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Thread: Brian Lara - The Prince

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    Brian Lara - The Prince

    Brian Charles Lara (born May 2, 1969) (nicknamed "The Prince of Port-of-Spain" or simply "The Prince") is a West Indian cricketer. Lara is acknowledged as one of the world's greatest batsmen, having several times topped the Test batting rankings and being the current world record holder for the highest individual innings score and the all-time leading run scorer in Test cricket.

    Lara's career statistics suggest unmitigated genius, but in reality his career has been bedevilled by clashes with authority, injury and loss of form, all against the backdrop of West Indies being the strongest team in world cricket at the time of his debut (indeed, Lara was unable to break into the test side on his first tour with the side) but suffering a decline to the point where victories against leading test sides are few and far between. Many have wondered what Lara might have achieved had he been simply another great player in the all-conquering teams of the 1970s and 80s under Clive Lloyd and Viv Richards, rather than the sole great batsman carrying the hopes of a rapidly declining side.

    Lara has shown an almost unparalleled ability to build massive innings, and holds several world records for high scoring. He has the highest individual score in both first-class cricket (501 not out for Warwickshire against Durham in 1994) and Test cricket (400 not out for the West Indies against England in 2004). He also holds the record for the highest total number of runs in a Test career, after overtaking Allan Border in November 2005. He is the only man to have reclaimed the Test record score, having scored 375 against England in 1994, a record that stood until Matthew Hayden's 380 against Zimbabwe in 2003. His 400 not out also made him the second player after Don Bradman to score two Test triple-centuries, and the second after Bill Ponsford to score two first-class quadruple-centuries. He has scored eight double centuries in Test cricket, second only to Bradman's twelve.

    Lara captained the West Indies from 1997 to 1999. He was reappointed as captain against the touring Australians in 2003, and struck 110 in his first Test match back in charge, showing signs of him returning to his best. In September 2004, West Indies won the ICC Champions Trophy in England under his captaincy and seemed to have finally started their comeback from years of poor performance.

    In March 2005, Lara declined selection for the West Indies team because of a dispute over his personal Cable & Wireless sponsorship deal, which clashed with the Cricket Board's main sponsor, Digicel. Six other players were involved in this dispute, including stars Christopher Gayle, Ramnresh Sarwan, and Dwayne Bravo. In fact, Lara declined selection in a stand of solidarity, when these players were dropped because of their sponsorship deals. The issue was resolved after the first Test of the series against the touring South African team. Lara returned to the team for the second Test (and scored a huge first innings score of 196), but in the process lost his captaincy indefinitely to the newly-appointed Shivnarine Chanderpaul. In the next Test, against the same opponents, he scored a majestic 176 in the first innings, which was hailed by many as one of his best innings in recent years. After an indifferent one day series against South Africa, he once again established himself as one of the leading batsmen of the modern era when he scored his first Test century against the visiting Pakistanis in the first Test at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados.

    On April 26, 2006 Lara was reappointed the captain of the West Indies cricket team for the third time. This followed the resignation of Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who had been captain for just thirteen months - in which the West Indies won just one of the 14 Test matches they had competed. In May 2006, Lara led the West Indies to successful One-Day series victories against Zimbabwe and India

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    Senior Member Platinum Hubber ajithfederer's Avatar
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    Biography
    Brian was born in Cantaro, Santa Cruz, Trinidad and Tobago. He is 10th in a family of 11 children. His father Bunty Lara died in 1988. His mother Pearl Lara suffered from cancer and died in January 2002. He is also the father of an eight-year-old daughter called Sydney whom he had with Trinidadian model Leasel Rovedas.

    From an early age, Lara showed precocious talent. His father Bunty and one of his older sisters were first to recognize young Brian's exceptional batting talents and enrolled him in the local Harvard Coaching Clinic at the age of only six for weekly coaching sessions on Sundays. As a result, Lara had a very early education in proper batting techniques.

