'Lara Has Turned His Back on T&T'

President and chief executive officer of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board of Control, Alloy Lequay, has accused ailing West Indies batting star, Brian Lara of turning his back on local cricket.

The ageing Lequay stated that when Lara contracted the "mystery" illness in Sri Lanka earlier this year during the ICC Champions Trophy tournament, the local board offered him assistance.

The statements were made during the launch of the TTCBC Discount Card yesterday, at the National Cricket Centre at Balmain in Couva.

The outgoing head of the local board, Lequay, said that Lara never took up the offer and in fact never responded.

Lequay added that they had written the star batsman asking him to join the local team in their preparations for upcoming regional four-day tournament, but he again failed to respond.

"One minute we hear that he is playing golf in Barbados, the next we hear that he is in England. I am not sure where is he right now, but I think he needs cricket not golf," Lequay said.