Lara signals one-day return

The 36-year-old left-hander, whose innings of 83 earned him the “Man of the Match” award in the rain-ruined third and final Test against New Zealand, last played an ODI in May of last year when South Africa administered a 5-0 whipping of the hosts.

Since then, the regional selectors have acceded to his request not to be considered for the shorter version of the game, with the explanation that the schedule of Tests and one-dayers were taking a toll on him physically and he preferred to focus on prolonging his Test career.

Yet he has always made clear his desire to sign-off his ODI career at the 2007 World Cup. It is a situation, he admits, will require some careful thinking in the lead-up to the game’s premier tournament.

“I think it’s a situation where we still have to sit and talk,” Lara stated yesterday at McLean Park in alluding to future discussions with the selectors.

“Before the World Cup, there is the ICC Champions’ Trophy (in India in October) in which we are the defending champions. We are playing one-day cricket in the Caribbean in the next two months against Zimbabwe and India.

“If it’s the place where the World Cup is being played, you’d want to play to get accustomed to the conditions and feel comfortable in that situation again.”

Despite the desire to get involved again in the more hectic version of the game, the former captain said it would have to be conditional.

“It would be difficult for me to play all the one-dayers between now and the World Cup, plus the Test matches,” he reiterated.

“I am very much interested in playing in the World Cup, but it’s a situation where maybe they will have to nurse me through and find out when it’s necessary for me to play to get the right matches out of me to get me fit and ready for the World Cup.”

Lara revealed that head coach Bennett King is already aware of the senior batsman’s intentions.

“I think it’s necessary that I play some one-dayers there because that’s where the World Cup will be played less than a year later. I’ll be looking forward to playing some,” he explained.

“Speaking to the coach, it may be a situation where, if the series is already won, sitting back and watching the rest of it is an option.”

The West Indies will play five ODIs each against Zimbabwe and India when they return to the Caribbean, and despite their status as defending champions, will be involved in a qualifying tournament just prior to the Champions’ Trophy.

They are also expected to play a one-day series on the tour of Pakistan at the end of the year.

It is a situation, he concedes, that will require careful thought on all sides.

“I don’t want to be here and make decisions that other people have to. It’s not just my decision,” he emphasised.

“It’s West Indies cricket you’re talking about. We’ve got selectors, a coach and a captain. Everybody is trying to get in the right groove to get the team gelling and I can’t be a hindrance to that.”

While the rest of the squad is on the way home, it is understood that Lara is on his way to India to fulfil commercial obligations with his bat sponsor.

He disclosed that he has been nursing a right leg injury for some six years, and has been given two weeks off.

Lara will therefore be unavailable for Trinidad and Tobago’s Carib Shield semi-final against the Windward Islands, beginning in eight days’ time, but is due to return to Trinidad on April 12, three days before the final. (CMC)