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Reflexes won't be the same: Lara

Dubai - The former West Indies captain said that his reflexes were not the same as it used to be but added that he still could contribute to the team or he wouldn't be here.

West Indian legend Brian Lara said it would be tough to replicate his form of old but said he still can play a part in the Masters Champions League (MCL).
The former West Indies captain said that his reflexes were not the same as it used to be but added that he still could contribute to the team or he wouldn't be here.
"What I have done throughout my career, now it is a bit of a different time. Reflexes won't be the same but I do expect to play a part. I will not be here if I couldn't play a part in the team.
"We are looking more towards a team performance than anything else. We have quite a good group of guys and if we can get the team working well, we can win matches," Lara said on Monday.
The stylish left-hander who retired from international cricket almost a decade ago, will captain the Leo Lions in the inaugural edition of the competition. And Lara said that his team was filled with a fair sprinkling of all-rounders.
"We have been concentrating a lot on the batting aspect because I believe that's where, especially in this part of the world, you got to put on some serious runs because you generally get batsman-friendly pitches. So, hopefully, we can get things right in that department. Our team has a lot of all-rounders, a limited amount of specialist batsmen and some fast bowlers and spinners. We got to get things right and the only way to do so is in the practice sessions leading up to the gig," Lara said while revealing that compatriot Fidel Edwards, Zimbabwe's Heath Streak and New Zealand's Scott Styris were yet to arrive.
Talking about West Indies cricket, Lara felt teammate Shivnarine Chanderpaul deserved a farewell. Chanderpaul announced his retirement, just 87 runs short of Lara's Test record.
"Shiv had a tremendous career. I started with Shiv in Guyana and remember his first Test match against England. That guy with the most Test matches for the West Indies, playing for over 20 years, I don't think people in the West Indies exactly understand his contribution," he said.
"I was very disappointed that Shiv was not allowed a couple of more Test matches, not necessarily to break the record but to have a proper send-off. He has been a great servant for West Indies cricket," he added.
james@khaleejtimes.com