2024-04-12 20:50:40
The world of cricket has witnessed several legendary and talented cricketers throughout the ages. They have impressed countless cricket fans with their extraordinary abilities and magical magic. They are all about equal in terms of excellence. But some have always been different. They walk, they talk. Their prudence, cricketing knowledge, talent, wisdom, achievements set them apart from others. Brian Charles Lara is just such a person. It is difficult to determine the weight of anyone who is thrown on a scale.
Brian Lara played like a king on the cricket field. His prowess with the bat and his ability to shoot spectacular shots with aplomb set him apart from the rest. Caribbean cricket has been dying since the retirement of Sir Vivian Richards in 1990. The West Indies, in their minds, therefore needed someone to keep the visitors engaged to save cricket. And then came Brian Lara. Who later became the world’s best star in modern cricket. Not only the Caribbean, the entire cricket world is intoxicated by Lara.
Which earned him the status of the best Caribbean cricketer of all time. Although many say that Caribbean cricket means Sir Viv, Gordon Greenidge, Clive Lloyd and many others. But Lara’s difference with them, these legends got a golden team at almost the same time. And Lara Bhagnadasha was the lone hero of a kingdom. Most of his career was spent fighting alone. And he wins the battle by winning the hearts of people.
What is the reason for so much respect for Lara? For that you have to go back 20 years ago. On this day, Lara learned to love cricket anew. He scored a brilliant innings of 400 runs.
A quadruple is not a big deal for someone who has a quintuple century next to his name! No, definitely something big. There is a huge gap between scoring five hundreds in first-class cricket at domestic level and scoring four hundreds on the international stage. In the national team jersey, the game, the opponent, the media, the excitement of the field, the thrill of everything, there is pressure. A quadruple century under that pressure is a huge feat.
On this day in 2004, Brian Charles Lara, the godfather of cricket, achieved that feat. West Indies greatest cricketer of all time. The left-hander is the only batsman in world cricket to have scored a quintuple century in first-class cricket and a quadruple century in international Test cricket.
Lara scored 501 runs for Wickshire against Durham in 1994. 400 runs against England at home in 2004. Lara played the innings of four hundred runs in 582 balls from the crease in 778 minutes. 43 times biting the ground and 4 times sent the ball floating in the air.
Lara came to bat on the first day of the match. He finished the day unbeaten on 81 runs. He also scored a century, double century and triple century on the second day. Remains unbeaten on 313 runs. The whole world waits that night for Lara’s batting the next day.
There was no place to hold moles in the Antigua gallery. The gallery erupted in cheers as Lara entered the arena. The pressure of the state is on the shoulders of the West Indies captain. The way he batted the previous two days. That’s how it started. Send the English pacers to the boundary with some excellent shots. The spinner flies Betty for a six. Lara touched the milestone of 400 runs by sweeping that bat.
He took himself to unique heights by adding 87 runs. Incredible! Superhuman innings. Even after 20 years this record is still intact. Lara’s career was threatened at this time. Mahela Jayawardene went the closest with 374 at home. Could not touch the hero. Gayle did 333. 329 runs came from Clarke’s bat. Sehwag made 319 at the mark. David Warner made 335. But none of them could get hold of ‘Lara’.