Lara's Zimbabwean journey
Neil Manthorp, in the Mail and Guardian , ponders the reasons as to why Brian Lara would play in a domestic Twenty20 tournament in Zimbabwe
Siddhartha Talya
25-Feb-2013
Neil Manthorp, in the Mail and Guardian, ponders the reasons as to why Brian Lara would play in a domestic Twenty20 tournament in Zimbabwe. If he keeps his side of the deal, Manthorp says, his contribution to Zimbabwe cricket could be immense.
Lara is a hero in Zimbabwe almost as much as he is in his haven of Trinidad and Tobago. Even young Zimbabweans more inclined towards soccer know exactly who he is and are drawn to him. Cricket bosses believe he could seriously shape the future of the game in the country, which is why they are considering paying him what many would consider an obscene amount of money to formalise a three-year relationship. But if Lara upholds his side of the deal it really could be worth it in the long run.
Siddhartha Talya is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo