Lara keen to face English again

The “King of Trinidad and Tobago” Brian Lara is keen to play in front of his subjects this weekend at the Queen’s Park Oval when the Cable and Wireless limited overs International series resumes with back to back matches this weekend. Lara spoke to Newsday yesterday at the Oval and made his intentions clear. ”The reception was great, the outpouring of love from my fellow citizens really touched me and I must say a heartfelt thanks,” he said. “The two days was great but now it is back to the serious business of cricket and the rest of the One-Day International series,” the new TT Ambassador of Sport declared.

Lara received a rousing welcome on Monday at the Piarco International Airport after reclaiming the world record with an unbeaten 400 against England in Antigua a week earlier. He endured two torrid days of celebrations and public engagements travelling up and down the country meeting his adoring fans. Yesterday however he was with the rest of the West Indies team at the indoor training facilities at the Queen’s Park Oval. West Indies will be looking to level the series after England took the  opening match by two wickets in Guyana. The Trinidadian has all the confidence in his team to bounce back.

“I believe that this team can beat England and I am confident of bouncing back in the series. As you know I have a chipped bone in one of my fingers and this will take time to heal. However having said that I am really keen to get back into the middle and play my game,” Lara said. “Closer to the weekend I will be able to tell whether or not I will be able to play. I am however not going to rush back into action, the state of the series may well compel me to come back into the team. For the moment it is a wait and see game and I am hoping that the injury heals in time for the matches.”

“We have a team that can defeat England, I have already told the guys that and they are working hard to combat the Englishmen this weekend,” Lara said. The West Indian players had a rigourous workout at the nets yesterday and they are feverishly working on plans to get the better of the English, something they haven’t been able to do in the series so far. Seven members of the English team had a light workout while the others played golf in a charity tournament for the Cotton Tree Foundation at St  Andrew’s in Moka, Maraval. Lara was the star attraction in the event at St Andrew’s yesterday.