His smile back, Lara threatens once again with a timely ton

After smashing swing bowler Dominic Cork to the cover boundary, the World’s premier left-hander removed his helmet and raised both arms in celebration as he milked the applause.

Yet, only a few months previously, rumours were spreading that the 31-year-old Trinidadian was considering retirement. After a troubled tenure as captain, Lara, increasingly isolated, had walked away from the sport at the start of the year and spent the next four months playing golf, putting on weight and visiting a counsellor in New York as he mulled over the rest of his life.

Invited to rejoin the team in April for the England tour, Lara initially declined.

Perhaps the Trinidadian, like so many sporting geniuses before him, had become bored with his success. Perhaps, like team-mates Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose, he was tired of carrying a struggling team. Perhaps internal bickering after 10 consecutive away Test defeats has finally broken him.

Lara, though, denies that he had stopped caring.

“I have always been very committed,” he said. “I always give 100 percent. Before the hiatus, I played 64 Tests without a break. Not many guys can say that.”

Those Tests included his World record Test innings of 375 against England in Antigua in 1992-93 and his remarkable series of 213, 153 not out and 100 in consecutive Tests against Australia in 1998-99. He also scored a World record first-class innings of 501 for Warwickshire and six hundreds in seven innings in 1994.

Talked round by Jimmy Adams and the West Indies selectors, Lara eventually agreed to rejoin the ranks for the England tour. “My time off in many ways has been very good. Family-wise, and in a lot of other areas, things have improved,” he said. “I think my enthusiasm has been topped up by the time that I had off and the help that I had in that period.”

Until Old Trafford, however, he had cut something of a sorry figure, struggling with a niggling hamstring injury, short of match practice and averaging just 18.5 in the first two Tests. Questions about his technique, and an accentuated pre-delivery crouch, began to be raised. Smiles were in short supply.

His mood was little changed when he fell for 13 in the first innings as the West Indies struggled and were staring defeat in the face.

But his vital second innings 112, while not a classic by his standards and punctuated by mistimed pulls and drives, showed that the magic was returning. And in mitigation, Lara was only 75 percent fit.

Adams said: “It’s very reassuring to see Brian play like that — he has always had a big match mentality.”

Sunday’s century also prolonged the Lara love affair with English bowlers. Six of his 14 Test centuries have come against them, giving him an average of almost 73, around 22 runs more than his overall Test average.

Was it significant, though, despite his celebration, that he did not seem to be sparkling with joy after his innings? Did he fear, Lara was asked, that he would not be able to recapture his past brilliance, let alone his lost love of the game?

At last Lara smiled. “Are you worried?” he said, almost threateningly. “Don’t be worried.”