Lara’s bat does the talking

PERTH, NOVEMBER 7: West Indies superstar Brian Lara shrugged off his alleged involvement in match-fixing to crack a superb century in the first match of the tourists’ Australian program near here Tuesday. “It’s been a tough week, but everything will come to fruition eventually, I hope, ” said Lara, 31, after slamming a chanceless 108 (11 fours, three sixes) off 107 balls against an Australian Cricket Board Chairman’s X1 at Lilac Hill Park, Caversham. Opener and vice-captain Sherwin Campbell also stroked a polished unbeaten 111 (eight fours, four sixes) from 142 deliveries as the West Indies reached 276-2 from their 50 overs in the one-day clash before heavy rain caused play to be abandoned.