    Lara's first school was St. Joseph's Roman Catholic primary. He then went to San Juan secondary, but played no cricket there. A year later, at fourteen years old, he moved on to Fatima College. Lara moved in with his fellow Trinidadian Test player Michael Carew in Woodbrook, Port of Spain (a 20 minute drive from Santa Cruz). Michael's father Joey Carew was very instrumental in his cricketing and personal career development. Michael got Lara his first job at the Angostura Ltd. in the Marketing department. Lara played in Trinidad and Tobago junior soccer and table tennis sides but cricket was the path to recognition in Trinidad at the time. Lara wanted to emulate his idols: Gordon Greenidge, Viv Richards and the left-handed Roy Fredericks.

    Lara began his cricket career while at school at Fatima College. When he was 14, he played in the under-16 and First Divisions of national schoolboys' cricket. He amassed 745 runs in the schoolboys' league that year with an astounding average of 126.16 per innings. Immediately afterwards he was selected for the Trinidad national under-16 team. When he was 15 years old, he played in his first West Indian under 19 youth tournament. In 1984, Lara represented West Indies in Under-19 Test Cricket. 1987 was a breakthrough year for Lara, when he broke the West Indies youth batting record. In January, 1988, Lara made his first-class debut for Trinidad and Tobago in the Red Stripe Cup against Barbados. The Bajan attack contained Joel Garner and Malcolm Marshall. Lara batted nearly a full day and made 92. Later in the same year, he captained the West Indies team in Australia for the Bicentennial Youth World Cup. His innings of 182 as captain of the West Indies under 23 XI against the 1988-89 Indians elevated Lara's reputation even further. He was selected for the Port of Spain Test of that season. He did not play, however, due to suffering the personal setback of the death of his father. In 1989, he captained West Indies B Team in Zimbabwe and scored 145 for the West Indies, a side that included several players with Test experience. In 1990, at the age of 20, Lara became Trinidad and Tobago's youngest ever captain and won the one-day Geddes Grant Shield. It was also in 1990 that he made his Test debut for West Indies against Pakistan, scoring 44 & 6.

    Lara loves carnivals, Chinese & Italian food, and is known to be a practical joker.

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    Career highlights

    Brian Lara's career performance graph.Lara showed his talent in his 5th Test, striking 277 runs against Australia in Sydney, his maiden Test century. It remains the fourth highest maiden Test century by any batsman. [1]. It was also the highest individual score in all Tests between the two teams, the fourth-highest ever recorded against Australia.
    He became the first man to score seven centuries in eight first-class innings, the first being the historic record 375 against England and the last being the record 501 not out against Durham.
    After Matthew Hayden had eclipsed his Test record 375 by five runs in 2003, he reclaimed the record — a unique feat — scoring 400 not out in 2004. With this innings he became the second player to score two Test 300s, the second player to score two career 400s, the only player to achieve both these milestones, and regained the distinction of being the holder of both the record first-class individual innings and the record Test individual innings.
    He is the all-time leading run scorer in Test cricket, a record he attained on 26 November 2005. [2]
    In the same innings, he became the second batsman to score 1000 Test runs in five different years, four days after Matthew Hayden first set the record.
    He was the fastest batsmen to 10,000 (with Tendulkar) and 11,000 Test runs, in terms of number of innings. [3]
    He has (as of July 2006) scored 32 centuries (the most for a West Indian and 3rd for all Test cricket [4]), of which eight are double centuries (surpassed only by Bradman [5]) and two triple-centuries (matched only by Bradman [6]). He has scored centuries against all Test-playing nations.
    Lara fought many lone battles as the West Indies collective batting strength slumped over the years. He has scored an astonishing 20% of his team runs [7], a feat surpassed only by Bradman (23%) and George Headley (21%). Lara scored 688 runs (a record 42% of team output and the second highest aggregate runs in history for a three-Test series) in the 2001-02 tour of Sri Lanka [8].
    He also scored a century and a double century in the third Test in that same Sri Lanka tour, a feat repeated only five other times in Test cricket history [9].
    A devastating batsman when in form, Lara holds the world record of scoring most runs (28) in a single over in Test cricket [10].
    He is fifth all-time in the category of most catches in a career by a non-Wicketkeeper behind Mark Waugh, Mark Taylor, Allan Border and Stephen Fleming [11].
    In 1994, he was awarded the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Overseas Personality Award. In 1995, he was chosen as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year.
    Comfortably averaging over 50 per innings (the benchmark for batting greatness in Test cricket), Lara has often been ranked the number one batsman in Test cricket according to the PricewaterhouseCoopers Cricket Ratings [12].
    Lara has played some of the most brilliant innings in recent years. Wisden published a top 100 list in July 2001, a distillation of the best performances from 1,552 Tests, 54,494 innings and 29,730 bowling performances. Three innings by Lara were placed in the top 15 [13]. His heroic 153 not out in Bridgetown, Barbados, during West Indies' 2-2 home series draw against Australia in *1998-1999 was deemed the second greatest Test innings ever played, behind Bradman's 270 against England in the Third Test of the 1936-1937 series at Melbourne. On 13 October, 2003, PricewaterhouseCoopers Ratings team published a list of top innings since 1990 under their own methodology. Lara's 213 against Australia in Kingston, Jamaica in 1999 came out to be the top innings. His 375 was placed 8th and his three other innings, including the 153 not out, were not far behind.
    Brian Lara has scored centuries against all test playing nations. He achieved this feat in 2005 by scoring his first test century against Pakistan at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados.

