World bids adieu to Lara

Bridgetown, Barbados, Apr 20 (UNI) As Brian Lara announced his retirement from international cricket, the cricketing fraternity heaped praise on the man who tormented bowlers for almost two decades.

The most emotional one came from the man who will succeed him -- Ramnaresh Sarwan.

Ramnaresh Sarwan: He is great leader and for more than one and half decades he has been standing tall for West Indies cricket despite its gradual fall. I shall always cherish all those years playing by his side.

Other past and present greats also paid homage to the cricekter who is widely acknowledged as the numero uno of his generation.

Michael Holding: Brain Lara has had a brilliant career but now that he has retired it's time for West Indies cricket to move forward. The mantle passes to Ramnaresh Sarwan and he should try and get some positive results for the team.

Michael Vaughan: With the exit of Brian Lara, the world will miss the last of the classical cricketers as power have taken over class.

He might have tormented us every time we face him, but yet he was the super batsman.

Clive Lloyd: If you leave aside his flawed leadership, he is a great batsman. As a coach and manager I have seen him closely and it is a delight to watch him. A truly fantastic player.

Gary Sobers: I cannot accept that he is going knowing fully well that everything has to end today. I have always seen him as the heir to my cricket. He is a legend for the West Indies cricket.

Michael Atherton: I have never seen a more complete batsman than him in my life. His lightning footwork and amazing power to play long innings have been a nightmare for all the opposition and we have suffered in his hand many a times. I enjoy Brian Lara's batting more from the commentary box than being his opponent running to the boundaries to get back the ball every time.

UNI