Brian Lara Eclipses Border

[chuchok]

Nov. 26 (Bloomberg) -- Brian Lara became the most prolific batsman in 129 years of elite international cricket as he advanced to 214 on the second morning of the West Indies' third Test against Australia.

The left-hander, resuming his 121st match on 202 runs, reached 11,175 runs, one more than former record-holder Allan Border managed in 156 Tests. The Windies, trailing 2-0 in the three-match series, are 366-7 in Adelaide.

Trinidad-born Lara, 36, has tormented the world's top bowlers for 15 years. His unbeaten 400 against England last year made him the first batsman to reclaim the highest individual score in Tests, while his 501 not out for Warwickshire in 1994 remains the highest individual score in first-class cricket.

``I knew I was feeling good,'' Lara told reporters yesterday after posting his 31st Test hundred and eighth double- century. ``It's a great feeling to finally get runs in Australia.'' In four previous innings in the series he managed just 102 runs.

The 10th of 11 siblings, Lara broke the West Indies youth scoring record in 1987 and made 92 in his first-class debut for Trinidad & Tobago the following year. In his fifth Test, in 1990, he cracked Australia's bowlers for 277 for the highest maiden century by any batsman at the elite level.

Four years later he battered England's bowlers in Antigua for 375 runs to surpass the record 365 Gary Sobers amassed in a 1958 Test.

First-Class Record

Two months on and playing for English county side Warwickshire, Lara notched his seventh century in eight innings and went on to score 501 against Durham. The accomplishments earned him the British Broadcasting Corp.'s overseas sports personality of the year award.

Lara's rise coincided with a decline in the performance of the West Indies. The team, which dominated the game in the 1980s and early 1990s, is now ranked eighth of 10 Test-playing nations after losing 11 of 14 Tests.

Lara's two stints as West Indies Test captain are littered with individual triumphs and collective disappointments, including a 5-0 sweep by South Africa in 1998-99 and two series defeats to England last year. His record 400 not out in Antigua last April, which eclipsed Australia batsman Matthew Hayden's 380 against Zimbabwe six months earlier, came in the final match of a series with the West Indies already trailing 3-0.

Dropped

In March 2005, Lara and six others were dropped following a clash between team and player sponsors. Having lost the captaincy to Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Lara returned the following month to score 196 and 176 in successive Tests against South Africa.

Among current cricketers, Sachin Tendulkar has the best chance of eclipsing his record. The Indian, who is four years younger than his counterpart, has 10,134 runs from 123 Tests. Unfortunately for Tendulkar, Lara isn't thinking of quitting.

``I can't really put a timeline on it,'' Lara said. ``I'm slowing down in the one-day game and trying to get as much Test cricket out of myself as possible.''

TEST CRICKET'S LEADING RUN-SCORERS

NAME TESTS RUNS

Brian Lara 121 11,175

Allan Border 156 11,174

Steve Waugh 168 10,927

Sachin Tendulkar 123 10,134

Sunil Gavaskar 125 10,122

[Old Croc]

There is an interesting fact about Lara who now holds all test match scoring records as an individual.

As a member of a team, he has played in more losing test matches than any other individual - 57.

[lampard10]

There is an interesting fact about Lara who now holds all test match scoring records as an individual.

As a member of a team, he has played in more losing test matches than any other individual - 57.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How many hours did you spend scouring the record books to find out something negative about someone who has replaced your finest at the top of the order. Typical Oz

[Old Croc]

There is an interesting fact about Lara who now holds all test match scoring records as an individual.

As a member of a team, he has played in more losing test matches than any other individual - 57.

How many hours did you spend scouring the record books to find out something negative about someone who has replaced your finest at the top of the order. Typical Oz

No time at all. I heard it on radio. I don't think it is negative about Lara, more about the lack of quality of his team mates during his time of brilliance. If you were to read some of my other posts on this forum you would know I have been very supportive of the man

Some more Lara facts: He has 8 double centuries to his credit and averages 193 for all his innings over 100. Few people can match this statistic.

"If you compare those who've scored more than 30 Test centuries: Sachin Tendulkar (34), Sunil Gavaskar (34), Steve Waugh (32) and Lara (31) and for perspective add Don Bradman (29), the man whose record has the most significance now for Lara. All these hundreds do not reveal accurately what they built innings after innings. (I'd always wondered why in cricket a batsman is allocated one century per innings even if he has scored two or three.)

In this small group, Lara has shown the most consistent capacity for the big hundred, second to only Bradman. In Tendulkar's 34, four reached 200 and 14 more than 150, adding up to 5196 runs. In Gavaskar's 34, four reached 200, and 12 more than 150, adding up to 4802 runs. In Waugh's 32, he made 200 once, and 14 times crossed 150, adding up to 4342 runs. In Lara's 31, eight crossed 200, and 18 more than 150, adding up to 5431 runs. For some last century perspective, Don Bradman crossed 200 on 12 occasions, with 18 scores, nearly two thirds, over 150. His 29 centuries tallied 5393 runs. Bradman possessed the courage, stamina, concentration and will to construct mammoth innings: characteristics of the epic hero with absolute focus." (quote - Vaneisa Baksh)

The Oz public gave him a standing ovation as he walked out to begin the days play and again when he passed the record. He stated he was moved by this support. ( An english crowd probably would have thrown cans and sung derogatory dittys )

[lampard10]

( An english crowd probably would have thrown cans

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

only empty ones

[ProfessorFart]

I thought can throwing was an Aussie past time especially at injured England players............

[Old Croc]

I thought can throwing was an Aussie past time especially at injured England players............

Sorry Prof. don't know the incident you're referring to, but I'm sure they deserved it.

[Old Croc]

( An english crowd probably would have thrown cans

only empty ones

I'm probably being a bit unfair to the English.

After all it was the kindness and generousity of English bowlers that helped Lara to several of his world record scores

[COBBER]

( An english crowd probably would have thrown cans

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

only empty ones

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm probably being a bit unfair to the English.

After all it was the kindness and generousity of English bowlers that helped Lara to several of his world record scores

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What .... Surely your not refering to the "Worlds greatest four pronged pace bowling attack" Croc.

[soi lurker]

I thought can throwing was an Aussie past time especially at injured England players............

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Only when theyre finished, we'll leave the coin, flare and dart throwing to you mob. Congratulations to Brian Lara. He has the record, im not sure for how long however.... some one's soon to take it out again in the near future....But he does deserve it.

[Pink Mist]

records are made for breaking, but Lara was good (is good) , if only i didnt have so much work tomorow , the gates will be open for free to see a contest this time

[Old Croc]

Lara announces retirement from cricket

West Indies captain Brian Lara announced his retirement from international cricket on Thursday ending a record-breaking career as a batsman.

Lara, said his last match for West Indies would beSaturday's World Cup match against England at the Kensington Oval.

"I've given this extensive consideration and on Saturday I will be bidding farewell to international cricket as a player," Lara told a news conference after West Indies beat Bangladesh by 99 runs in a Super Eights match on Thursday.

The 37-year-old Trinidadian holds the record for the highest test score (400 not out) and in the first-class game (501 not out).

He is also the leading run scorer in tests with 11,953 from 131 matches. In one-day internationals he amassed 10,387 runs from 298 games.

Lara had already announced he was quitting one day internationals at the end of the World Cup but had been expected to lead the side in a test series against England which begins in May.

During an emotional press conference, where Lara reflected on his career, he indicated that he had been frustrated as captain during the team's disappointing World Cup campaign.

AAP