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    Batting average
    Lara's batting average in Tests is impressive, over 54 an innings and in One-day Internationals he averages over 41 an innings at a strike rate (number of runs scored per 100 balls) of close to 80. The following four graphs show his Test batting average over the years in four chronological sections:

    The beginning: his first 55 Test innings, from December 1990 to April 1996, with an average of 60.32
    The first drop of his batting form: innings #56 to #103, November 1996 to March 1999, with an average of 36.00
    Then second drop of his batting form: innings #108 to #138, April 1999 to April 2001, with an average of 30.58
    The rise of his form in recent years: innings #139 to #197, April 2001 to August 2004, with an average of 64.93

    Test Centuries
    The following table illustrates a summary of the test centuries scored by Brian Lara

    In the column Runs, * indicates being not out
    The column title Match refers to the Match Number of the player's career
    Test Centuries of Brian Lara
    Runs Match Against City/Country Venue Year
    [1] 277 5 Australia Sydney, Australia Sydney Cricket Ground 1993
    [2] 167 13 England Georgetown, Guyana Bourda 1993
    [3] 375 16 England St John's, Antigua Antigua Recreation Ground 1994
    [4] 147 21 New Zealand Wellington, New Zealand Basin Reserve 1995
    [5] 145 29 England Manchester, England Old Trafford 1995
    [6] 152 30 England Nottingham, England Trent Bridge 1995
    [7] 179 31 England London, England Kennington Oval 1995
    [8] 132 38 Australia Perth, Australia W.A.C.A. Ground 1997
    [9] 103 42 India St John's, Antigua Antigua Recreation Ground 1997
    [10] 115 45 Sri Lanka Kingstown, Saint Vincent Arnos Vale Ground 1997
    [11] 217 61 Australia Kingston, Jamaica Sabina Park 1999
    [12] 153* 62 Australia Bridgetown, Barbados Kensington Oval 1999
    [13] 100 63 Australia St John's, Antigua Antigua Recreation Ground 1999
    [14] 112 68 England Manchester, England Old Trafford 2000
    [15] 182 73 Australia Adelaide, Australia Adelaide Oval 2000
    [16] 178 81 Sri Lanka Galle, Sri Lanka Galle Stadium 2001
    [17] 221 83 Sri Lanka Colombo, Sri Lanka Sinhalese Sports Club Ground 2001
    [18] 130 83 Sri Lanka Colombo, Sri Lanka Sinhalese Sports Club Ground 2001
    [19] 110 91 Australia Georgetown, Guyana Bourda 2003
    [20] 122 92 Australia Port of Spain, Trinidad Queen’s Park Oval 2003
    [21] 209 95 Sri Lanka Gros Islet, Saint Lucia Beausejour Stadium 2003
    [22] 191 98 Zimbabwe Bulawayo, Zimbabwe Queen’s Sport Club 2003
    [23] 202 99 South Africa Johannesburg, South Africa New Wanderers Stadium 2003
    [24] 115 101 South Africa Cape Town, South Africa Newlands 2004
    [25] 400* 106 England St John's, Antigua Antigua Recreation Ground 2004
    [26] 120 108 Bangladesh Kingston, Jamaica Sabina Park 2004
    [27] 196 113 South Africa Port of Spain, Trinidad Queen’s Park Oval 2005
    [28] 176 114 South Africa Bridgetown, Barbados Kensington Oval 2005
    [29] 130 116 Pakistan Bridgetown, Barbados Kensington Oval 2005
    [30] 153 117 Pakistan Kingston, Jamaica Sabina Park 2005
    [31] 226 121 Australia Adelaide, Australia Adelaide Oval 2005
    [32] 120 126 India Gros Islet, Saint Lucia Beausejour Stadium 2006


