[VIDEO] Brian Lara Appreciation Thread

[Chrish]

Once in a while I like to delve into nostalgia.. Find the clips of my favorite movies /songs/ tv shows/ games and favorite players.

Today I have been watching lots of Lara.. And once again I am mesmerized by that flair. that back-lift. that aggression when he took the bowlers head-on.

How can someone's batting be so pleasing to the eye and yet so effective! I mean how's that even possible?

What a player he was!

 

[Hasan123]

One of the most destructive batsmen of all time. When I'm full flow he was literally unstoppable. Also one of the greatest players of spin away from Asia.

For me after Sachin in recent times Lara is the 2nd best batsmen.

People concentrate too much on how selfish he was and forget how good a batsmen he was. Played in a weak West Indies team, was carrying the batting line up for most of his career.

A cricketing great, no doubt for me.

 

[sensible-indian-fan]

Lara was both scary and mesmerizing.

Quality and entertainment combo when he bats.

 

[Bonafide Hustler]

Brian Lara for me was greatest batsmen of all time after Bradman (if he really was that good).

No other batsman when in form could take pure batsmanship to the levels Lara could. An in form Lara had it all, incredible range of shots, skill, flair and destruction. He looked pretty ordinary when he was not in the mood or was out of form, but the highs more than made up for the lows.

 

[Hitman]

He was simply a God gifted talent. Arguably among the top 3 players of spin bowling of all time, although many would place him at the top spot in that department.

Leaving aside players from my home team, I enjoyed watching him and Ponting the most.

 

[Chrish]

When Lara hit the ball there was a different sound to it..

Only player I can watch whole day without yawning once

 

[pacesensation]

Once in a while I like to delve into nostalgia.. Find the clips of my favorite movies /songs/ tv shows/ games and favorite players.

Today I have been watching lots of Lara.. And once again I am mesmerized by that flair. that back-lift. that aggression when he took the bowlers head-on.

How can someone's batting be so pleasing to the eye and yet so effective! I mean how's that even possible?

What a player he was!

Absolutely, he smashed wasim and waqar at their prime. Even wasim and waqar say that he was the toughest batsman to bowl to. if i have to pick top 2 batsman from 90s then they would be lara and ponting. I want to pick one but i cannot pick only one since i do feel that ponting was a very classy player unlike his contemporaries.

Regards

 

[JaDed]

Absolutely, he smashed wasim and waqar at their prime. Even wasim and waqar say that he was the toughest batsman to bowl to. if i have to pick top 2 batsman from 90s then they would be lara and ponting. I want to pick one but i cannot pick only one since i do feel that ponting was a very classy player unlike his contemporaries.

Regards

You would pick Pointing of 90s?

 

[pacesensation]

Brian Lara for me was greatest batsmen of all time after Bradman (if he really was that good).

No other batsman when in form could take pure batsmanship to the levels Lara could. An in form Lara had it all, incredible range of shots, skill, flair and destruction. He looked pretty ordinary when he was not in the mood or was out of form, but the highs more than made up for the lows.

No doubt about that. There are lots of pundits out there who consider lara the best batsman of 90s to mid 200s.His contemporaries were no match for him.

 

[TestMatch]

For me he's the most stylish batsman of his era.

Youtube recently took down his 202 vs SA in SA, which I used to enjoy watching and which I rank as one of his best knocks. Ntini said this was one of his own fiercest opening bowling spells; he really roughed Lara up for about an hour. But then Lara finds his groove, and you could almost see the flood gates opening up.

I remember Lara had a worsening eye disease and, before an operation to correct it, took to wearing sunglasses whilst batting in the early 2000s. With his exaggerated shots, triggers and cobra-crouch, coupled with those big sunglasses, he looked so hilariously comic-book. Like a shorter Chris-Gayle or a pocket Viv Richards, smashing balls about in the most extravagant ways possible.

In full flow, he always seems to be posing for a photographer. One journalist said Lara is to Kanhai and Fredericks what Michael Jackson was to Fred Astaire and James Brown; a kind of stylistic distillation of past West Indian entertainers.

One of the first games I saw him live, he smashed 26 in an over vs Canada. The game was long won and done - and it was rumored Lara wouldn't bat because Canada were minnows - but he came out still to entertain the crowd; hilariously aggressive shots in every corner of the field. He brought a dull day to life for everyone.

