Lara: From sickbed to Kensington

IN OBVIOUS pain, West Indies cricket captain Brian Lara led by example yesterday, leaving his sick bed in a futile attempt to revive sagging Caribbean spirits at Kensington Oval in Barbados.

His body racked by the discomfort of suspected chicken pox, the dapper Trinidadian batsman answered the call of his dying middle order batting line-up as Australia threatened to roll over the Caribbean cricketers in the Third Cable and Wirelss Test match. It was a true measure of the double world record holder’s courage and commitment as he defied the high fever, headache and nausea to face up to the rampant Aussie bowlers who, after setting up a massive first innings score of 605 for nine wickets declared, are eyeing their third consecutive victory of the series.

Lara had remained in his room at the Accra Beach Hotel for most the day but kept in touch with the situation at Kensington. Sensing he might be needed in the middle, he arrived shortly after lunch at the ground in great pain. Nursing a terrible headache, he rested in the players’ pavilion while his teammates were fighting it out in the middle. However, after the tea interval, Kensington Oval erupted in applause as he emerged from the pavilion, and in his distinctive manner looked at the heavens allowing his eyes to adjust to the brilliant Bajan sinshine. With the West Indies already six wickets down for just 254, needing 405 to avoid the follow-on, Lara found himself at the crease in a now familiar position of “Miracle Man”.

Together with young wicket keeper Carlton Baugh, he took the score to 276 when his struggle ended in most questionable circumstances, given out leg before wicket to the bowling of Andy Bichel. However, televisions replays clearly showed the star batsman played the ball as he immediately indicated to umpire S Venkataragavan. He cut a dejected and disappointed picture as he walked off the field after compiling 14 runs off  58 balls. Efforts to contact the 34-year-old proved futile as he was resting at the hotel and not entertaining any calls.

A source close to the West Indies team said yesterday that Lara will continue to receive treatment today and will not be at the Oval to bat unless his presence can save the West Indies. “He is very tired and is feeling tremendous pain. He is suffering a terrible headache and if the condition deteriorates then he will be out of the match.” This could also spell the end of the series for him as he would require at least two weeks to recover fully. The fourth and final Test begins at the St John’s Recreation Ground in Antigua on May 9. After the First Test in Guyana, fast bowler Jermaine Lawson was struck down by chicken pox  and missed the Second Test at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain.