Surrey line up surprise bid for Windies star Brian Lara

Surrey are lining up a bid to tempt West Indies batting great Brian Lara out of retirement with the offer of a contract to play Twenty20 cricket.

Lara, 40, has been in the nets at The Oval this week and has begun talks with Surrey's cricket manager Chris Adams and chief executive Paul Sheldon.

"We have been in discussion with Brian regarding his possible involvement with the club," said Surrey in a statement.

"However, we have no further comment to make at this stage."

The former West Indies captain, who has not played competitive cricket for two years, is famous for holding two of the most significant batting records in cricket.

His knock of 400 not out against England in Antigua in 2004 is the highest score in Test history, surpassing Matthew Hayden's 380 for Australia against Zimbabwe in Perth in October 2003.

Lara had already broken fellow countryman Sir Garfield Sobers' 36-year-long record of 365 not out with a knock of 375, also against England in Antigua in 1994.

He also holds the record for the highest score in first-class cricket history, with an astonishing 501 not out for Warwickshire against Durham at Edgbaston in 1994.