Brian Lara Tribute
May 21st 2007 01:58
The current test match between the West Indies and England has held little interest for me, particularly from the tourist’s point of view.
There is only one reason for this- the absence of one Brian Charles Lara. The left-handed genius from Trinidad was the sole reason for my interest in Calypso cricket.
Unfortunately I wasn’t around to see the Windies glory period of the 1970s/80s but three players caught my attention when I became a cricket fan in the mid-90s.
Curtly Ambrose, Courtney Walsh and Lara were my cricketing heroes and eventually the two legendary fast bowlers gave the game up in 2000 and 2001 respectively.
The Windies have been a rabble ever since, failing dismally in their efforts to replicate the success of their glorious past. The only shining light has been Lara. Even though I live on the other side of the globe, every time Lara batted I would keep tabs via cricinfo.
Statistically Lara’s record is brilliant with 34 test centuries at 52.88 20 one-day tons at 40.5 and of course the numerous world records. But stats aren’t everything. Ricky Ponting, Sachin Tendulkar, Jacques Kallis and Rahul Dravid are just some of the modern batsmen with better averages but none are better.
Lara was the best player of the lot and the best since Sir Viv. Tendulkar has been his main rival and during the late 1990s was arguably more reliable and consistent. However in recent years his consistency has waned and Lara has overtaken the legendary Indian master.
Australian skipper Ponting has become the game’s greatest batsman, with an incredible four-year stretch, which has yielded over 20 centuries at an average of 70. The Tasmanian is considered Australia’s best bat since Bradman and will overtake all Test match batting records. With still five years left, Ponting has the opportunity to finish with 50 tons and over 15, 000 tuns.
But Lara is still better. Ponting has played in an all-conquering side that has batting strength in every position and the team is very rarely in a losing position.
Compare that with Lara, who for the last decade only has had Shivnarine Chanderpaul (good but not great) for support, with the talented Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan still not world-class Test batsmen.
And who would you rather see make a hundred, an in-form Lara or Ponting? Yes, I thought so. Lara, definetly! When the Windies master was on-song no one could stop him. He decimated an all-conquering Australian line-up single handed in 1999, destroyed Murali in 2001 and was still at his best at nearly 38 in his last ever World Cup.
Even against Australia, when the odds were stacked against the Windies, Lara still enjoyed success with an average of 50, nine tons and three doubles. McGrath was the one bowler who continually troubled Lara but still the class of the little man shone.
The testament to Lara, is that McGrath, Shane Warne and Steve Waugh rank BC as the best- in front of Tendulkar and Ponting.
The sad aspect for Lara’s many adoring supporters is the fact the little genius never enjoyed much success, due to the crummy team he played for.
His retirement came as an absolute shock, as I was certain he would give one-day cricket up but was positive he was still passionate about the longer game- a format he loves.
Lara was still batting as well as ever, evident by his amazing last Test series in Pakistan and he was clearly still the only world-class player in the Windies line-up.
The last innings I ever watched the great man bat was against Australia, in another dire situation. Lara came in at 3-20, with the Windies needing over 300 to pull of an improbable victory.
His last innings against the world champs was fittingly sublime, smashing a run-a-ball 77. The legacy of Lara was the way you felt he could win the game off his bat, just as long as he stayed in the middle, no matter what situation. You wouldn’t feel that way with Ponting had he played with an inferior side.
And you knew the opposition felt the same. When Brad Hogg finally dismissed the great man, the Aussies players were jubilant, even though a Windies victory was remote, even with Lara at the crease.
The celebration was a testament to the man’s respect in the game and no one respected him more than the Australians.
Lara’s demise was a sad one and indicative of the Windies mess. I have no doubt Lara would have wanted to stay on and toured England and ultimately end his illustrious career next year at home against Australia.
It is a travesty that a brilliant career had to end on that sad note. But let’s not despair and remember back to the days when Brian Lara would keep me captivated in the cricket, just in the hope of watching him reel off another sublime hundred.
For me cricket will never be the same again and I have no longer any interest in the West Indies cricket side.
