The BBC's Paul Newman reports on Brain Lara's stormy career

In 1995 he announced his retirement after a verbal clash with then captain Richie Richardson - only returning after being persuaded to change his mind by the president of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), Peter Short.

But the controversy did not end there.

Fined 10% of his match-fee for "misconduct" - thought to have been imposed because he had left the team for several days in August - he then pulled out of the winter tour to Australia.

'Ruining my life'

Claiming he was "burnt-out" and that "cricket was ruining his life", Lara's absenteeism has long been a thorn to those who relied on his ability.

Lara: Complained of being "burnt-out"

In 1994 the former West Indies' captain begged, on a number of occasions, for leave of absence from his county side Warwickshire and then refused to tour in India.

Renowned the world over for his world record Test score of 375 against England in Antigua on April 18 1994 and his 501 - the highest-ever score in first-class cricket - for Warwickshire later the same year, Lara quickly became the hottest property in the game.

But he failed to sustain the expectations placed upon him and surely enough the honeymoon did not last.

Lost form

Despite being given the captaincy of Warwickshire in December 1997, poor results soon began to plague the team.

And for a club used to success, defeat did not go unnoticed.

Lara: From success to failure

Supporters began to boo and jeer him, angry at what they saw as a slovenly and uncaring approach to the captaincy, a position for which he was rumoured to have received £200,000 - around five times the salary most England players would expect.

His personal form had also slumped.

Between November 1996 and December 1997 his Test average fell to 34.26, with only three centuries in 27 innings - paltry returns for such a magnificent stroke-maker - and during the 1998 season he only managed to rise above the half-century mark on a handful of occasions.

It is now generally perceived that had Lara been offered the West Indies' captaincy first - he would not have accepted the role at Warwickshire.

Far from him wanting to experience the differing conditions at county level, it is more likely that he accepted the post because he was not certain of obtaining the West Indies job.

But as Lara himself knows - the two are very different indeed.

Against England last winter he captained the West Indies with great imagination and flair.

Unorthodox field settings and tactics - such as witholding the new ball from Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh - which looked odd at the time, invariably turned out to be superb tactical decisions.

For Warwickshire, though, the inspired ideas have tended to backfire.

"It's been hugely disappointing," he agreed before the end of the season, "things just haven't gone our way - but Warwickshire employed me because I was a capable captain."