Where Now For Lara-less Windies?

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Lara - deserved better.

By Tristan Holme

Exactly one month ago I stood and watched as Inzamam-ul-Haq made his way off the field for the final time in ODI cricket, in circumstances that were far from fitting for such a wonderful player.

Now it's the turn of Brian Lara to take that walk after the West Indies skipper shocked the cricket world by announcing his retirement from the international game.

Lara might not have lost a coach and good friend and gone crashing out of the World Cup at the first hurdle, but again we watch an amazingly talented player walk away without the dignity and grace that is so deserved.

There's no doubt that Lara has been given a nudge, with the West Indian press and many fans calling for his head following a poor tournament for the hosts, but this could hardly be less fair given the ramshackle bunch that he was expected to lead to glory.

You can often judge a side by putting it up against the legends of the past and seeing how many of the current crop would make an all-time greatest eleven from their country.

Players like Shane Bond, Daniel Vettori and Stephen Fleming would probably make the New Zealand side, Ricky Ponting, Glenn McGrath and Adam Gilchrist would be in the running for Australia while there's no doubt that Muttiah Muralitharan and Sanath Jayasuriya would walk into a side of Sri Lankan legends.

But if you look at the current West Indies team, the only one who comes close to the legends of the past is Lara himself, and this is shown by the fact that he already has a plaque at the Hall of Fame at the Stanford Cricket Ground in Antigua.

Chris Gayle is the only other player in this West Indies side who has the ability to win a match single-handedly, but given his efforts he would be the first name I put down in a 'Flops of the 2007 World Cup' eleven.

Having twice broken the world Test record for the highest score, and having regularly transferred his sublime form onto the ODI scene, Lara is a player that deserves to have a World Cup medal to his name but that has been consigned to the closet of 'ifs and buts' now.

He began his career in a side full of legendary players such as Curtly Ambrose, Courtney Walsh and Richie Richardson, but now he must sign off among players who don't seem to care whether they win or not so long as the pay cheque arrives on time and their celebrity status is maintained.

It's a sad state of affairs and I hope that they realise how badly they have let their captain down and feel at least a shred of remorse.

Meanwhile, Lara can hold his head high and know that he has served West Indian cricket in every possible way, and that a whole generation of cricket-lovers will never forget that signature shuffle and crouch that precedes a glorious drive through the covers or a momentous hook shot.

Ahead of this World Cup it looked like West Indian cricket was building a competitive outfit for the future, but now that they'll be without Lara's genius it's difficult to see where their next win will come from.