KINGSTON, Jamaica, (Reuters):
WEST INDIES leading batsman Brian Lara hopes to be back in action within six weeks, which will be a welcome boost for struggling captain Carl Hooper.
"I'm looking at a month to six weeks, but at this present time I'm still doing therapy and I've still got to get the ok from my doctor," Lara was quoted as saying on the West Indies Cricket Board website yesterday.
"It's hard for me to say when I'll be back. I think that has to come from a doctor, who I will see later on this week, but hopefully I'll be able to play one or two matches for Trinidad and Tobago before getting ready for the series versus India."
India kick off a two-month long tour of West Indies with five Tests and the same number of one-day games starting with the first test at Bourda Oval in Guyana from April 11.
"I'm looking forward to that, but I would love to get in some first class cricket before that," said Lara.
Trinidad and Tobago's next Busta Cup opponents Guyana, who they play from February 22-25, will come too soon for Lara but they are also due to play Jamaica and the Windward Islands.
Lara sustained a fractured elbow in a collision with Marvan Atapattu during a one-day match on the tour of Sri Lanka last year, and while the injury is improving he awaits the doctor's green light to resume playing.
