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Brian Lara was yesterday effectively ruled out of the scheduled West Indies tour of Pakistan in the new year as a further examination of his injured left elbow revealed a hairline fracture.

But the tour is still in doubt as the military and political crisis in neighbouring Afghanistan remains unresolved in spite of the fall of the Taliban government and the apparent defeat of the Al Qaeda terrorist organisation of Osama bin Laden.

Team manager Ricky Skerritt revealed that a further X-ray examination of Lara's elbow was arranged here yesterday.

It showed a hairline fracture that had not initially been traced during treatment in Kandy.

After resetting the cast around the repaired joint, it is now suggested that Brian would be out of cricket for much longer than was at first thought, for an extra two weeks and for no less than six weeks in all, perhaps longer, depending on healing, Skerritt said.

What this means is that Brian Lara is effectively ruled out of the next scheduled West Indies tour of Pakistan, if and when, that takes place, he added.

Lara was scheduled to fly to London today prior to the day- night tournament final between the West Indies and Sri Lanka, linking up with the team on its way back to the Caribbean on Saturday, the manager said.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) issued a provisional itinerary last week, claiming it had been sanctioned by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), that set the tour dates as January 25 to March 7 in Pakistan with three Tests, three One-Day Internationals and a three-day first-class match.

It slated the second Test in the north-western city of Peshawar, within a few miles of the Afghan border, a strange decision.

Skerritt said the players were very worried about undertaking such a tour with the situation in Afghanistan still unsettled.

The board has advised that I should make a reconnaissance visit to Pakistan to report on the security situation, as I did to Sri Lanka before this tour, he revealed.

In light of the players' concerns, I have suggested that a representative of the Players' Association join me so that the players can also hear from one of their own and that has been accepted by the chief executive officer, he added.

Skerritt noted that time was getting short and a final decision would have to be made on the tour shortly.

© The Barbados Nation