English bowlers to target Lara in final

England will target Brian Lara in the Champions Trophy final after he was felled by a delivery from Shoaib Akhtar in the semi-finals.

England will target Brian Lara in the Champions Trophy final after the West Indies captain was felled by a delivery from Shoaib Akhtar in the semi-finals.

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Coach Duncan Fletcher, asked at a news conference on Thursday whether his strike bowlers would seek to exploit Lara's perceived vulnerability to short-pitched bowling, replied with a smile: "We'll discuss that at our team meeting."

But he made it clear that England, who beat world champions Australia to reach the final, would have to be ready to adapt their tactics in Saturday's final at The Oval against Lara and his side.

"We can't just say we will attack him with bouncers. We have to bowl intelligently, think on our feet out in the middle.

"Lara is a great player and he's probably been hit before and it hasn't affected him."