da lvbet： Star West Indian batsman, Brian Lara, has been given the all-clear to playin the forthcoming tour of Sri Lanka according to a BBC Online reportMonday, but doubts still linger over his fitness
Charlie Austin22-Oct-2001Star West Indian batsman, Brian Lara, has been given the all-clear to playin the forthcoming tour of Sri Lanka according to a BBC Online reportMonday, but doubts still linger over his fitness.Doubts over Lara’s participation in the tour had surfaced during the teamstraining camp in Jamaica this week when the 32-year-old left-hander revealedhe was still suffering from a long-standing hamstring injury.Lara went for a MRI scan on Wednesday and a fitness report was then handedover to the team management later in the week.They had been speculation during the weekend that the report showed thatthere had been “no improvement” in the injury and the Trinadad Guardian evenquoted “reliable sources” who said the team management was divided overwhether Lara should tour if not fully fit.However, team manager, Ricky Skerritt, said Sunday: “Having looked at theresults, the doctors are satisfied. The last three days Brian has beentraining rather actively without any side effects.”But, according to Trinadad Guardian sources: “When the report came back fromthe doctor, it showed that there was no improvement on Lara’s hamstringinjury.”The newspaper then reports that an emergency meeting was then held onThursday night, that included all team officials – manager, coach, captain,physiotherapist, the doctor in Jamaica and a West Indies Cricket Boardrepresentative – Lara’s participation was apparently put to the vote and onhealth reasons, it was voted 4 -2 to leave him home.This tough stance mellowed over the weekend when chairman of the selectors,Michael Findlay, said: “In the end though it will come down to how Brianfeels about his own fitness and whether or not he can handle such a tour aslies ahead.”Lara has played before with the injury, which he first strained when WestIndies toured England. He then played against Australia and South Africawith the injury before finally withdrawing from the recent tour to Zimbabweand Kenya.The West Indies are scheduled to play three Tests against Sri Lanka followedby a triangular series involving Zimbabwe in the eight week tour