and fielding started deteriorating in the face of Sanath Jayasuriya's onslaught.

Jayasuriya made a slow start before belting 27 runs in the 17th and 18th overs. He ended with 115 from 101 balls, helping Sri Lanka to 303 for five.

BATTING CRUMBLES

The West Indies' batting lineup crumbled, again, to be all out for 190 in 44.3 overs.

Lara said four matches in 10 days, including three in the last six on sandy outfields, had sapped his squad.

An eight-day rest before matches against top-ranked South Africa, Bangladesh and England should give the West Indies time to regroup, he said.

"I am an eternal optimist. I still see it. To win a World Cup takes a lot of skill and a lot of luck," the 37-year-old left-hander said. "We've still got an outside chance, and I'm still focusing on that."

The West Indies' chase at Guyana's National Stadium faded yesterday when Lara was cleverly stumped by Kumar Sangakkara, standing up to seamer Chaminda Vaas, for two in the 11th over.

The West Indies slumped to 42 for three and never recovered.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul (76) and Ramnaresh Sarwan (44) put on 92 for the fourth wicket. But the scoring rate was far too slow, allowing the required run-rate to soar above 10. After Sarwan's dismissal, the last seven wickets fell for 56 runs.

Lara said the team and its supporters had to concentrate on their slim chance of reaching the last four.

"We have time to improve. We've got to stay upbeat," he said. "I know everyone is disappointed around the Caribbean. But we've still got a job to do.

"There is a little bit of light."

The West Indies, winners of the first two World Cups and runners-up in the third, are hosting the quadrennial tournament for the first time.

Lara said he would like the West Indies last Super 8s match against England to have a semi-final spot resting on it.

"There are permutations," he said. But, "It still boils down to us beating South Africa, Bangladesh and England to give ourselves any chance. Nothing will help if we don't do that."