Lara would not mind playing Tests till 40

MELBOURNE: Retirements might be in vogue but West Indies batting legend Brian Lara appears in no mood to hang his boots now, saying he wants to play Test cricket for as long as he can.
Lara, however, might consider quitting one-day cricket after the World Cup in his homeland.
“I cut back on one-day cricket a couple of months ago because Test cricket is what I really love,” said West Indies skipper.
“Test cricket is true test of your ability and that’s the one game I’d love to play a bit longer. Quitting one-day cricket is looking that way. Since taking over captaincy again, it has had an effect on me mentally and physically,” said Lara who is holidaying in Australia.
“I’m not sure how much one-day cricket I’ll be playing after the World Cup. Hopefully we can win it and that would be a great way to go out,” said the batting ace, who has scored 11,953 runs at an average of 52.88 in Tests.
“I don’t know if I’ll get to 40 but I want to play as long as I can. My enthusiasm is still there. I know I still have some Tests ahead of me — and hopefully more big innings,” he was quoted as saying in ‘Sunday Telegraph’.
His innumerable milestones notwithstanding, Lara said he still felt “unfulfilled” and was willing to give up all his records to be a part of a winning team like Australia.

Lara set to retire from one-day cricket

MULTAN: West Indies' captain Brian Lara said he was unlikely to play one-day cricket again after next year's World Cup in the Caribbean.

Lara, 37, told reporters after West Indies defeated Pakistan by seven wicket in the fourth one-day international that it was important for him to get runs in the World Cup.

"As it is I don't think I will be playing one-day internationals after the tournament," he said.

Lara said West Indies' victory, which cut Pakistan's lead in the five-match series to 2-1 after the first match was abandoned, had been exceptional.

"The boys showed a lot of character today. They bowled well today," he said.

"We just need to go in with a positive frame of mind for the last game in Karachi.

"It is important we win that because it would be a big psychological boost for us before the World Cup to square the series in Pakistan.

"At the age of 37 I know what is expected of me. The form has been sketchy but I want to fire in the World Cup which is such an important tournament for us as the hosts."

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Samuels leads West Indies win!

Fourth one-day international, Multan: West Indies 212-3 (34.5 overs) beat Pakistan 209 (49.5 overs) by seven wickets.
Scorecard
Marlon Samuels repaid the faith of the West Indies selectors with his second one-day century as they beat Pakistan by seven wickets in Multan.

The Jamaican struck a six and 17 fours in his 100 not out off 99 balls as they reached 212-3 with 15 overs to spare.

Pace bowler Daren Powell claimed 3-33 as Pakistan were bowled out for 209.

And the result was never in doubt after Samuels and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (60) put on 141, but Pakistan still lead the series 2-1 with one game to go.

Samuels was on 62 when Chanderpaul was caught at deep fine leg off Mohammad Sami but skipper Brian Lara allowed him the majority of the strike and he duly reached his hundred with successive fours off Abdul Razzaq.

His only previous century came four years ago against India at Vijaywada and he had not passed 50 in a one-day innings since 2003.

Once the celebrations were over, Lara asserted himself in the next over with a six and a four off Rao Iftikhar Anjum to finish things off.

"Today's effort was exceptional...I am proud of the performance of my team," said Lara.

Both sides were without key players and Pakistan had to rely on Razzaq as their fourth-choice captain because Inzamam-ul-Haq, Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf were all unavailable. They also rested chief strike bowler Umar Gul.




West Indies, meanwhile, made three changes to the side beaten in Lahore last Sunday in the hope of keeping the series alive ahead of their final tour game in Karachi, bringing in Powell, Chanderpaul and spinner Dave Mohammed.

They made an excellent start as Powell knocked back Shahid Afridi's off stump as he played across the line and then tempted Imran Farhat (13) into giving a catch to gully.
The exciting Shahid Afridi lasted only six deliveries.

All-rounder Dwayne Smith then had Mohammad Hafeez caught at second slip and trapped Shoaib Malik lbw for a duck with an inswinger to leave Pakistan in disarray at 47-4.

Yasir Hameed repaired the damage with the help of Faisal Iqbal (30) and Razzaq (33) before he was caught off Mohammed's left-arm wrist spin for 71 in the 41st over.

There was a late flurry from Rana Naved, who made 18 off 13 balls, but Pakistan's total did not look enough providing West Indies made a reasonable start in reply.

In fact, they failed to do so because Naved bowled Chris Gayle for nine and accounted for Lendl Simmons lbw with the next ball in his opening over.

But no-one else could match that penetration and Iftikhar and Razzaq, in particular, came in for some rough treatment from Samuels, whose straight driving and leg-side strokes were a feature of his innings.

Razzaq conceded 51 from six overs and Iftikhar's figures were even worse, 0-56 from 5.5 overs, as Samuels and Lara wrapped up the win.

"We didn't put enough runs on the board and Samuels later took the match away from us with some extraordinary hitting," Razzaq commented.