Lara stars in B’dos kadooment

Lara, the double world batting record holder, was dressed in a T-shirt and shorts as he strolled in the massive street party, called Grand Kadooment, with masqueraders and floats, which stretched eight kilometres from the National Stadium to the Spring Garden Highway, outside Bridgetown.

The 37-year-old Lara said he was enjoying the event, as he was taking a break from the game of cricket. His next assignment is the West Indies tour of Malaysia for a tri-nation series with Australia and India.

On Sunday night, Lara held a celebrity party, which attracted an audience of over 3,000 at an historic house on the island’s northern tip. Lara was the star attraction of the evening at the 18-acre Ebworth House, as tickets went for US$125 each.

The evening’s package featured fine cuisine, a wide variety of drinks and entertainment from some of the best calypso performers from Barbados and Trinidad. The night formed part of the Crop Over Festival on the island and was organised by Courtney Browne, the former West Indies wicket-keeper who is a close friend of Lara.

In his first all-inclusive fete in Barbados, Lara played a masterstroke at the secluded two-storey, coral stone property. Lara set the tone from as early as 6 pm as he was snazzily attired in a white designer shirt, black jeans and tan boots. He greeted everyone at the entrance and escorted his specially invited guests – Sir Garfield Sobers, Sir David Simmons, Sir Charles Williams – to the VIP area.

Also in “the house” were Elizabeth Thompson, Mighty Gabby, Desmond Haynes along with other West Indies cricketers past and present, entertainers, and senior business executives.

Asked if the talk was true that he was buying the property, Lara paused, flashed a big smile and simply placed his right index finger on his lips. He said he liked the property and the ambience and was enjoying the evening and the company of those who came.

“My car brek down . . . but I’m liking this,” he said with a laugh. “This is good and I’m happy to see so many smiles.”

With several acres of space to play, Lara was able to accommodate his more than 3,500 guests who forked out $250 (two Sir Grantleys and an Errol Barrow) a head for a chance to rub shoulders with him.

There was a large section of Trinidadians who flew in specially for the occasion and some took the tour of the house to get a feel of the antique furniture, marble floor, and have the odd splash in the waterfall.

(CMC)