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    One Day International Centuries
    ODI Centuries of Brian Lara
    Runs Match Against City/Country Venue Year
    [1] 128 41 Pakistan Durban, South Africa Kingsmead 1993
    [2] 111* 42 South Africa Bloemfontein, South Africa Springbok Park 1993
    [3] 114 45 Pakistan Kingston, Jamaica Sabina Park 1993
    [4] 153 54 Pakistan Sharjah, UAE Sharjah C.A. Stadium 1993
    [5] 139 83 Australia Port of Spain, Trinidad Queen’s Park Oval 1995
    [6] 169 90 Sri Lanka Sharjah, UAE Sharjah C.A. Stadium 1995
    [7] 111 96 South Africa Karachi, Pakistan National Stadium 1996
    [8] 146* 100 New Zealand Port of Spain, Trinidad Queen’s Park Oval 1996
    [9] 104 102 New Zealand Kingstown, Saint Vincent Arnos Vale Ground 1996
    [10] 102 108 Australia Brisbane, Australia Brisbane Cricket Ground 1997
    [11] 103* 109 Pakistan Perth, Australia W.A.C.A Ground 1997
    [12] 110 125 England Bridgetown, Barbados Kensington Oval 1998
    [13] 117 157 Bangladesh Dhaka, Bangladesh Bangabandhu National Stadium 1999
    [14] 116* 176 Australia Sydney, Australia Sydney Cricket Ground 2001
    [15] 111 202 Kenya Colombo, Sri Lanka Sinhalese Sports Club Ground 2002
    [16] 116 203 South Africa Cape Town, South Africa Newlands 2003
    [17] 116 217 Sri Lanka Bridgetown, Barbados Kensington Oval 2003
    [18] 113 219 Zimbabwe Bulawayo, Zimbabwe Queens Sports Club 2003
    [19] 156 249 Pakistan Adelaide, Australia Adelaide Oval 2005

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    Man of the Match Awards

    Test Cricket
    Man of the Match Awards – Brian Lara
    Runs Against City/Country Venue Result Year
    [1] 277 Australia Sydney, Australia Sydney Cricket Ground Match Drawn 1993
    [2] 167 England Georgetown, Guyana Bourda won by an innings and 44 runs 1993
    [3] 375 England St John's, Antigua Antigua Recreation Ground Match Drawn 1993
    [4] 179 England London, England Kennington Oval Match Drawn 1995
    [5] 104 India St John’s, Antigua Antigua Recreation Ground Match Drawn 1997
    [6] 213 Australia Kingston, Jamaica Sabina Park won by 10 wickets 1999
    [7] 8/153* Australia Bridgetown, Barbados Kensington Oval won by 1 wicket 1999
    [8] 221/130 Sri Lanka Colombo, Sri Lanka Sinhalese Sport Club Ground won by 10 wickets 2001
    [9] 209 Sri Lanka Gros Islet, Saint Lucia Beausejour Stadium Match Drawn 2003
    [10] 191/1 Zimbabwe Bulawayo, Zimbabwe Queens Sports Club won by 128 runs 2003
    [11] 400* England St John’s, Antigua Antigua Recreation Ground Match Drawn 2004
    [12] 226/17 Australia Adelaide, Australia Adelaide Oval won by 7 wickets 2005


