Lara Retires

[rod_rooster]

Brian Charles Lara, one of the all time greatest cricketers will be playing his final international match this weekend. Easily my all time favourite player it will be a sad day for me. Thanks for the memories Brian.

http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/australia/content/story/291504.html

[Aerie]

He is my favourite batsman to watch. A brilliant career - his individual stature in the game hasn't diminished like his team has. I doubt I'll ever see a better innings than his double hundred at Adelaide Oval a couple of years ago. His retirement, along with Warne and McGrath, will leave a big hole in the game.

[Dogwatcher]

Very big hole in the game and a VERY big hole in West Indies cricket.
Where do they go from here? Brooding Chris Gayle must step up, but he can't be alone.

[Aerie]

Very big hole in the game and a VERY big hole in West Indies cricket.
Where do they go from here? Brooding Chris Gayle must step up, but he can't be alone.

They've had young players like Sarwan, Bravo and Samuels around for a few years now, I don't think their batting will be too bad. They can't find a decent fast bowler though - they were all born in one generation...

[Dogwatcher]

I dunno about one generation, they had several generations going back to Charlie Griffiths.
But they just don't seem to have any fearsome bowlers right now, you're very right. They all look like medium pace pop gunners.

[rod_rooster]

It's still just sinking in for me. I knew this was coming yet still didn't really expect it. To imagine after tomorrow night never being able to see Lara bat again is hard to comprehend. I never got to see Bradman but other than that you can have your Richards, Pollocks, Tendulkars, Waughs, Chappells etc, but for me i'll take Brian Charles any day. From his first Test century, where he played what i still believe is one of the finest knocks of all time to make 277 against Australia at the SCG, the cricket world has been privileged to bear witness to such a wonderful player. Lara played the game the way it should be played and that was to entertain. He sure did that. To watch Lara bat is to watch the game at it's finest. I doubt that we will ever see the likes of him again in our lifetime. Brian Charles Lara take a bow.

[Thiele]

Well done Lara on a great Carreer

[carey18]

Prob the batter that most reminded me of MW at the crease

[RustyCage]

Seeing Lara get the run scoring record in the Adelaide Test last year was one of the most emotional things I have ever seen.

I also had the pleasure of sitting just 1m behind him watching him bat in the nets before the test match. After he finished, he took his gloves off and gave them to a kid in the crowd. A true champion in every sense of the word.

[rod_rooster]

Seeing Lara get the run scoring record in the Adelaide Test last year was one of the most emotional things I have ever seen.

I also had the pleasure of sitting just 1m behind him watching him bat in the nets before the test match. After he finished, he took his gloves off and gave them to a kid in the crowd. A true champion in every sense of the word.

If it wasn't for a bloke named Bradman, you could easily say the following about Lara - "the greatest there was, the greatest there is now and the greatest there ever will be".

[Aerie]

Seeing Lara get the run scoring record in the Adelaide Test last year was one of the most emotional things I have ever seen.

I also had the pleasure of sitting just 1m behind him watching him bat in the nets before the test match. After he finished, he took his gloves off and gave them to a kid in the crowd. A true champion in every sense of the word.

If it wasn't for a bloke named Bradman, you could easily say the following about Lara - "the greatest there was, the greatest there is now and the greatest there ever will be".

I was probably a little young to fully appreciate Viv Richards. How would people that have seen the careers of both rate them in comparison?

[rod_rooster]

Seeing Lara get the run scoring record in the Adelaide Test last year was one of the most emotional things I have ever seen.

I also had the pleasure of sitting just 1m behind him watching him bat in the nets before the test match. After he finished, he took his gloves off and gave them to a kid in the crowd. A true champion in every sense of the word.

If it wasn't for a bloke named Bradman, you could easily say the following about Lara - "the greatest there was, the greatest there is now and the greatest there ever will be".

I was probably a little young to fully appreciate Viv Richards. How would people that have seen the careers of both rate them in comparison?

Lara > Richards IMHO. Lara did what he did without much assistance from teammates.

[jackpot jim]

Lara Run Out 18 by Pieterson off 17 balls, 31 mins, 3 x 4s.
What could have been? At least he didn't finish with a duck like Bradman.\
Lara will be remembered as a champion forever due to his Freakish highest scores like Bradman.
Hard to compare batsmen from different eras but Sir Viv Richards was just as Awesome as Lara and is hard to put one ahead of the other.

[RustyCage]

Lara Run Out 18 by Pieterson off 17 balls, 31 mins, 3 x 4s.
What could have been? At least he didn't finish with a duck like Bradman.\
Lara will be remembered as a champion forever due to his Freakish highest scores like Bradman.
Hard to compare batsmen from different eras but Sir Viv Richards was just as Awesome as Lara and is hard to put one ahead of the other.

Im glad I spent the night on the turps and didn't see that, or I would have cried. The greatest batsman that graced our game in a hell of a long time. Absolute champion. Sad day for cricket.

[Rik E Boy]

Richards>Lara but a close call. Richards did have better players around him but he was a better batsman and a much better fielder and he could bowl as well. IMO Richards faced better bowlers over the course of his career. Statistics say that Lara was the better player but Viv was never one who cared for records. Both legendary players and the retirement of The Prince leaves a huge hole in West Indian Cricket.

regards,

REB

[mal]

RICHARDS is marginally better than LARA
LARA will remember his career being run out in his last dig by a certain person

[rod_rooster]

RICHARDS is marginally better than LARA
LARA will remember his career being run out in his last dig by a certain person

I have to say KP's celebration of that run out was very ordinary. Carried on like he'd done something extraordinary and had no appreciation of the moment. It was a pretty basic piece of fielding that any club cricketer should easily manage but what a scene he made of it

Richards was a better fielder, he could bowl but IMHO he isn't anywhere near Lara as a batsman. I haven't seen anyone who is.