Brian Lara ... Could feature in T&T's match against Guyana. - Reuters

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC)

A cloud hangs over the fitness of former West Indies captain Brian Lara for Trinidad and Tobago's opening Carib Beer Series match against Guyana, starting tomorrow at the Queen's Park Oval.

The left-handed batsman is nursing a shoulder injury and although he looked in good touch at a net session at the Oval yesterday, team manager Omar Khan said a final decision on whether the mega batsman plays this weekend will not be made until today, following discussions with Lara's medical team.

The 38-year-old Lara, who retired from international cricket in April, has been included in a 14-man-squad, which will be reduced to 13 today.

President of the T&T Cricket Board (TTCB) Deryck Murray had said at a press conference last week that the batting star's appearance in the tournament would give cricket lovers in T&T an opportunity to say thank you to Lara for his outstanding cricket career.

"We want to give him a proper send off as a member of the national team. This is the ideal opportunity for the public to come out and say thank you to the great batsman," Murray said.

Murray stated that Lara will limit his appearance to the Carib Beer four-day series and will take no part in the Stanford Twenty20 Series, slated for January 26 to February 24.

Lara played in 131 Tests and scored 11,953 runs at an average of 52.88. He still holds the record for the highest individual Test innings of 400 not out, scored against England in 2004.

He also holds the record for the highest First-Class score of 501 not out for Warwickshire in the English County Championships.

The T&T team led by newly appointed captain Rayad Emrit will round off their preparation with a net session at the Oval today while the Guyanese with Ramnaresh Sarwan at the helm will also train today at the same venue.