Lara aims at hitting Windies to the top

WORLD record holder Brian Charles Lara has promised to take the West Indies back to the top of world cricket. “My number one goal is getting West Indies cricket where it belongs — back on top,” Lara said at a reception in his honour at the residence of Prime Minister Patrick Manning on Saturday night. More than 600 persons attended the function held to mark Lara’s world record of 400 not out in Antigua last month.

Lara told the gathering: “The West Indies is going through a tough period in terms of coming to terms with international cricket. We have a group of young players trying to make their mark on the game. People can get frustrated because they were accustomed to the winning days when Clive Lloyd, Sir Vivian Richards and all the greats of the past used to turn up and the opposition used to just surrender the match. Now it is a different situation. “This young team is going to get West Indies to the top. We have got the talent and the ability. I want to thank not only Trinidad and Tobago, but the entire Caribbean. Wherever I go, whether it was in St Lucia and Grenada, the reception has been great. Everyone has been great.” Lara said he hopes his achievement will be an inspiration to the young people of this country. PM Manning said ten years ago when Lara broke the record with 375, he asked the King of Port-of-Spain: “Can you do it again?” He said Lara said yes and identified the ground.

“I have been looking out for him to do so, and it was quite recently that he did it with 400 not out.” The Prime Minister continued: “He brought glory, not only to Trinidad and Tobago, but to the entire Caribbean. The series was not going very well, we were facing a whitewash and out of the clear blue sky, Brian Charles Lara snatched victory out of the jaws of defeat.” Dignitaries at the reception included some of Lara’s West Indian colleagues — Ramnaresh Sarwan, Mervyn Dillion, Dwayne Bravo and Daren Ganga. Former West Indies fast bowler Curtly Ambrose was seen in his new role as a bass guitarist with the Windiez band, which got things off to a hectic start with the West Indies anthem “Rally Round the West Indies.” Lead vocals were provided by TT’s Kurt Allen and Barbados’ Andy Armstrong of Square One fame. Ambrose’s performance prompted PM Manning to comment: “I didn’t know cricketers could play music!” Lara arrived with his daughter Sydney and her mother Leasel Rovedas at 7.25 pm to a pan-round-the-neck welcome. They met briefly with PM Manning and Mrs Manning before joining the hundreds at the reception.