Lara appointed West Indies captain

PORT OF SPAIN: Brian Lara was appointed as the captain of the West Indies cricket team which will take on India and Zimbabwe in ODI and Test series in the coming months. This is the third time that 36-year old Lara will lead the West Indies.

The chairman of West Indies Cricket Board Ken Gordon said said that Lara was not a stopgap choice.

"His appointment is not an interim one. His appointment as captain stands and it is not for any fixed period of time," he said.

Lara, who succeds left-hander Shivnaraine Chanderpaul of Guyana, said that it was a great honour for him to lead the side again.

"It's the third time I'm taking the job and I feel I have the necessary support. Chanderpaul did a wonderful job under the circumstances. He called me and he said he would support me.

Lara, the highest aggregate run scorer in Test cricket as also in an innings in Test and first class cricket, has his first assignment against Zimbabwe in the ODI series before taking on India in the four match Test follwed by five-match ODI series in home.