LONDON, England (AFP): Under-fire West Indies skipper Brian Lara was given a vote of confidence Thursday by tour manager Tony Howard following calls for him to quit the captaincy. Lara's position has been called into question following two defeats by over 200 runs in the first two Tests on the team's ongoing tour of England. These came on the back of a 3-0 series defeats away to South Africa and in the Caribbean against England earlier this year. Former Windies skipper Viv Richards, up until recently also head of the selection panel, has been among those calling for Lara to step down. But Howard, speaking during the team's tour match against Derbyshire, said: "Although the results in the Test series thus far have not been satisfactory, this has not diminished the commitment and support that the team has expressed in the captain and in his ability to bring out the best in them. "Brian remains committed as ever to the endeavour of raising the standard and quality of West Indies cricket and is as disappointed as our many fans in the end result achieved in the Tests." Lara, captaining the team for a second time, told reporters after Sunday's 256-run second Test defeat at Edgbaston: "I am committed to West Indies cricket. I was asked back to do this job and I am doing the best I can." The 35-year-old left-handed batsman's form has held up well during the West Indies' current crisis. In April he scored a Test world record 400 not out against England and has now moved to within seven runs of becoming only the fourth batsman in history to score 10,000 runs. However, Lara was not playing in the Derbyshire match with the team being led by vice-captain Ramnaresh Sarwan. The third Test in the four-match series against England is due to start at Old Trafford on Thursday, August 12. Reprinted from Caribbean Net News caribbeannetnews.com