Cricket's leading batsman - Brian Charles Lara - arrives tonight for his first visit to Bermuda.

Fresh from playing a match in New York, the world double record-holder is scheduled to touch down on the Island at 9.30 p.m. for a five-day trip as a guest of the Eastern Counties Cricket Association (ECCA) who are celebrating their 100th match on Saturday.

The 34-year-old Trinidadian will be welcomed by officials including Deputy Governor Nick Carter and ECCA President Harold Millett. Some Government ministers may also attend.

Lara's arrival comes on the heels of the latest PricewaterhouseCoopers Test ratings which confirm him as the sport's No.1 batsman ahead of Indian arch rival Sachin Tendulkar. Lara retains top billing with 887 points to Tendulkar's 843 points.

Now in his second stint as West Indies captain, the left-hander who in 1994 posted the highest Test batting individual score of 375 and the highest individual first-class score of 501 (for Warwickshire versus Durham) will lead a Brian Lara Select versus a Bermuda Select on Sunday. The day-night, 50-overs-a-side game takes place at the National Sports Centre, starting at 3 p.m.

His team will feature other West Indies players, Ryan Hinds, Courtney Browne, Fidel Edwards, Omari Banks, Mervyn Dillon and possibly a few more leading players.

Event coordinator for the ECCA Thalia Lightbourne explained Sunday's game was changed from an Eastern Counties Select (on which Lara and his colleagues would have played) versus a combined Western/Central Counties Select to give some cricketers outside the Eastern Counties an opportunity to play alongside Lara.

The following players have been selected for Sunday's game and will play on either Lara's team or the Bermuda Select side: Clay Smith, Janeiro Tucker, Glenn Blakeney, OJ Pitcher, Albert Steede, Jermaine Postlethwaite, James Celestine, Jekon Edness, Kevin Hurdle, Peter Philpott, Jacobi Robinson, Gregg Foggo, Dion Stovell, Chris Foggo, Allan Douglas Jr., Oronde Bascome, Rodney Trott, Winston Trott Jr., Philip Burgess, Stephen Outerbridge and Jeffrey Tyrell.

They are asked to contact Grant Smith (292-6100) or George Cannonier (235-5929) for further details.