Cricket Archive

Brian Lara

Full name: Brian Charles Lara

Born: 2nd May 1969, Cantaro, Santa Cruz, Trinidad

Batting: Left-hand batsman
Bowling: Leg-break and googly

Occasional wicket-keeper

Teams: West Indies (Test: 1990/91-2006/07); ICC World XI (Test: 2005/06); West Indies (ODI: 1990/91-2006/07); ICC World XI (ODI: 2004/05-2005/06); Trinidad and Tobago (Main FC: 1987/88-2007/08); Warwickshire (Main FC: 1994-1998); Trinidad and Tobago (Main ListA: 1987/88-2003/04); Northern Transvaal (Main ListA: 1992/93); Warwickshire (Main ListA: 1994-1998); All teams

South African Cricket Annual Cricketer of the Year: 1993

Professional Cricketers' Association Player of the Year: 1994

Wisden Cricketer of the Year: 1995

Warwickshire : 1998

Lists of matches and more detailed statistics
Articles: England and West Indies teams fined for slow over-rate

Tearful Lara finishes career on bitter note

Free audio of Brian Lara announcing his retirement from international cricket is available for download from Media Information Service

Retiring Lara still divides opinion

List of all articles

Pictures: Brian Lara walks off after being run out in his last ODI

England players applaud Brian Lara as he walks to the crease in his last ODI

Brian Lara drops the catch

Brian Lara plays a shot

List of all pictures

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At a panel discussion involving former greats during the Champions Trophy in India in November 2006 Brian Lara was voted as the greatest among his peers the other batsmen in contention being two other modern giants Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting. That was the ultimate proof, if any was needed, of Lara’s true greatness and his fitness to be ranked among the outstanding batsmen of all time. Few batsmen have made the art and science of batting look so easy as this `prince of left-handers’. With that classical high back-lift Lara brings back memories of Gary Sobers and he has all the qualities that the best in the game possess – all the shots in the book, superb technique, an insatiable appetite for runs, an ideal temperament and the ability to rise to the occasion when runs are badly needed. The pressure on Lara is immense being the batting bulwark of a generally weak side. But time and again he has shrugged off these pressures and batted with all the grace associated with left-handers. Superb timing and faultless execution has driven captains, bowlers and fielders to exasperation and eight double centuries – more than anyone else other than Don Bradman – testify to his unique hunger for big scores as also the fact that he is the only one to get 400 in a Test match. He is the only batsman to regain his world Test record score – and for good measure he also holds the record for the highest score in first class cricket. He is also the highest run getter in Tests and as only to be expected is a formidable opponent in ODIs where he is one of the few to cross the 10,000-run mark. As a captain he has grown in stature after an indifferent start and as he approaches the sunset of an illustrious career he seems determined to go out in style.
Profile DateLine: 20th February 2007

Test Career Batting and Fielding (1990/91-2006/07)
	M	I	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	SRate	Ct
West Indies	130	230	6	11912	400*	53.17	34	48	60.48	164
ICC World XI	1	2	0	41	36	20.50	0	0	69.49	0
Overall	131	232	6	11953	400*	52.88	34	48	60.50	164

Test Career Bowling (1992/93-1996/97)
	Balls	Mdns	Runs	Wkts	BB	Ave	5wI	10wM	SRate	Econ
West Indies	60	1	28	0	0-0					2.80

First-Class Career Batting and Fielding (1987/88-2007/08)
	M	I	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	Ct
Overall	261	440	13	22156	501*	51.88	65	88	320

First-Class Career Bowling (1987/88-2003/04)
	Balls	Mdns	Runs	Wkts	BB	Ave	5wI	10wM	SRate	Econ
Overall	514	5	416	4	1-1	104.00	0	0	128.50	4.85

One-Day International Career Batting and Fielding (1990/91-2006/07)
	M	I	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	SRate	Ct
West Indies	295	285	32	10348	169	40.90	19	62	79.63	117
ICC World XI	4	4	0	57	52	14.25	0	1	63.33	3
Overall	299	289	32	10405	169	40.48	19	63	79.51	120

One-Day International Career Bowling (1993/94-2002/03)
	Balls	Mdns	Runs	Wkts	BB	Ave	4wI	5wI	SRate	Econ
West Indies	49	0	61	4	2-5	15.25	0	0	12.25	7.46

One-Day Career Batting and Fielding (1987/88-2006/07)
	M	I	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	Ct
Overall	429	411	43	14602	169	39.67	27	86	177

One-Day Career Bowling (1987/88-2002/03)
	Balls	Mdns	Runs	Wkts	BB	Ave	4wI	5wI	SRate	Econ
Overall	130	1	149	5	2-5	29.80	0	0	26.00	6.87

Youth Test Career Batting and Fielding (1987/88)
	M	I	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	Ct
West Indies Young Cricketers	1	2	0	29	24	14.50	0	0	3

Youth One-Day International Career Batting and Fielding (1987/88)
	M	I	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	Ct
West Indies Young Cricketers	8	8	0	222	64	27.75	0	1	2

Youth One-Day International Career Bowling (1987/88)
	Balls	Mdns	Runs	Wkts	BB	Ave	4wI	5wI	SRate	Econ
West Indies Young Cricketers	6	0	10	0	0-10					10.00