Brian Lara is due to travel with the West Indies to England this summer despite worries about the state of his mental health. Lara spent some time with a therapist in New York last month and later threatened to withdraw from the tour until he was talked into changing his mind on the morning the tour squad was announced.

Lara is obviously a big draw for cricket as well as being a world-class batsman. But you have to wonder about the wisdom of his decision to travel. Last week Lara tuned down an offer to play in the Trinidad National League. Why? He was playing golf. The batsman has, apparently, practised only once since he took a sabbatical last winter.