COLOMBO, Dec 4: Batting genius Brian Lara’s return to big-scoring ways augurs well for the struggling West Indies, his fans and the game in general, but not for the rivals.
The recent Test series against Sri Lanka was a personal triumph for the 32-year-old, who had been struggling to regain form and fitness after a long lay-off due to injury.
The left-hander aggregated 688 runs to emerge as the second-highest scorer in a three-Test series after Englishman Graham Gooch’s 752 against India in 1990.
Lara’s critics, who had begun to question his discipline, fitness and credentials as a long-innings batsman, were left dumbfounded as he showed the appetite for runs was back.
“There has been a lot said in the Caribbean about Brian being past his best, but he is very important to this team,” said West Indian captain Carl Hooper after his team was blanked 3-0 by the Sri Lankans.
“Lara was the difference between the Tests lasting five days rather than three. We hope his form continues,” he said.
Lara had been out of international cricket for some time due to a hamstring injury, but took just one Test in Sri Lanka to prove that nothing was wrong with his form and fitness.
He hammered a brilliant 178 in the opening Test at Galle, but the best was yet to come.
Lara cracked 221 and 130 in the third Test at Colombo to become only the fifth batsman to score a double-century and century in a Test.
More important than the runs were the circumstances in which he made them. He was a genius in a fragile batting line-up, carrying the burden of the entire team on his shoulders.
The higher the challenge, the nobler was his response.
Lara succeeded in solving Muttiah Muralitharan’s off-spin puzzle and mastered left-arm seamer Chaminda Vaas without sacrificing his flair.
Lara, world record-holder of the highest runs in an innings in both Tests (375) and first-class cricket (501 not out for Warwickshire against Durham in 1994), said he owed his consistency to former West Indian great, Sir Garfield Sobers.
“You need to get your hands coming from behind the ball and try and stop chopping across the line,” Lara said.
“This is what Sir Garfield told me. I worked on that a lot and I think it has played a very big part in my batting.
“It has also added to my discipline. Knowing that my technique is improving, I don’t need to take chances. Now I don’t have to worry about making shots. It has helped my patience.”
Lara added Sobers’ guidance had made him a better batsman and was the main reason of his success against Muralitharan, the most successful bowler of the series with 24 wickets.
“Compared to the first Test where I swept at everything, I am now actually looking at the ball coming out of Muralitharan’s hand,” said Lara.
“I try my best to read which way the ball is going. If you read him, you don’t have to play cross-batted shots.”—AFP