Even less Lara, less Fletcher, more Moores

As I reported here Brian Lara, that great entertainer of cricket, announced his retirement from the one day game earlier this month. And the news came yesterday, whilst I was at a music recital, that Lara will actually end his whole international cricket career at this world cup.

Brian Lara will, come Saturday, cease to be an international cricketer. I mentioned in the earlier post that his test runs amount to 11,953, which will now stop rising, and his test record 400 not-out and first-class record 501 not-out will not be beaten by him. He looked to be leaving the team on a low after this world cup, however the wonderful win the West Indies had over Bangladesh it looks as if maybe it won’t be a complete low.

Lara’s international career will end with his 299th ODI, against England, on Saturday at the Kensington Oval in Barbados. Lara said he’d hoped to play his 300th on day match at the World Cup, however “It wasn’t to be”.

A well respected and loved player will leave the international scene, in my, and others opinions, too early. The late Bob Woolmer, Lara’s coach at Warwickshire, once said of the great “Anyone who can score that prolifically has to be one of the greatest batsmen of all time, not just of his era.”

Those who had hoped to see Lara play in England during the series in mid-June will be greatly disappointed, but at least 28,000 West Indian fans will get to see Lara lay his last international match.

Brian Lara is not the only person leaving the international cricketing world this world cup, England coach Duncan Fletcher has also announced his retirement. starting in 1999 after England were booed from the Oval pitch, and now ending with England being booed from the pitch in Barbados, Fletcher’s career has come full circle.

The numbers speak almost as well for Fletcher as they do for Lara. Won 74, Lost 82, Tied 2, No Result 7. Full blame can never be placed on the coach, it has to be shared with the players, but some must rest at the feat of the coach. Just remember we did win the Ashes under Fletch, but now he has stepped down to be replaced by Peter Moores, the current National Cricket Academy director.

MTFBWY