Lara at his vintage best

By Ted Corbett

MANCHESTER, AUG. 6. For 85 minutes before lunch, for 20 minutes during lunch and for nearly two hours afterwards Brian Lara put together an innings of such perfect proportions that it was impossible to take one's eyes off it.

Not only did his 14th Test hundred occupy just two and a half hours, with a six and 12 fours in 116 balls but to the point at which he reached three figures with an off drive to the boundary he had made 87 out of a stand of 117 with Jimmy Adams.

Lara dominated proceedings as only he and Sachin Tendulkar have done in an era when few batsmen score Test runs at close to one a ball. On top of that he changed the course of the game. When he went to the crease West Indies was 145 for two, a run behind England and not certain to extend the match into the fifth day. Soon afterwards Adrian Griffith followed Wavell Hinds to the pavilion so that with three wickets gone West Indies was seven ahead.

It did not take us long to realise that, as the snooker players have it, ``the lad has come to play.'' In his first innings of 13 in an hour and a half Lara had never looked certain of touch; today he seemed at ease from the moment he took guard. In fact there were outward signs of some distress. He wore dark glasses although the day was cloudy, and there was a slight limp, making it seem that his hamstring was still troublesome, but the ball was drawn to the middle of his bat and by lunch he was 49 in 85 minutes. There had been a half chance to silly point from pad and glove but Robert Croft's next ball came towards the Press Box for six; the best sort of statement of intent. That might have satisfied lesser men but Lara spent much of the lunch interval in the nets and when he went back the runs flowed so freely that he reached his hundred soon after the drinks interval. He took ten off an Andrew Caddick over at the end of which Caddick stood above him and offered some comment on the state of his batting. How foolish! Caddick bowled badly, with the new ball in particular, and Lara took advantage so that 40 runs came off seven overs even though Jimmy Adams was becalmed.

West Indies was still behind the eight ball to the extent that bookmakers made it 3-1 at the start. Hinds was caught behind off Darren Gough for 25 that gave clues that one day he may be a star and Griffith was lbw for 54 to Croft who was getting turn and trying all his tricks. Lara clearly thought little of them and produced not just a series of offside shots but his trademark pull and that straight drive for six.

At the other end Adams took root. A cover drive off a full toss from Caddick apart he concentrated on defence for long periods and an occasional short single.

It was the right innings for all that. Both coaches - Duncan Fletcher, of England and Roger Harper of West Indies - have said they will be happy to try for 250 in the second innings but with Curtly Ambrose two short of 400 Test wickets and Courtney Walsh pleased with his new toy - the slow yorker - it may not be so simple as Fletcher made it sound.

Lara's hamstring seemed to trouble him more after his hundred - an excited celebration cannot have helped - and after a brief struggle for runs he was run out after being sent back by Adams.

Hussain hit the stumps from short mid wicket and Lara limped off to the second warmest ovation of the match.

At tea West Indies was 305 for four, 159 in front. Four sessions from the end, the game was by no means settled.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Sport
Previous : BCCI unlikely to select team for Toronto
Next     : Lala Amarnath cremated