Cricket has looses its diamond - Brian Charles Lara has announced to quit international cricket at the age of 38. Known for his high back-lift and attacking brand of batting, Lara is not only the highest run scorer in test matches but also holds the record for the highest individual scores in test matches and first class matches.

According to Lara,

I want everybody to know that on Saturday I’ll be playing my last international match. I’ve already spoken to the board and the players about this. I’ve had a very good run, 299 one-day matches and 130-odd Tests under my belt. That’s testimony to the fact that I’ve been out there toiling for West Indies cricket. I’ve enjoyed every single day. Another thing that I’m proud of is that I’ve been knocked down so many times, both as a player and a person, and come back. I need to thank my parents for that, for being able to go out there in the face of adversity and perform. It’s a family trait.

Lara will now play his last international game against England on Saturday. This means that his one-day career will end at 299 games, one short of magical 300 and he won’t add to the 131 Tests and 11,953 runs he scored in the longer version. In my opinion, he should have gone to the upcoming tour of England as well and play test cricket for sometime, but heavy criticism from former players after the World Cup debacle was perhaps too tough for the great man.

Cricinfo