Lara planning to return to action

Lara announced his international retirement at the World Cup

West Indies legend Brian Lara says he could play again within six months of his international retirement.

"I think I am going to play cricket again. If I go six or eight months without cricket I would lose it and I don't want to lose it yet," he said.

However, in an interview with Wisden Cricketer magazine Lara, 38, appeared to rule out an international comeback.

He claimed he left West Indies cricket on his own terms, although he had expected to tour England this summer.

"I leave West Indies cricket with my head held high," he said.

Without Lara, Test cricket's leading scorer with 11,953 runs from 131 matches, West Indies conceded the series to England 2-0 with one match still to play.

I wanted to come to England but I had also said I wanted to finish with one-dayers Brian Lara

Lara's international retirement was announced in dramatic fashion before West Indies' final game of a disappointing World Cup on home soil.

At the time he left open the possibility of playing on, away from international cricket.

"We needed a new direction, someone who was willing to see some sort of change," he said in the magazine interview.

"I was willing to do that. I wanted to come to England but I had also said I wanted to finish with one-dayers. It's not ideal but then how many things in life are?"

Asked if his planned comeback would be with celebrity club side Lashings, he replied, "No, no".

County cricket and the proposed new Indian breakaway 20-over league are possibilities.