The game will sorely miss the little master. Thank you Brian Charles Lara for making cricket more entertaining.
There is only one reason for this- the absence of one Brian Charles Lara. The left-handed genius from Trinidad was the sole reason for my interest in Calypso cricket.
Unfortunately I wasn’t around to see the Windies glory period of the 1970s/80s but three players caught my attention when I became a cricket fan in the mid-90s.
Curtly Ambrose, Courtney Walsh and Lara were my cricketing heroes and eventually the two legendary fast bowlers gave the game up in 2000 and 2001 respectively.
The Windies have been a rabble ever since, failing dismally in their efforts to replicate the success of their glorious past. The only shining light has been Lara. Even though I live on the other side of the globe, every time Lara batted I would keep tabs via cricinfo.
Statistically Lara’s record is brilliant with 34 test centuries at 52.88 20 one-day tons at 40.5 and of course the numerous world records. But stats aren’t everything. Ricky Ponting, Sachin Tendulkar, Jacques Kallis and Rahul Dravid are just some of the modern batsmen with better averages but none are better.
(the best)
Lara was the best player of the lot and the best since Sir Viv. Tendulkar has been his main rival and during the late 1990s was arguably more reliable and consistent. However in recent years his consistency has waned and Lara has overtaken the legendary Indian master.
Australian skipper Ponting has become the game’s greatest batsman, with an incredible four-year stretch, which has yielded over 20 centuries at an average of 70. The Tasmanian is considered Australia’s best bat since Bradman and will overtake all Test match batting records. With still five years left, Ponting has the opportunity to finish with 50 tons and over 15, 000 tuns.
But Lara is still better. Ponting has played in an all-conquering side that has batting strength in every position and the team is very rarely in a losing position.
Compare that with Lara, who for the last decade only has had Shivnarine Chanderpaul (good but not great) for support, with the talented Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan still not world-class Test batsmen.
And who would you rather see make a hundred, an in-form Lara or Ponting? Yes, I thought so. Lara, definetly! When the Windies master was on-song no one could stop him. He decimated an all-conquering Australian line-up single handed in 1999, destroyed Murali in 2001 and was still at his best at nearly 38 in his last ever World Cup.
Even against Australia, when the odds were stacked against the Windies, Lara still enjoyed success with an average of 50, nine tons and three doubles. McGrath was the one bowler who continually troubled Lara but still the class of the little man shone.
The testament to Lara, is that McGrath, Shane Warne and Steve Waugh rank BC as the best- in front of Tendulkar and Ponting.
The sad aspect for Lara’s many adoring supporters is the fact the little genius never enjoyed much success, due to the crummy team he played for.
His retirement came as an absolute shock, as I was certain he would give one-day cricket up but was positive he was still passionate about the longer game- a format he loves.
Lara was still batting as well as ever, evident by his amazing last Test series in Pakistan and he was clearly still the only world-class player in the Windies line-up.
The last innings I ever watched the great man bat was against Australia, in another dire situation. Lara came in at 3-20, with the Windies needing over 300 to pull of an improbable victory.
His last innings against the world champs was fittingly sublime, smashing a run-a-ball 77. The legacy of Lara was the way you felt he could win the game off his bat, just as long as he stayed in the middle, no matter what situation. You wouldn’t feel that way with Ponting had he played with an inferior side.
And you knew the opposition felt the same. When Brad Hogg finally dismissed the great man, the Aussies players were jubilant, even though a Windies victory was remote, even with Lara at the crease.
The celebration was a testament to the man’s respect in the game and no one respected him more than the Australians.
Lara’s demise was a sad one and indicative of the Windies mess. I have no doubt Lara would have wanted to stay on and toured England and ultimately end his illustrious career next year at home against Australia.
It is a travesty that a brilliant career had to end on that sad note. But let’s not despair and remember back to the days when Brian Lara would keep me captivated in the cricket, just in the hope of watching him reel off another sublime hundred.
For me cricket will never be the same again and I have no longer any interest in the West Indies cricket side.
The game will sorely miss the little master. Thank you Brian Charles Lara for making cricket more entertaining.
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