[AS PUBLISHED IN MALAY MAIL]
CRICKET legend Brian Lara craves the day West Indies’ fast bowlers will again rule the word.
The likes of Curtly Ambrose, Malcolm Marshall and Michael Holding were once the most feared pacemen in history.
But Lara laments the current lack of talent coming through since his retirement in 2007.
He went so far as to say the loss of supreme athletes like Usain Bolt, a cricket tragydy, to other sports is costing the once revered national side.
“There wasn’t as many distractions, meaning sporting opportunities,” Lara told Malay Mail at the opening of Epsom College’s new cricket pitch in Negri Sembilan.
“Look at Usain Bolt whom I met when he was 14, 15 at Sabina Park (Jamaica).
“Someone like that who likes cricket he would’ve made a good fast bowler.”
Bolt’s admiration of cricket is no secret.
He has said on many occasions the game was his first love.
“I was so in love with cricket I didn’t want to do anything else,” Bolt mentioned last year.
Love for the game ran in the family.
He would watch matches with his father Wellesley growing up in Kingston.
As a schoolboy, he opened the batting and bowling until his coach introduced him to athletics.
“When I got to high school I had to choose cricket or track and field. My dad said I should do track and field,” said Bolt.
Subsequently the West Indies lost out on the likes of Bolt and other naturally gifted sportsmen.
The region has filled with chances to pursue more profitable sports like basketball, baseball and track and field.
“The more opportunities there are out there, the more diluted the game is going to get in terms of wanting to play,” Lara rued.
“We still have the best talent out there, we are just not harnessing it properly.”
CRICKET legend Brian Lara craves the day West Indies’ fast bowlers will again rule the word.
The likes of Curtly Ambrose, Malcolm Marshall and Michael Holding were once the most feared pacemen in history.
But Lara laments the current lack of talent coming through since his retirement in 2007.
He went so far as to say the loss of supreme athletes like Usain Bolt, a cricket tragydy, to other sports is costing the once revered national side.
“There wasn’t as many distractions, meaning sporting opportunities,” Lara told Malay Mail at the opening of Epsom College’s new cricket pitch in Negri Sembilan.
“Look at Usain Bolt whom I met when he was 14, 15 at Sabina Park (Jamaica).
“Someone like that who likes cricket he would’ve made a good fast bowler.”
Bolt’s admiration of cricket is no secret.
He has said on many occasions the game was his first love.
“I was so in love with cricket I didn’t want to do anything else,” Bolt mentioned last year.
Love for the game ran in the family.
He would watch matches with his father Wellesley growing up in Kingston.
As a schoolboy, he opened the batting and bowling until his coach introduced him to athletics.
“When I got to high school I had to choose cricket or track and field. My dad said I should do track and field,” said Bolt.
Subsequently the West Indies lost out on the likes of Bolt and other naturally gifted sportsmen.
The region has filled with chances to pursue more profitable sports like basketball, baseball and track and field.
“The more opportunities there are out there, the more diluted the game is going to get in terms of wanting to play,” Lara rued.
“We still have the best talent out there, we are just not harnessing it properly.”
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