The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Lara goes past Sobers' record

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Apr 10, 2005

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Sport - Cricket

Lara goes past Sobers' record

PORT-OF-SPAIN, APRIL 9. Brian Lara returned to the West Indies team with a magnificent, unbeaten 159 against South Africa that dominated the opening day of the second Test at Queen's Park Oval on Friday.

Lara, back in the team and stripped of the captaincy after a contract dispute kept him out of the first Test, lashed 20 boundaries off 236 deliveries as he guided the home team to a satisfying 281 for six at stumps.

Lara delighted a first-day home crowd of 11,000 in notching his 27th hundred in 113 Tests, sending him past Sir Garfield Sobers as the most prolific century-maker for the West Indies. "We had to work hard out there," Lara said. "I knew that the team needed me and I'm quite happy with the effort today."

Ntini leads

Fast bowler Makhaya Ntini led the South Africa attack with four for 59. There was a wicket apiece for fellow pacer Andre Nel and left-arm spinner Nicky Boje.

South Africa gained the early initiative when West Indies captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul chose to bat first after winning the toss. Ntini struck twice in the opening 35 minutes to remove Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan, who like Lara were returning to the team after being deemed ineligible for the drawn opener in Guyana.

Gayle fell in the day's sixth over as he top-edged a pull high in the air for a leg-side catch to wicketkeeper Mark Boucher. Sarwan fell to a similar stroke, his cross-batted pull sailing all the way to long leg where Nel ran in 10 metres to claim the catch.

Huge cheers

Lara arrived to huge cheers from his fellow Trinidadians in the crowd but with the visitor on top at 13 for two. He looked in control from the first ball he faced, and had very few alarms as he defied the South Africans for nearly six hours.

West Indies went to lunch at 71 for two with Lara poised on 41 not out. By then, Lara was third on the all-time list of leading Test run-scorers, having passed Indians Sunil Gavaskar (10,122 runs) and Sachin Tendulkar (10,134).

Restorative stand

He and opener Wavell Hinds stretched their restorative third-wicket stand to 95 before Ntini claimed his third wicket midway into the second session. Hinds scored a patient 32 off 110 balls before he edged a big drive to South Africa captain Graeme Smith at first slip.

Lara then joined forces with Chanderpaul, and the pair continued to steer the West Indies into a good position either side of tea. Their emerging stand of 95 was broken by Boje, who lured Chanderpaul into a drive and pouched a simple return catch. The left-hander hit five fours in his 35 off 70 balls.

Lara has 10,253 runs in 113 Tests, trailing only retired Australians Allan Border (11,174) and Steve Waugh (10,927). — AP

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