 

[Markhor]

One of my fondest Brian Lara memories is his 116 in the opening match of the 2003 World Cup vs South Africa. As he often did, he came in after the early dismissals of the West Indian openers. He had not played a serious game in five months since falling ill the previous September yet looked a class above.

The way he seamlessly shifted through the gears after a slow start, gradually picking up the pace and embraced the pressure of the occasion in front of an enthralled capacity crowd was magnificent to watch. His first fifty came off 78 balls, the next fifty from 43.

My other memory is the 1999 Test vs Australia in Barbados. After a hammering in South Africa and his own place under question, he produced the mother of all clutch innings.

 

[Mamoon]

One of my fondest Brian Lara memories is his 116 in the opening match of the 2003 World Cup vs South Africa. As he often did, he came in after the early dismissals of the West Indian openers. He had not played a serious game in five months since falling ill the previous September yet looked a class above.

The way he seamlessly shifted through the gears after a slow start, gradually picking up the pace and embraced the pressure of the occasion in front of an enthralled capacity crowd was magnificent to watch. His first fifty came off 78 balls, the next fifty from 43.

My other memory is the 1999 Test vs Australia in Barbados. After a hammering in South Africa and his own place under question, he produced the mother of all clutch innings.

Yeah, remember that match. One of his finest in ODIs, WI were 7-2 after 5 overs before he counter-attacked. However, that much was pretty much won by the Sarwan and Powell assault in the death overs.

 

[Bilal7]

Best batsman since King Viv. The only others ahead of him are The Don and Sobers.

 

[Bilal7]

Remember when he was made to bat #11 by his team's management? That was absolutely bizarre.

 

[PakLFC]

Incredible talent and the best stroke player I have ever seen including Tendulkar. Those square cuts were a sight to behold.

 

[Chief Destroyer]

Truly special. In his zone, no batsman captivated the audience like he did.

 

[The_Odd_One]

Can't forget the beating he gave Pakistan in 1992 WC and Sharjah final. Both were extremely heartbreaking performances from a Pakistani fan perspective. Also, in 2006 I think he took Kaneria to cleaners.

 

[Hitman]

Happy Birthday, Brian Charles Lara!

Happy Birthday to one of my all time favorites. And even more so because he's my idol Sachin's very close friend

Just kidding. Happy Birthday to the 'Prince of Trinidad'. One of the greatest batting genius to have ever lived. We're all proud of you, Brian Lara

 

[Hasan123]

Happy birthday to the Prince of Trinidad. One of the most entertaining and destructive players of all time.

When in his zone he was unstoppable

 

[Arham_PakFan]

Happy Birthday to one of te greatest players to have held a bat.A truly incredible player.Special,special talent.

 

[giri26]

Kohli and Root the best in the world – Brian Lara opens up in Reddit AMA

Brian Lara was in New York on Wednesday, 5 September as part of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 Trophy Tour driven by Nissan, and took time out to take part in what turned out to be a fascinating Reddit AMA.

Much like his batting, Lara did it all, covering an array of topics during the session, from the best bowlers he faced, his thoughts on cricket at the Olympics, the fastest bowler he’s ever faced, and that 400*.

Excerpts:

How can the Windies can get back to the top?
We need a far better infrastructure with a far more professional approach from all parties involved. Without this, it's difficult to imagine West Indies returning to their glory days. We succeeded up to a point on natural ability but the game has changed tremendously and there are far more components that create a winning team.

T20I cricket, and how he’d have played in this era
I felt with the early introduction to the one-day format, I had 25 or so before my second Test match, which helped me with the attacking side of my game. If I was to play cricket in this era, with the advent of T20, I feel it would have the same effect on me where it wouldn't affect my ability to play Test cricket but only enhance it allowing me to score faster.

The toughest spinner he has played against
Muttiah (Muralitharan) always confused me in the early part of our confrontation, whilst Shane Warne didn't. Having said that, as my innings grew I felt I had more control over Muttiah, whilst Shane seemed to grow in confidence. They were definitely the two best spinners of my time.

His favourite bowler to face
Shane Warne, he played for the best team in the world during my era, he was, and still is, regarded as the best leg-spinner to play the game. It was a battle I just embraced in some of the largest cricketing arenas.

His unbeaten 400* – still a Test record – against England in 2004
To approach those heights again, which I never thought was possible (personally), was just magical. Even back in 1994 after recuperating from my 375, I was a little disappointed that I didn't go on to score 400.

