THANK YOU, LARA



I was watching the last few moments of the England vs West Indies match, in the Super 8's, and I started tearing. It was an emotional time, because another legend of the game was about to bow out of cricket. Brian Charles Lara had one of the most animated careers we will even come across, but his batting brilliance will be forever etched in my mind, and in many other's too.

I would have liked to see Lara sign off, with a hundred to his name, and with West Indies winning that game. In a way, it sort of summed up West Indies' fortunes the last few years. WI always placed a great deal of expectations on Lara's shoulders, and when he failed, so did WI. Yet, Lara has pulled off some amazing one-handed victories, the best being his unbeaten 153 against Australia, an innings that has been spoken about many a time and has been ranked as the best ever. I second that. Many have said that Lara is the best batsman to watch. Indeed he is. He is the classiest player I have seen, and the way he dictates terms with the bat is simply amazing.

Lara, it was a pleasure to watch you bat. Thank you for everything you have done for the sport. You were truly one of the sport's greats. You have left a huge hole in cricket, which will be very tough to fill indeed. May you have, a happy journey ahead of you.