    One Day International Cricket
    Man of the Match Awards – Brian Lara
    Runs Against City/Country Venue Result Year
    [1] 54 Pakistan Karachi, Pakistan National Stadium won by 24 runs 1991
    [2] 69 Australia Brisbane, Australia Brisbane Cricket Ground won by 12 runs 1992
    [3] 88 Pakistan Melbourne, Australia Melbourne Cricket Ground won by 10 wickets 1992
    [4] 72 Zimbabwe Brisbane, Australia Brisbane Cricket Ground won by 75 runs 1992
    [5] 86 South Africa Port of Spain, Trinidad Queens Park Oval won by 10 wickets 1992
    [6] 128 Pakistan Durban, South Africa Kingsmead won by 124 runs 1993
    [7] 111* South Africa Bloemfontein, South Africa Springbok Park won by 9 wickets 1993
    [8] 114 Pakistan Kingston, Jamaica Sabina Park won by 4 wickets 1993
    [9] 95* Pakistan Port of Spain, Trinidad Queens Park Oval won by 5 wickets 1993
    [10] 153 Pakistan Sharjah, UAE Sharjah C.A. Stadium won by 6 wickets 1993
    [11] 82 Sri Lanka Kolkata, India Eden Gardens won by 7 wickets 1993
    [12] 55* New Zealand Auckland, New Zealand Eden Park won by 25 runs 1995
    [13] 72 New Zealand Wellington, New Zealand Basin Reserve won by 41 runs 1995
    [14] 139 Australia Port of Spain, Trinidad Queens Park Oval won by 133 runs 1995
    [15] 169 Sri Lanka Sharjah, UAE Sharjah C. A. Stadium won by 4 runs 1995
    [16] 111 South Africa Karachi, Pakistan National Stadium won by 19 runs 1996
    [17] 146* New Zealand Port of Spain, Trinidad Queens Park Oval won by 7 wickets 1996
    [18] 103* Pakistan Perth, Australia W.A.C.A Grounds won by 5 wickets 1997
    [19] 90 Australia Perth, Australia W.A.C.A Grounds won by 4 wickets 1997
    [20] 88 Pakistan Sharjah, UAE Sharjah C.A. Stadium won by 43 runs 1997
    [21] 51 England Kingstown, Saint Vincent Arnos Vale Ground won by 4 wickets 1998
    [22] 60 India Singapore Kallang Ground won by 42 runs 1999
    [23] 117 Bangladesh Dhaka, Bangladesh Bangabandhu National Stadium won by 109 runs 1999
    [24] 116* Australia Sydney, Australia Sydney Cricket Ground won by 28 runs 2001
    [25] 83* Zimbabwe Perth, Australia W.A.C.A Grounds won by 44 runs 2001
    [26] 59* New Zealand Gros Islet, Saint Lucia Beausejour Stadium won by 7 wickets 2002
    [27] 103* Kenya Colombo, Sri Lanka Sinhalese Sports Club Ground won by 29 runs 2002
    [28] 116 South Africa Cape Town, South Africa Newlands won by 3 runs 2003
    [29] 80 Australia Port of Spain, Trinidad Queens Park Oval won by 39 runs 2003
    [30] 156 Pakistan Adelaide, Australia Adelaide Oval won by 58 runs 2005

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    Trivia
    In a 1994 Bradman Foundation charity match, Lara was famously dismissed by Australian women's cricket team all-rounder, Zoe Goss.
    Lara made 501 not out against Durham - while sponsored by a rival jeans company to Levi's.

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    time 2 payback by spoilin this thread

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    Member Junior Hubber manuel's Avatar
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    we should have a thread on"The Prince of Port-of-Spain" Vs "The Prince of Kolkatta"...
    DevGUN -->"Every man dies but not every man really lives." -- Braveheart

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    Quote Originally Posted by manuel
    we should have a thread on"The Prince of Port-of-Spain" Vs "The Prince of Kolkatta"...

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