Handling nerves while batting
Never (any nerves) during, any nerves were only before I walked out to bat. That 22-yard battlefield isn't somewhere you want to lose your composure.

Ten-team World Cups, and the growth of the game
The most important thing for the ICC to consider is the growth of the game, where that will happen is in the T20 format. All the countries that are taking to the sport as of late are naturally attracted to T20 format since it's the most exciting.

Moving on to the longer formats, you want good quality and intense cricket and only the best teams in the world can offer that. Therefore, I feel the number of teams in the World T20 being 16 and the number in the ODI World Cup being 10 is just right.

Cricket at the Olympics
The T20 format lasts just three hours so I don't see why it can't be included in the Olympics. It was nice to see golf get that opportunity again, it's time for cricket now.

Best active batsmen and bowlers
Virat Kohli and Joe Root
(Jimmy) Anderson and (Kagiso) Rabada

The quickest bowler he’s faced
The last morning of a Test match in Port of Spain against Australia, Brett Lee bowled some deliveries in a six-over spell, which were the fastest I've ever faced.

The greatest side – Windies of the 1980s or Australia of the 2000s?
I'm West Indian, so I have to go with Windies of the 80s.

 

[Ab Fan]

That was such a phenomenal era. Murali and Warne against the likes of SRT and Lara.

 

[andy0204]

Happy Birthday to one of the greatest batsman of all time

 

[Robert]

I would go as far as to say he was as good as Richards and probably a better player of spin than the great Antiguan. I well remember his batting in England in 1995. That summer was scorching and Cork, Fraser and Gough were powerless against him. That huge back lift, the flourish at the top of the swing and impossible four after impossible four.

 

[Bezli]

BrianLara, what an athletic he was.

High bat lift cover drives, man what a treat to watch him play those shots.

Lara over Tendu anyday!!

 

[Ab Fan]

We generally say that watching a fast bowler run hard and hit 90+ Mph is a sight to watch in cricket but if you want to watch any batsmen bat, then there is no sight better and more admirable than watching Lara bat and entertain the crowd like anyone could.

A combo of entertainment, quality and flair. I still can't figure out the effectiveness factor of Lara as much but in terms of flair, aesthetics and once set taking apart any bowling attack, he is simply unmatchable.

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OnThisDay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OnThisDay</a> in 1969. The genius and all-time great Brian Lara was born in Trinidad <a href="https://t.co/YBoVWTONmC">pic.twitter.com/YBoVWTONmC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1256539533799313408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[KB]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OnThisDay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OnThisDay</a> in 1969. The genius and all-time great Brian Lara was born in Trinidad <a href="https://t.co/YBoVWTONmC">pic.twitter.com/YBoVWTONmC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1256539533799313408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Watching old clips reminds me that one of the wonderful things about watching cricket from the West Indies in the 1990s was the carnival like atmosphere. Sadly, much of this seems to have been lost in the current century. Grounds in the West Indies might now be more modern and bigger than they were in the 1990s but in terms of atmosphere they also have become more muted. Not all that shines is necessarily better.

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">He was the best I played against... greatest batsman of my era who could tear apart any bowler in the world on any day...I cherish the duels I had with him. Above everything, he is an amazing human being... Happy Birthday Brian Charles Lara <a href="https://twitter.com/BrianLara?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BrianLara</a></p>— Wasim Akram (@wasimakramlive) <a href="https://twitter.com/wasimakramlive/status/1256543463673344000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Majid Khan]

I’ve been watching quite a lot of Brian Lara recently on YouTube while struggling with a sickness for a couple of weeks , and the opening post in this thread just sums up my views about Brian Lara’s strokeplay — seriously what a majestic batsman, you watch him bat in full flow and you realise what the commentators mean when they use words like flair and flamboyance.

Yes Bradman, Viv Richards, Sobers, Tendulkar are all ranked among the best batsmen of all time and many rate them ahead of Lara — but in my humble view when you have witnessed Brian Lara’s batting at his flamboyant best you are convinced that this was batting perfection and extravagant stroke play that is one of a kind, that just could not be bettered by any other batsman on that day or any other day.

 

[angrypathan]

No better batsman to watch when in flow. The likes of Anwar and Mark Waugh were easy on the eye and a delight to watch, but Lara's flair was just mesmerising.

 

[sweep_shot]

Brilliant batsman.

