Lara should start again: Viv Richards

Out-of-form Brian Lara needed to dust himself and start again, former West Indies skipper Sir Vivian Richards said today.

And speculation that his form was being affected by the presence of his girlfriend should stop because it was nobody else's business, he said.

Richards arrived in Canberra today to watch the tour side take on a Prime Minister's XI tomorrow at the revamped Manuka Oval.

He would not say whether Lara, who has scored 21 runs in four Test match innings so far this summer but is not playing tomorrow, should use the game to get some time in the middle.

"He's certainly a little bit short of runs and I'm quite certain he'll be looking at all the favourite means of trying to find form for the next (Test) match," Richards said.

Lara's dismal form in Australia has seen him drop out of the world's top 10 batsmen for the first time since 1994.

He has plunged from first to 12th in the past six months, dropping two ranks in the PricewaterhouseCoopers ratings in the past week alone after a succession of failures.

Form slumps happened to champions in every sport, Richards said.

"You're going to have your little ups and downs and I think every champion, especially with him now ... I'm quite certain it would be hinted to him that that was the case.

"He'll have to fight his way back. I believe in dusting yourself off.

There's nothing wrong with that if you're knocked down.

"Dust yourself off and hopefully come good again."

Richards bristled a little at questions about the presence on the tour of Lara's girlfriend and whether the world record holder was being distracted from his cricket.

"I don't think that's anyone's business on the outside to know what's right or what's wrong with that particular individual," he said.

"It is Brian's call. If The Management and everyone around The Management team feels good about him having his lady here, that's no one's business.

"Personally I would like to see that that's finished with because, to be honest, some of us comment a little bit too much on something that doesn't concern us."

Richards said he expected the West Indies would play the game hard against the young PM's side, skippered by Test vice-captain Adam Gilchrist.

"Certainly they do need some form to get themselves back from that disaster in Perth," he said.

"When these things do happen it's nice to start afresh and this game, there is no letting up. It's an Australian A team, there's a lot of competition and there would be places at stake to fight for.

"There is no relaxing for the West Indies. They will be at it all the time."