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Lara picks up his burden and runs

This article is more than 20 years old
The big scores are familiar but the maturity is new, says Neil Manthorp

At the age of 34 Brian Lara is tasting the tastes, smelling the smells and feeling the feelings. The West Indies captain has had his senses muted by his genius for most of his career but now, as it approaches its end, everything is changing. He appears, suddenly, to have realised that it is not going to last forever and he is cashing in.

In 11 Tests against South Africa before this season he had not scored a century and barely averaged 30. In this series, with the fourth and final Test starting at Centurion today, he has scored 491 runs at 81.83. He has put the record straight through a fierce and burning desire.

Last year was, statistically, the best of Lara's career with more than 1,300 runs at an average of 74. Though he has not reached the Olympian heights of his then world-record 375 against England in 1994, nobody should believe his powers have diminished after a comparatively fallow period mid-career. He may have scored more slowly than at previous times, in general, but he still set a world record by smashing Robin Peterson for 28 in an over during the first Test at the Wanderers.

Lara is a changed man. Five years ago he was also captain when his disjointed rabble of a squad were whitewashed 5-0 in South Africa. That tour had begun with his squad holed up in a London hotel while a payment dispute was sorted out with the West Indies board and it took a turn for the worse on the flight to Johannesburg when Jimmy Adams had the tendons in his hand so badly cut that he had to return home almost upon landing.

Amusingly, the tourists could think of no better excuse than to issue a statement saying the accident had occurred in an altercation with a butter knife. A plastic one, at that. But rumours quickly began circulating that the amiable Adams had, in fact, tried to play peacemaker in a dispute between two squad members involving a knife designed for more serious business than spreading butter. It was said one of them may have been the captain.

Lara was at his most profoundly aloof during the tour, travelling with his 19-year-old English girlfriend in a private car while his team were rounded up on their bus. Although he was clearly unhappy at the regularity and magnitude of the defeats, it was the disappointment of a confused eccentric unable - and seemingly unwilling - to find a solution. And certainly unable to accept that he, the great one, could be part of the problem.

How different he is now. Aware, to the point of embarrassment, of his youthful arrogance, he has taken an almost paternal interest in the many young, highly talented players in his squad.

He feels a special responsibility for Fidel Edwards's development, having insisted on his elevation to the national squad after facing him in the Barbados nets two years ago. An uncut gem, the slingy, aggressive Edwards could be the fast bowler for whom West Indies have been searching since their golden age began to tarnish.

The captain has had senior heads to turn to such as Ridley Jacobs, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Vasbert Drakes, but he has also placed pressure on the younger men, confident that, while he is there to guide and cajole, nobody will buckle or crack.

After the second Test in Durban, when West Indies were hammered by an innings and 63 runs, Lara was effusive in his praise for the centuries of Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan and boisterously confident that there would be no repeat of the whitewash. Frankly, his confidence sounded like desperation - and he could not say upon what it was based. "It just won't happen," he said, making long but not aggressive eye contact with journalists at the post-match press conference.

Maybe it was a coincidence, but the team's performance was vastly improved during the third Test in Cape Town, with the opener Chris Gayle and the 20-year-old debutant Dwayne Smith both scoring extraordinary centuries at better than a run a ball. It was a sign that, though Lara may have added an edge of steel to his own game, he continues to encourage individual expression and Caribbean flair. He did, though, throw a metaphorical, protective arm around Smith, careful not to allow anyone to "write him up" too much.

"It was the innocence of youth and all credit must go to him for the way he played," Lara said afterwards. "It's good to see the young guys coming in and being very positive. They seem to have the passion for the game. That's been missing for quite some time.

"What I've seen from young Smith so far is tremendous. His work ethic is great and that is what you need. You need to prepare yourself properly for Test cricket."

Throughout the tour Lara has been careful not to mention his own form except when responding to direct questions. Even after scoring a double century in the first Test he talked about the team and tried hard to find positives, though there were few.

"In the past we have collapsed well before the last day. At least we are fighting hard and reaching the final day now," he said, to the consternation of Caribbean scribes. But Lara was talking positively, engaging people who have been at best sceptical and at worst cynical about him for over a decade. It was as if he believed he could turn things around through sheer force of belief, personality and willpower.

Maybe that fire will burn out before March and England will face only what remains of West Indies, which is either mediocre or young and unproven, but if Lara is still the current version when England arrive they will probably have to work out a way of winning when the opposition captain scores 500 runs. At least.

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