BRIAN LARA TO PLAY ON AFTER WORLD CUP INTO 2008
World Triple Record Holder , Trinidad and Tobago’s BRIAN LARA said that he would not be quitting the game after the 2007 World Cup, but would be touring England next summer where the regional side is scheduled to play four Tests, three One-Day Internationals and two Twenty20 internationals.
On Wednesday, when the 37-year-old was asked about his retirement from the game, he simply brushed it aside and said his aim was to lift the West Indies team to the glory days of the past.
"An English tour is of extreme importance to me and to any West Indian for that matter, and I would love to be there next year, but we have lots more important things to think about at the moment," Lara said.
He will be 38 on May 2, 2007 and the tour starts 15 days later. He stopped short of discussing retirement. Lara presently sits on 11 505 runs in 128 Tests, making him the leading run-scorer in the history of the game. He has 32 centuries – the most by a West Indian, the best being an epic 400 not out.
With three Tests in Pakistan and four in England next summer, he has the chance to become the first man to make 12 000 Test runs and beyond and stretch his list of centuries as well.
"England next summer is a long way away. A few months ago I was trying to concentrate on just Test cricket to lengthen my overall career. We only have three Test matches before the England Test tour," Lara said.
"I still believe Test cricket is my forte and somethng I would like to continue playing. Now as captain of the team, with the World Cup on top of us, I think it is important that I play as much cricket as possible and that we have the right team, the right spirit and the right combinations moving forward under the supposed leader."
The West Indies have a long string of tours over the next 18 months. After England there will be the international Twenty20 series, Test tours of Zimbabwe and South Africa, and Test visits from Sri Lanka and Australia from March to June.
Lara acknowledged that player burn-out could be a factor but hoped that the players would see the opportunities available.
"Burn out will always be a factor and and there will always be a concern. I hope however, that the guys don't miss the most important parts of the two-year period," Lara said.
"We want to play cricket. We are languishing near the bottom of world cricket in both forms of the game, so we need to play cricket to lift our game, and we need to start winning to lift our spritis.
"Yes, we will have burn-outs and we will have injuries at sometimes but the exposure the West Indies team will be getting will be very important and I hope that the guys will see it necessary to get themselves fully focussed – mentally and physically. It's necessary for us to play and wind our way back to the top," the captain said.
On Wednesday, when the 37-year-old was asked about his retirement from the game, he simply brushed it aside and said his aim was to lift the West Indies team to the glory days of the past.
"An English tour is of extreme importance to me and to any West Indian for that matter, and I would love to be there next year, but we have lots more important things to think about at the moment," Lara said.
He will be 38 on May 2, 2007 and the tour starts 15 days later. He stopped short of discussing retirement. Lara presently sits on 11 505 runs in 128 Tests, making him the leading run-scorer in the history of the game. He has 32 centuries – the most by a West Indian, the best being an epic 400 not out.
With three Tests in Pakistan and four in England next summer, he has the chance to become the first man to make 12 000 Test runs and beyond and stretch his list of centuries as well.
"England next summer is a long way away. A few months ago I was trying to concentrate on just Test cricket to lengthen my overall career. We only have three Test matches before the England Test tour," Lara said.
"I still believe Test cricket is my forte and somethng I would like to continue playing. Now as captain of the team, with the World Cup on top of us, I think it is important that I play as much cricket as possible and that we have the right team, the right spirit and the right combinations moving forward under the supposed leader."
The West Indies have a long string of tours over the next 18 months. After England there will be the international Twenty20 series, Test tours of Zimbabwe and South Africa, and Test visits from Sri Lanka and Australia from March to June.
Lara acknowledged that player burn-out could be a factor but hoped that the players would see the opportunities available.
"Burn out will always be a factor and and there will always be a concern. I hope however, that the guys don't miss the most important parts of the two-year period," Lara said.
"We want to play cricket. We are languishing near the bottom of world cricket in both forms of the game, so we need to play cricket to lift our game, and we need to start winning to lift our spritis.
"Yes, we will have burn-outs and we will have injuries at sometimes but the exposure the West Indies team will be getting will be very important and I hope that the guys will see it necessary to get themselves fully focussed – mentally and physically. It's necessary for us to play and wind our way back to the top," the captain said.
posted by Andre @ 4:29 PM
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