Lara's farewell match today

Elmo Rodrigopulle

Farewell: Brian Charles Lara, easily the greatest batsman in contemporary cricket and captain of West Indies, shocked the cricket world when at the post match press briefing after the game against Bangladesh, he announced to a stunned house that he was quitting international cricket after the game against England on Saturday.

Lara was going well when he took the team to the Super 8 in the ongoing World Cup 2007. But when his side hit the rapids and tumbled to four defeats in the Super 8, his critics were quick to criticise his captaincy and the cry became for his removal.

At the press conference Lara said, "I have already spoken with the West Indian Cricket Board and I want to say that I am quitting international cricket after the final game against England on Saturday."

Lara also mentioned that he had been knocked around several times in his career and each time he was able to pick himself up and move up giving credit to this 'strength' to the upbringing he received from his parents. Lara will be 38 on May 2. He will end on 299 one-day internationals and 131 Tests.

When he scored 375 against England at the Antigua Recreation Ground in 1994 beating Sir Garfield Sobers' 365, he was promoted from prodigy to world great.

When Australian opener Matthew Hayden broke this record against Zimbabwe in 2003, Lara was so determined that he scored 400 not out again against England to regain his record. Lara also holds a record when he scored 501 not out against Durham at Edgbaston for Warwickshire.

Bryan Davis the former Trinidad and Tobago and West Indies opener and Queen's Park Cricket Club official believed that Lara had at least one more year of cricket left in him.

'I think he had something to offer in terms of his batsmanship and I was surprised that he decided to retire from Test match cricket', said Davis speaking to the 'Express'.

'On the pressure of the captaincy of the West Indies and the toll it took on him, Davis said: 'Everything will contribute to the decision, but I think as he gets older, he would find it more difficult to keep fit'.

Forbes Persaud, Chief Executive and General Secretary of Trinidad and Tobago also believes that Lara still has a lot to offer the game, especially Test cricket.

'I am a bit disappointed at Lara's decision to retire from international cricket. As far as individual performances go, he is second to none, but he has been a bit unfortunate that he was appointed captain of a side that was in the process of rebuilding its ranks and were struggling for consistency.

'We knew he wanted to get out of the hectic schedule of one-day cricket, but he would have been a great inspiration to the younger members of the team in the Test match arena', said Persaud.

Those who put Lara's neck on the block were former West Indian fast bowling greats led by Michael Holding.

Others who supported Holding were Joel Garner, Colin Croft and a couple of others. But Lara had support coming from Sir Garfield Sobers and Everton Weekes, two great Windies batsmen.

Grenada National Stadium, Friday