The One and Only...

Brian Charles Lara (02.05.69 Cantaro, Santa Cruz, Trinidad) West Indies Captain announced he will retire from all forms of international cricket on Saturday, surprising many who had expected the flamboyant batsman's Test career to carry on.

Brian Lara is perhaps one of the greatest cricketers in the modern era, and is comparable to none other than Sir Don Bradman. One of 11 children, Brian Lara made his test debut in 1990, scoring his first century against Australia in 1993 when he scored an impressive 277. In 1994 he broke Sir Garfield Sobers' 36-year-old world test record of 365, scoring 375 against England in Antigua and 501 not out for Warwickshire against Durham in English County Cricket and broke world records for the highest Test and first-class scores.

After losing his world test record to Australia's Matthew Hayden in 2003, Lara replied six months later by reclaiming the record with 400. Again the venue was Antigua, again the victims were England. Lara's last one day international will be his 299th. He said he had hoped his 300th would be the semifinal, "but it didn't happen. So be it."
"I hold West Indies cricket close to my heart. I've spent 17 years playing. It's been testimony that I've been out there working very hard, toiling for West Indies cricket. I've enjoyed every single day I've played. It's been a very good run but at some point it has to come to an end," the Trinidadian left hander said.

Lara hinted he wanted to carry on working with West Indies cricket. "I won't be hibernating once my playing days are over," he said. "I'm a student of the game. I've read a lot and I know the history of West Indies cricket and I know what it means to the people."

Asked how he would like to be remembered, the left-handed batsman, whose high back lift and axe-like shots made his style unique said, "As someone who tried to entertain. This is a sport where people pay to come through the turnstiles to be entertained. I'd like people to leave the ground and say they enjoyed watching Brian Lara play and they enjoyed watching the West Indies play".

Brian Lara who will be 38 next month hinted that Ramnaresh Sarwan should be the next captain. "He's matured. He's been vice captain for some time. It's important that whoever gets the job gets whole hearted support," alluding to rifts in West Indies cricket. Lara, who has captained the West Indies three times, has scored 11,953 runs in 131 tests and 10,387 runs in 298 one-day internationals.

26 year old Sarwan (born in Wakeanan) has been Lara's deputy since 2003 and many believe he is the right choice to carry the West Indies team forward. Last week Sarwan hinted that he was ready for the responsibility - "If given the opportunity I will grab it with both hands". Sarwan may well get a chance to follow his fellow Guyanese Rohan Kanhai, Lloyd, Alvin Kallicharan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul who were all West Indies Captains.

Sarwan, speaking before Lara announced his retirement, paid tribute to his captain and his mental strength, saying pressure from the Caribbean people on the West Indies Captain was intense. Sarwan was described by a reporter in the news conference as "captain-in-waiting".