It was a pleasure to watch him bat.

 

[Watsupdoc]

Amazing batsman! Was a pleasure to watch and could dominate any team on his day.

 

[Saj]

Every shot was played with flair and with style.

It was almost like he was a magician waving a wand.

Wonderful to watch against pace or spin.

A genius.

 

[azimiqbal]

If you fave me a choice of the best batsman I have seen in my life time ,

It would be Lara in tests
Tendulkar in ODI

 

[SL_Fan]

Could watch the guy bat all day. Legend.

 

[MenInG]

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Not only is this information false, it is also detrimental to spread such panic in a community already feeling the distress of the covid situation. While you haven’t personally affected me, what causes concern is that spread of wrongful information is careless and causes unnecessary worry amongst a lot of people that would have been in my circle. This virus isn’t something we should be using in a negative manner to create sensationalism. I hope and pray that all of us remain safe because as is noticeable covid 19 is going nowhere in the near future. #stopthepanic #staysafe #lookafteryourownself</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-spacewrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/brianlaraofficial/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-stylermal; font-weightrmal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Brian Lara</a> (@brianlaraofficial) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2020-08-05T18:09:59+00:00">Aug 5, 2020 at 11:09am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote> <script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>

 

[MenInG]

It took some time, but the man with the highest score in Test history now swears by the shortest format. Brian Lara loves calling the IPL every evening from the Star Sports Select dugout studios in Mumbai, doing demos and analytics. Dissecting fielding moves from Deano demo-zone named after late Dean Jones, and making big runs and wicket over predictions. It also gives him an escape from his life in the bio-bubble, at a luxury hotel in the city.

In this interview, Lara talks about the aspects of T20 cricket that has caught his fancy; while he remains worried that ramp shots and reverse slogs will hamper the techniques of young players aspiring to play all formats of the game, Lara also believes that the best modern-day players, like KL Rahul, will always find a balance.

Excerpts.

Power-hitting plays such a big role now in T20 cricket. Kieron Pollard, Andre Russel and Hardik Pandya can all hit a marginally off-target yorker out of the ground. How do they get under the ball with such regularity?

A. These guys do a lot of power-hitting in practice. A full session of it. There was no such practice 30 years ago. Viv Richards, Clive Lloyd or Gus Logie, none of them would practice power-hitting. But now, Pollard, or even Sunil Narine will spend a certain amount of time power-hitting. They lose 15-20 cricket balls on the road; the ball is never to be seen again.

It’s not surprising, with the bats so good. The minute you can hit a six over 100-110 metres, from that day onwards you are going to be confident that you can clear every single boundary. I remember when I hit my first six in international cricket, I then learned how to hit a six. You never lose that confidence. When you look at Pollard, the guy at the boundary makes no sense to him. As long as he middles the ball, he knows the guys in the deep are not in play.

Then there are those bowlers who manage to stem the flow of runs amid the carnage. Like Jasprit Bumrah and Jofra Archer...

I can only say this: Bumrah and Archer could stand up and be counted in any era of cricket. Whether they were playing in the 2000s, 90s, 80s or even the 70s, they would be up there. And I am not belittling anyone from the past. But these two would be in the echelons of fast bowling in any era I have watched, played in, or am still watching.

That’s high praise. Would you have liked the prospect of facing Bumrah in your prime?

I think I would’ve preferred facing Kapil Dev, Javagal Srinath and Manoj Prabhakar rather than Bumrah (laughs). But yes, the challenge would have been exceptional. You know, back in my day you had someone like Makhaya Ntini, who had a similar sort of angle to his delivery. So, there can be some comparisons to people I played against. I know I would not have backed away.

Back to batting, not everyone is a power-hitter. There are many all-format batsmen who continue to explore different ways to get their best output in T20s.

The only negative (to T20 batting) is that there is not a lot of reliance on technique in the shorter format. So, with a wonderful player like Shubman Gill I am seeing some technical flaws coming in. I think it’s the natural progression of wanting to spank the ball. But then, a batsman like KL Rahul has kept his technique, and you can’t tell if he is playing a T20 or ODI or a Test match when he is batting. He is so well polished.

Virat Kohli makes the same point when he says that he bats in a certain way in T20 cricket, because he is an all-format batsman and can’t let it affect his game.

