The Jamaica Star :: Sport :: Regional award for Lara

Brian Lara - file

ST JOHN'S, Antigua, CMC

Caricom, yesterday, conferred the Order of the Caribbean Community on West Indies batting legend Brian Lara, during the opening ceremony of the 35th summit here.

The 39-year old Lara, the record holder for the highest scores in Test and first class cricket, was honoured for his achievements and for his contribution to cricket and Caribbean life.

"Members of Caricom I want to say a very big thank you for this great accolade and I want you to know that you are not only conferring this on myself but also the glorious game of cricket, my family, my supporters, but I must also mention my opposition because those are the ones that drove me the hardest to achieve and be the person you see standing here today," Lara told the gathering.

"On behalf of them and behalf of everyone, I'll wear this distinction how it deserves to be worn."

Most career runs

Lara, also the record holder for the most career runs in Tests, quit international cricket last year following the Cricket World Cup in the Caribbean.

He played 131 Tests, finishing with 11,953 runs and 34 centuries, at an average of 52.88. In 299 One-Day Internationals, Lara emerged with 10,405 and 19 centuries.

"I've had a wonderful career in the field of sport, namely cricket. I played for a short period of time for the best team in the world, for another short period of time for the best team in the world in decline, but for a significant part of my career, for a team at the bottom of world cricket," the former West Indies captain told the audience of Caribbean prime ministers and CARICOM officials.

"A team that tried its best to rekindle hope in a nation that is so immensely affected by its performance on a few acres of grass. I stand before you today to say categorically, I would not have traded this for anything else.

"I feel privileged to have worn the West Indies blazer alongside Sir Vivian Richards right through to Chris Gayle and the present crop."

Lara is only the second West Indies cricketer to have been conferred with the OCC, following in the footsteps of Sir Gary Sobers who was honoured in 1998.