Brisbane: West Indies skipper Brian Lara offered Australia?s premier pace bowler Glenn McGrath some friendly advice here on Tuesday ? think twice about playing in the 2007 World Cup.

Lara, in Brisbane with the West Indian team, said McGrath was a champion bowler, but his age ? he will be 35 next month ? could count against him.

?He?ll be an ageing fast bowler coming in to bowl on really nice batting tracks in the Caribbean,? Lara said.

The West Indian captain said Australia?s most lethal one-day bowler might end up damaging his reputation and frugal economy rate if he tried to help the world champions defend their crown on flat wickets in the Caribbean.

But Lara admitted it wasn?t his call to tell McGrath what he should do.

?That?s for him and Australia to decide really,? he said.