He is right. Viral Kohli plays, and is successful, across all formats. You look at some guys who are playing in IPL, they haven’t played the longer format and their game is based around T20. But Virat cannot afford to change his style. He has a style, and he has to enhance it. He just knows in some games he has to score quicker than in others.

So that’s my small worry. I know there is Ranji Trophy and 4-day cricket, but just don’t lose the fundamentals of the game. I remember when I started, I played 3 and 4-day games much more. And the one thing that helped me was I had played 25 ODIs before I played my first Test. Before that, I didn’t know how to hit a six! But by the time I got through 5-10 ODIs, I knew I had to learn to hit sixes, to find gaps, to score quickly. That transferred into my Test cricket, and made me a more aggressive Test cricketer, more exciting to watch. So, my foundation from 3-day-cricket and experience from ODI cricket was used to further my Test cricket, which was the right way of doing it.

That’ll be my advice to these wonderful young batsmen: Keep the foundation of your game and good technique, even if they are playing T20 in the biggest league in the world.

Bowlers too need to make similar adjustments. Bumrah and Mohammed Shami will soon have to switch to the red Kookaburra ball and try and get wickets in Australia.

It’s similar. Why Bumrah and Shami are so successful is because they bowl Test match lengths in T20s. You don’t see them overdoing the slower balls. They look to hit the seam, hit the stumps. Or they try to get the edge of the bat, bowl sharp and short balls and get batsmen in trouble. So, switching to Test cricket against Australia will be a very easy task for them.

We know that you have been impressed with some young Indian talent. Let’s start with your thoughts on Sanju Samson.

I love Sanju’s ability, but I’m not sure I love the way he bats all the time. He has got tremendous ability, tremendous timing. He is an unbelievable player in terms of what his potential and range is, and the heights he can reach.

Your thoughts on Suryakumar Yadav’s potential?

Suryakumar Yadav has become one of my favourites. If your best player is not an opener, he has to bat at No.3. He can repair the damage if Mumbai lose an early wicket and continue the onslaught if he has to. I have enjoyed watching him play in this IPL.

Finally, your say on this season’s debutant, Devdutt Padikkal.

Padikkal has a lot of potential. I would like to see him change a few things though. Ultimately when I judge a batsman, I don’t want to see him play only the IPL or T20s, I want to see him play Test cricket as well. Padikkal will have to work a lot on his technique to survive in Test cricket. When there are three slips and a gully, and when there’s a man waiting for the hook shot. Maybe he has it. Maybe he is only playing his T20 version of the game and has a game for the longer version as well.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cric...-brian-lara/story-2F8QukL3FcJprLcx56id5N.html

 

[MenInG]

Brian Lara is a name that most cricket fans recognise instantly. He has been constantly talked about as one of the greatest cricketers to have played the game of cricket. The only man to hit 400 runs in a Test innings, the West Indies great has achieved a lot in his cricketing career. Recently, Lara decided to name the best five of cricket without naming himself in the list.

Lara shared his list of the best five batsmen of the current era. Lara said that India’s Virat Kohli, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, England’s Joe Root, AB de Villiers, and former Australia skipper Steve Smith as the best batsmen of today’s time.

In the bowler’s category, Lara said that he thinks Jasprit Bumrah, England’s Jofra Archer and James Anderson, South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada, and Afghan leg-spinner Rashid Khan are the best five of the current era.

It wasn’t just the best of the present era that Lara named. The West Indian also listed the players that he thinks are the best that he played against. Sachin Tendulkar, Kumar Sangakkara, Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis, Ricky Ponting are the best batsmen that Lara played against. Lara said that Shane Warne, Waqar Younis, Wasim Akram, Muttiah Muralitharan, and Glenn McGrath are the best bowlers he faced.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cric...current-era/story-nfhtLi1KreXhCzTbO6vcRP.html

 

[MenInG]

12th of April, 2004 - Brian Lara 400*

https://www.espncricinfo.com/series...dies-vs-england-4th-test-64080/full-scorecard

 

[Sunzi]

The measure of the man. His test record gets beat, so he goes and breaks it again.

Still holds the first class 501* aswell.

Then there is the innings' like the one against Australia to chase down 311.

Absolute top-tier ATG, maybe even the GOAT for some

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

The measure of the man. His test record gets beat, so he goes and breaks it again.

Still holds the first class 501* aswell.

Then there is the innings' like the one against Australia to chase down 311.

