da apostaganha： West Indies captain Brian Lara has announced his retirement from international cricket.
da jogodeouro： Dileep Premachandran in Barbados19-Apr-2007
End of an era: Brian Lara announced his retirement from international cricket on Thursday © Getty Images
After days of scathing criticism and ceaseless innuendo, the penny finallydropped. “I gave extensive consideration to this,” said Brian Lara. “Iwant everybody to know that on Saturday I’ll be playing my lastinternational match. I’ve already spoken to the board and the playersabout this.” It was a fairly routine press conference at the end of ainsignificant game, but the answer to the last question caused even themost tired journalist to look up from his notepad.And with that, it was over. He stopped to sign a few autographs – jadedhacks too aren’t immune from the spell cast by his batting – and thenwalked away through the side door. Though there will be nothing at stakeon Saturday when two frankly mediocre teams play for nothing more thanpride, the stands could be packed as fans flock in to pay their owntributes to the prince among modern-day batsmen.Ever since West Indies were ruled out of semi-final contention earlier inthe week, speculation has been rife that Lara wouldn’t be part of the Testsquad to England. For a man who has carried the team piggyback for so muchof his career, it would have been an unkind cut, one that he was clearlyin no mood to take.When asked to rake over the pieces of yet another ill-fated World Cupcampaign, Lara refused to dwell on “spilt milk”. “We’ve got to move on andfocus on the future,” he said.His one-day career will end at 299 games, and he won’t now add to the 131Tests and 11,953 runs he scored in Test cricket. “I was very confidentthat I’d play my 300th game at the World Cup,” he said. “It wasn’t to be.So be it.”Though he will be remembered for two glorious centuries against SouthAfrica (1996 and 2003), Lara has little else to cherish as far as theWorld Cup is concerned. Winning the ICC Champions Trophy in the gloom atThe Oval in 2004 was a highlight, and he’ll hope for a reprise against theEnglish team that was beaten that day.”West Indies cricket is something I hold dearly to my own heart,” he saidwhen asked what his feelings would be as he donned the maroon colours forthe last time. “I’ve had a very good run, 299 one-day matches and 130-oddTests under my belt. That’s testimony to the fact that I’ve been out theretoiling for West Indies cricket. I’ve enjoyed every single day.”He leaves behind quite a legacy as a batsman. “I’ve come out there andtried to entertain,” he said, when asked how he’d like to be remembered.”You have to remember that people pay to come through the turnstiles.”Another thing that I’m proud of is that I’ve been knocked down so manytimes, both as a player and a person, and come back. I need to thank myparents for that, for being able to go out there in the face of adversityand perform. It’s a family trait.”
