PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):

THE TRINIDAD and Tobago Sports Minister, Roger Boynes, is urging batting great Brian Lara to reconsider his decision to quit international cricket.

Lara made a sudden announcement Thursday evening after West Indies beat Bangladesh in their Cricket World Cup (CWC) 2007 Super Eights match in Barbados that he would retire from all forms of international cricket after their last World Cup match against England yesterday.

But Boynes was startled by the announcement and contacted Lara about re-evaluating his position on the matter.

"I spoke with Brian a short while ago, and I have asked Brian to reconsider," Boynes told reporters on Friday. "I have told Brian that when he comes to Trinidad and Tobago we will sit down and we will talk."

Lara declared on Thursday evening that he had given 'extensive consideration' to the matter and decided to quit.

Boynes thinks his decision is premature as he believes the 37-year-old lefthander has more to offer to West Indies cricket.

"I know he is one man, he has tried his best and he has a role to play in the development of cricket, not only for Trinidad and Tobago but he has a role to play in the development of cricket for West Indies, and he still has a role to play in this present team," Boynes said.

Suggesting that he believed Laras decision was prompted by pressure due to the team's weak performance at the World Cup and second-round exit after four consecutive losses, Boynes said Lara shoulder not by himself shoulder the responsibility of the team's collapse at CWC 2007.