Absolute top-tier ATG, maybe even the GOAT for some

It will take a very special batsman to break these records.

What a batsman! Maestro Brian Lara!

 

[Bewal Express]

He was brilliant to watch.

 

[ManFan]

Lara is a lot like Tyson or Ronaldinho.

Inconsistent, short time at the top, off-field controversies but absolutely magical when engaged.

 

[Nadeemp]

Lara is a lot like Tyson or Ronaldinho.

Inconsistent, short time at the top, off-field controversies but absolutely magical when engaged.

He was at the top for a decade. By far the best player of the 90s hands down. Also the most stylish. Meet him once in New York.

 

[Sunzi]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OnThisDay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OnThisDay</a> in 1969. The genius and all-time great Brian Lara was born in Trinidad <a href="https://t.co/YBoVWTONmC">pic.twitter.com/YBoVWTONmC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1256539533799313408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Man this is the one! The drop by Healy with 7 to win!

Class personified. The high backlift, balance and poise. The footwork to Warnie aswell &#55357;&#56845;

 

[Sunzi]

Those Windies crowds ain't the same anymore either

Even pre-COVID..

 

[Mobashir]

What a player. What a legend.

My favorite player from this generation. The way he absolutely killed the attacks and how he used to score in not so easy conditions, against the best bowlers of the opposition.

 

[Markhor]

Flawed genius would be an apt description. One of the most distinctive and destructive batsmen to step onto the field.

The 1999 Australia series alone has multiple candidates for an ATG Test innings from the 213 in Jamaica to 153 in Barbados and 100 from 84 balls in Antigua.

 

[Last Monetarist]

Best batsman I ever saw, and certainly the one that gave me the greatest pleasure in terms of watching the game. No other batsman since has come close in my view.

I often still get goosebumps whenever I watch highlights of his 153* at the Kensington Oval. Another innings that is perhaps a tad underrated was his 226 at Adelaide on course to become the highest run scorer in test cricket in 2005.

 

[Mobashir]

Best batsman I ever saw, and certainly the one that gave me the greatest pleasure in terms of watching the game. No other batsman since has come close in my view.

I often still get goosebumps whenever I watch highlights of his 153* at the Kensington Oval. Another innings that is perhaps a tad underrated was his 226 at Adelaide on course to become the highest run scorer in test cricket in 2005.

Same here. Brian Lara had this uniqueness in his batting. I really couldn't watch somewhere else when he was on strike.
The only other batsman that came close to it for me was KP.

 

[Last Monetarist]

Same here. Brian Lara had this uniqueness in his batting. I really couldn't watch somewhere else when he was on strike.
The only other batsman that came close to it for me was KP.

Yes, Pietersen for a few months in 2012 came closest to replicating that ineffable quality that Lara possessed in his batting. It was simply compelling to watch him bat during those months, especially that innings at Headingley, almost impossible to tear oneself away from the spectacle.

 

[Majid Khan]

Best batsman I ever saw, and certainly the one that gave me the greatest pleasure in terms of watching the game. No other batsman since has come close in my view.

I often still get goosebumps whenever I watch highlights of his 153* at the Kensington Oval. Another innings that is perhaps a tad underrated was his 226 at Adelaide on course to become the highest run scorer in test cricket in 2005.

Couldn’t have said it better.

It puzzles me , what is it about Lara playing a punching cover drive , or pull stroke that made it so different and special - the experience of watching live cricket with Lara at his fluent best , was different and more pleasing to the eye then any other sporting experience I have had..

You turn on the tele thesedays and there’s a T20 game going on somewhere in the world, and random players hitting fours and sixes galore — but it just doesn’t feel the same satisfaction, and exactly as you say , watch highlights of Brian Lara drives, cuts and pulls on YouTube and it still gives you goosebumps.

 

[Last Monetarist]

Couldn’t have said it better.

It puzzles me , what is it about Lara playing a punching cover drive , or pull stroke that made it so different and special - the experience of watching live cricket with Lara at his fluent best , was different and more pleasing to the eye then any other sporting experience I have had..

You turn on the tele thesedays and there’s a T20 game going on somewhere in the world, and random players hitting fours and sixes galore — but it just doesn’t feel the same satisfaction, and exactly as you say , watch highlights of Brian Lara drives, cuts and pulls on YouTube and it still gives you goosebumps.

Thought you'd be glued to your telly watching another maestro at the crease currently.

