Brian Lara – a West Indian from the island of Trinidad who was one of the world’s best batsmen in the 1990s and early 2000s.
He played during an era when some of the best fast bowlers in the world were in their prime. Glenn McGrath, Wasim Akram, Darren Gough and Brett Lee to name just a few.
Meanwhile the likes Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan bamboozled batsmen with their unpredictable, and at times unplayable spin.
Early in his career, he was scoring runs like they were going out of fashion. In 1994 he had probably his best season with the bat, breaking the Test and first class highest individual score, making 375 runs in a Test match against England scoring 501 not out off 427 balls for Warwickshire in a county match against Durham at Edgebaston.
During the early 2000s, when the West Indies began to make their slow and painful decline from the international game, Lara was still making big scores.
Lara played his last match for the West Indies at the 2007 Cricket World Cup against England, only making 18 runs in a match the West Indies lost as England snuck home by one wicket with only a ball to spare.
However, while we hotly debate whether Sachin Tendulkar or Ricky Ponting was the best batsman of the 1990s and 2000s, Lara is never seriously considered.
Brian Lara’s batting average compared to Tendulkar and Ponting:
Tendulkar – 200 Tests, batting average of 53.78
Ponting – 168 Tests, batting average of 51.85
Lara – 131 Tests, batting average of 52.88
Some would say Tendulkar and Ponting were better because they played for longer than Lara did, and yes his average might have fallen if he played on. But despite this, he is certainly in the same league.
Recently Lara scored 56 runs off 36 balls, hitting 8 fours and 2 sixes at Lord’s for the MCC. Despite the opposition only being Hertfordshire, it still shows that years out of the game he still has the talent that terrorised teams all over the world.
So next time you hear the ‘who was better, Ponting or Tendulkar’ debate, just remember the West Indian master from the island of Trinidad, Brian Lara.
Follow Lachlan on Twitter at @Lachy7Doyle
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