Lara hopes to be back within six weeks

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 on Wednesday.

"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.

The left-hander, who holds the Test record innings score of 375 runs, achieved against England seven years ago, will be warmly welcomed back by captain Hooper in the light of the recent dismal results against Pakistan.

Pakistan defeated the Windies 2-0 in the two-match Test series and 2-1 in the one-day internationals that finished in Sharjah last weekend.

But Hooper says that despite his side's disappointing form, there have been improvements in the past year under his leadership.

SLOW IMPROVEMENT

"I can see improvement. It is slow in coming, but it's coming," Hooper said on his return to the Caribbean on Tuesday from Sharjah.

"There is still hope. Give it a couple of years' time and we'll turn it around," added Hooper.

"If we are losing, people are going to think you are not making any headway whatsoever," he said.

"Since, I have taken over the job, I've seen improvements, maybe not as fast as I'd like to see but I've certainly seen improvements.

"Being among the guys, I've seen a change in attitude. I've seen guys a bit more determined. I've seen a lot of preparation, mental and physical."

Since taking the captaincy from Jimmy Adams in last year's home series against South Africa, Hooper has had a rough ride.

He lost the five-match Test series against Shaun Pollock's Springboks 2-1 but went to Zimbabwe and won a short two-match series 1-0.

His side was then thrashed 3-0 by Sri Lanka followed by the recent two-game drubbing by Waqar Younis's Pakistan.

Overall, Hooper has lost eight Tests, drawn three and won just one as West Indies' captain.

Mail Cricket Editor