 

[ManFan]

He was at the top for a decade. By far the best player of the 90s hands down. Also the most stylish. Meet him once in New York.

He wasn’t THE best for a decade.

Waugh and Tendulkar were for the most part in the 90’s.

 

[bujhee kom]

I am in my mid-50s. The two best players I have ever seen are Brian Lara and Viv Richards. Sachin would be next, then Ponting and Greg Chappell.

 

[MenInG]

The West Indies batting great Brian Lara on Sunday turned 52. Lara is counted among as one of the greatest batsmen in world cricket. He is also Windies’ leading run-getter in the Test. The 52-year-old amassed 11,953 runs in the longest format of the game in 131 Tests with the help of 34 hundred, nine double century and 48 fifties. Lara’s highest score in red-ball cricket is 400, which is also a world record.

And even today after 14 years of his retirement, cricket fans still enjoy his classic sweep. Lara played several ground-breaking innings in his 17-year-long carrier, on his 53rd birthday, here we take a look back at his five best knocks:

1. Lara scored unbeaten 153 vs Australia in 4th innings

Lara’s unbeaten 153 run knock against Australia in the 4th innings of the third Test match in Bridgetown is considered the best knock of his carrier. Australia posted a mammoth total of 490 for the loss of ten wickets in the first innings. Windies were bowled out for 329 in the second. However, the visitors manage to restrict the host for 146 in the third innings of the match.

West Indies were given 308 runs target in the last innings and were left reeling at 105/5 before Lara took charge of the match. He scored 153 runs off 256 balls with the help of 19 fours and one sixes and guided his side to a one-wicket win over Australia.

2. Brian Lara’s maiden Test hundred, an epic knock of 277

The former West Indies skipper had a knack for scoring big knocks and his maiden Test hundred was a testimony of the same. Lara’s first Test century came in his fifth match only against the mighty Australians at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

Batting first, Australia posted a total of 503 runs for the loss of nine wickets before declaring. Chasing 503, Windies opener fell cheaply and West Indies was left reeling at 31/2. After two early wickets, Lara along with Sir Richie Richardson took charge of their innings and took Windies to 324/3. Lara went on to score 277 runs in that game with the help of 38 fours.

3. Brian Lara score 115 vs South Africa in 2004

The Caribbean batting maestro defied all odd against a formidable South African bowling attack, comprising Shaun Pollock, Makhaya Ntini and Jacques Kallis, to score 115 in Cape Town Test. Batting first, South Africa posted 532 runs for the loss of ten wickets and many believed that Proteas would win the match by bowling out visitors within a day.

However, Lara along with Gayle held West Indies’ fort as they scored 427 before getting bundled out in the first innings. The match ended in a draw.

4. Lara scored 375 vs England in 1994

Brian Lara scripted history at St. John’s ground in the year 1994, when he notched up then highest individual score in the longest format of the game. Lara scored 375 runs against England and in the process broke Sir Garfield Sobers’ record.

Sobers’ had scored an unbeaten 365 against Pakistan in 1958 and before Lara’s feat, this was the highest individual score in Test. Lara’s 375 run knock was laced with 45 boundaries. The match ended in a draw. Lara’s record stood for the next ten years before Matthew Hayden surpassed his tally with a 380 run knock against Zimbabwe.

5. Lara became the first cricket to score a quadruple century in Test

Just six months after Hayden surpassed Lara’s highest individual record in Test cricket with a blistering 380, the West Indies legend reclaimed his spot by scoring the first-ever quadruple century in red-ball cricket.

Lara scored the first 400 in world cricket at St. John’s ground against England. His knock was laced 43 fours and four sixes. The match between West Indies and England ended in a draw.

https://www.news18.com/cricketnext/...a-here-are-his-five-best-innings-3699533.html

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Next on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ICCHallOfFame?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ICCHallOfFame</a>, we celebrate the genius of West Indian legend <a href="https://twitter.com/BrianLara?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BrianLara</a> &#55357;&#56399;<br><br>More &#55357;&#56573;️ <a href="https://t.co/aQIIfGmXMK">https://t.co/aQIIfGmXMK</a> <a href="https://t.co/9kl8J2MF2m">pic.twitter.com/9kl8J2MF2m</a></p>— ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1399387743034265600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Markhor]

Couldn’t have said it better.

