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"Our (Lara)memories of yesterday will last a lifetime
We'll take the best, forget the rest
And someday we'll find these are the best of times..."

- Song "best of times" by Styx.

Another very special bitter-sweet world cup cricket 2007 occasion : West Indies legend Brian Lara has announced he will retire from all forms of international cricket after Saturday's World Cup match against England.

It’s indeed very sad for cricket fans to be saying goodbye to Lara.He’s got the chance to enjoy all that hard earned cricket reputation! I am sure that the cricket will produce many Laras to satisfy our cricket appetite. (See Lara in slide show of pics)



Ever since he started playing international cricket 17 years ago. Brian Lara has been a pillar for West Indies team and continued the legacy of West Indian great cricketing legends like Gary Sobers and Viv. Richards .West Indies team will be a much emptier place without him.

Here are quick recollection of Lara's 17 plus years of cricket career:
World Records for batting in Tests:
Highest individual innings - 400 (Against England at Antigua, St John's on 2004-04-10, 11, 12)
All-time leading run scorer - 11953

First-class cricket:
Highest individual score - 501 (501 not out for Warwickshire against Durham in 1994)

Trophies won as captain:
In September 2004, West Indies won the ICC Champions Trophy in England under his captaincy.

Controversies :
In March 2005, Lara declined selection for the West Indies team because of a dispute over his personal Cable & Wireless sponsorship deal (the company locked in an ambush marketing dispute with Digicel), which clashed with the Cricket Board's main sponsor, Digicel. Six other players were involved in this dispute, including stars Christopher Gayle, Ramnaresh Sarwan, and Dwayne Bravo. Lara says he declined selection in a stand of solidarity, when these players were dropped because of their sponsorship deals. The issue was resolved after the first Test of the series against the touring South African team.

World Cup Stats :

Lara played 33 world cup matches
scored 1207 runs with average of 43.10.
4 times Man of the match.
As captain won 7 lost 6 matches

Although we are saying goodbye to Lara, I don't think this will be the last we see of him in cricket. After all he’s only retiring and I am sure that one day he we will become a great cricketing coach that all cricket playing nations turning to him to use his expertise.

Let us all wish all the very best to Lara for all his future endeavors.

Labels: Cricket, farewell, lara, Retirement, West Indies

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