It puzzles me , what is it about Lara playing a punching cover drive , or pull stroke that made it so different and special - the experience of watching live cricket with Lara at his fluent best , was different and more pleasing to the eye then any other sporting experience I have had..

It's the combination of that high, exaggerated backlift, lightning fast bat speed and power through the shots.

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Prince of Trinidad never ceases to amaze, years after retirement from the game! We met at a charity and he brought this shoe with him to make sure I would sign it - he’d held on to it since 1992 WC when I hit him on the toe (after he got 88!) Hold a grudge much, <a href="https://twitter.com/BrianLara?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BrianLara</a> ? <a href="https://t.co/wXwUf9otUt">pic.twitter.com/wXwUf9otUt</a></p>— Wasim Akram (@wasimakramlive) <a href="https://twitter.com/wasimakramlive/status/1403259428372193281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Majid Khan]

Just spent a few days re-watching highlights of some classic Brian Lara innings on YouTube , every one of those innings felt like it was simply the best display of batting I’ve seen in 2021, and felt the same last year , the year before and the countless years before that…

Will there ever be a batsman again who creates that kind of aura and flamboyance when in full flow playing his strokes.. Hafeez comes close I guess , but Lara was clearly a one-off, a batting genius.

 

[James]

BCL truly fits the definition of a genius… they are always complicated characters of the mercurial persuasion, as well as masters of their craft and in natural possession of the X-factor. One either has it or one does not — and few have it. See also Diego Maradona, George Best, John McEnroe, Ronnie O’Sullivan… etc.

 

[Lahorijat]

Brian Lara was better than Tendulkar in my opinion.

 

[happydavy]

The guy was a pure genius, one of my favorite innings of his was 90 he scored against australia at Perth in 96-97. He was woefully out of form and did absolutely nothing for the first 20-25 balls. WI were 5 down and needed 90+ runs in 11 overs and in those days it meant literally zero chance to win the game esp. when Warne and McGrath both had quite a few over left. But then something happened to Lara and he started smashing everyone around and by the time he got out in 47th/48th over in a very unlucky manner, Windies needed less than run a ball. I can't think of any batsman in 90s who could have won that game but Lara did.

 

[happydavy]

One of the most disappointing event of Lara's career for me was that he should have closed the game against australia in semis in 96 world cup. After he and chanderpaul got out Warne won the game from nowhere. Lanka vs WI's Ambrose and Bishop was the kind of contest that would have ended in a different world cup winner.

 

[Last Monetarist]

Still the best batsman by quite some distance that I have seen bat, no one else comes close. I have exactly the same impression when I watch old videos on YouTube. Any time one is feeling a bit bored, just pop up highlights of the last day's play at Bridgetown in 1999, it's still as riveting today as it was 23 years ago.

 

[ElRaja]

same here, theres pbly no other retired batsmen who i enjoy watching highlights of more. the extravagent back lift, the crouch back foot square drives. the sheer hunger for building huge innings.

also fun watching him get woken up by opposition, like here when kaneria said "well done" after a googly square lara up.

 

[Amjid Javed]

only have to watch the 2-2 drawn series vs Aussies. where it was lara vs Aussies to see how great he was pretty much won both games vs WI.

Also the series in SL where he smashed murali around the park.

by far best batsmen in tests in the 90s.

 

[MenInG]

Former Australian cricketer Tom Moody will not return as Sunrisers Hyderabad’s head coach in the upcoming IPL season with the legendary Brian Lara is set to replace him for the upcoming IPL season, the team has announced on Saturday.

Moody had a successful stint with the Sunrisers between 2013 and 2019 when the team reached the playoffs five times and emerged champions in 2016. The 56-year-old was replaced by fellow Australian Trevor Bayliss as head coach in 2020 but he returned to SRH as director of cricket last year.

“As his term with us draws to an end, we would like thank Tom for his contributions to SRH. It has been a much cherished journey over the years, and we wish him the very best for future endeavours,” SRH said in a statement.

However, with the team finishing last with just three wins, Moody was elevated to the coach’s position.

Things didn’t turn up well for Moody in his second stint as head coach as the Sunrisers ended the season at eighth position out of 10 teams with six wins and eight defeats.

Moody will now join Desert Vipers, one of the six franchises in the ILT20, after being recently appointed as its director of cricket.

The tournament is scheduled to be held in the UAE in January next year.

https://indianexpress.com/article/s...trunner-to-replace-him-as-head-coach-8128317/