The scorecard would write: BC Lara (run out) 18. And so, that brief statement, would chronicle the end of the greatest cricketer of the modern era. A man that so stirred the imagination of the Caribbean Islands that they christened him, Prince. But even when the Kensington Oval stood up in applause on Saturday, Lara must have acknowledged that he never became a King.
Born, Brian Charles Lara, in the valley of Santa Cruz, in the island of Trinidad, Lara announced his arrival to a Sydney crowd with a masterful 277. Then rumours began to whisper that this young man could break the 36-year old record of 365 (by fellow West Indian Sir Gary Sobers). 0n a April morning in 1994, Lara laid those rumours to rest. Underneath the sweat drenched cap, the eyes were squinting like a big cat - intense and focused. The bat raised vertically in the air, the body crouched and the weight resting on a bent right knee. When England's Chris Lewis pitched the ball short at some 80-odd mph, Lara was ready - the weight transferred to the left foot, the body rocked back and the bat swung like a katana through an arc, hitting the red maroon ball to the crowd at the midwicket region and his score went to 369. In an instant, the ground was swarmed by the Antiguans, and instantly the Commonwealth Islands of the Antillean Sea had a new hero. One who would carry on the proud tradition of six decades and keep the two decades of untouched supremacy alive.
But within a year, the West Indies would lose their first series in 15 years. Suddenly it seemed the pool of talented players had dried up, and the other teams were catching up. Like an old lion, it was relentlessly harrased and challenged, and with each passing game the West Indian resistance was weakened. The burden lay on its hero, and the pride of a people lay with a genius, whose instinct was cavalierly not consistency. After Lara had engineered a shabby underhand revolt to usurp the incumbent captian Richie Richardson, the pressure on him increased. In a team that was fast fading, it would prove a strategic failure. Time after time, Lara would fight to struggle to keep his team in the dog fight. Whenever he failed, the West Indies failed miserably.
Yet in the summer of 1999 admist the chaos, Lara would produce two performance of uncomparable quality. The visiting Australians who in 1995 had inflicted the West Indies to their first series defeat in 15 years, wanted to cement their ascendancy. After the humilation of the First Test on Lara's homeground, Lara's captaincy was put on probation. Cornered and under pressure, Lara single handedly took the sword to Australians. At the Sabina Park in Jamaica, he came in with the West Indies wobbling at 37-4 on the first day evening. His cavalier approach to batting always ensuring that the West Indies were one wicket away from slaughter. Lara went into a shell, biding his time and by the time he had finished, the Australian attack was torn for 213 runs. It was Lara's best innings till the one he would produce in the next match.
In the cauldron at Kensington Oval, Barbados, Lara scripted his Magnum Opus, a spectacular 153 that took his team from defeat to conquest. It was rated by peers and experts as the greatest innings of all time, behind only Sir Donald Bradman's epic some 70 years ago, and it must rank some where in the top drawer amongst all sporting achievements. Wisden, the cricket almanac, noted, "he guided his team to victory as though leading the infirm through a maze." The prodigal son had returned. But it would prove a false dawn. In the decade following that victory, West Indies have lost much more than they have won.
As captain, he struggled to answer to a people, for whom defeat, once an unfamiliar world, became habitual. As a batsman, he was blameless, producing a masterclass here and there. And it is that Lara that will live on in the memories of those who witnessed him. His wizardry over the Sri Lankan spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan will linger in those lucky to see it. In the 2001 tour of Sri Lanka, Lara would score 688 runs including a record 351 in one match. Yet the West Indies would lose every game in the series. That has been Lara's story, destined to be a complete master of his arts, yet cursed to lose every battle he fought.
Thus, when Marlon Samuels called, "Yes!", then "No!", leaving Lara stranded alone in the middle of the pitch, it must have been duly appropriate.
What is the legacy that he has left behind?
It is said that statistics do not tell the story. It is true. It will not tell how he thrilled and charmed and spun his magic web. How he took batting from the sublime to ethereal. In every stroke he gave a glimpse of fleeting heaven. It will, however, also tell this, Lara, owner of the most runs in defeat. And so, the sun sets on both, the marvelous batsman and the failed leader.
Career Timeline
1992 vs Australia (Sydney): Scores his maiden Test hundred, 277 vs Australia
1993 vs Pakistan: (Durban): Scores his maiden One-Day hundred, 128 vs Pakistan
1993 vs Pakistan (Sharjah): Scores 153 to lead his team to victory in the Wills Tournament
1994 vs England (Antigua): Scores 375 to break the Highest Ever Score by an Individual
1994 vs Durham: Scores 501 to break the Highest Ever Score by an Individual in First Class Cricket
1995 vs Australia(Jamaica): Is out for 0 in the last innings of the 4th Test, as West Indies lose to Australia 2-1
1995 vs England: Scores 3 100s in 3 consecutive Tests but the series is drawn 2-2
1996 vs Sri Lanka: Scores 169 in a One Day match, it is his highest score in the shorter format.
1996 Carlton & United World Series: After going down meekly in the first two games, West Indies win their last 5 to storm into the finals. Lara scores 102, 103 and 90 in the last three games. They lose the best-of-3 finals to Pakistan 2-0.
1996 World Cup: West Indies go down to a shock defeat to Kenya in the World Cup but qualify for the Quarter Final vs South Africa. Lara creates controversy by stating to Kenyan players, that "I don't mind losing to you guys, but I can't stand to lose to a white team like South Africa." Nevertheless he scores 111 against South Africa as West Indies go through to the Semi-Finals where they contrive to lose to Australia.
1998 vs South Africa: West Indies lose to South Africa 5-0. Lara's captaincy is under threat.
1999 vs Australia: West Indies draw the series 2-2 with Australia. After they lose the 1st Test, Lara's captaincy is on probation. He scores 213 in the 2nd match and a spectacular 153 in the 3rd match as West Indies lead the series 2-1. In the 4th Test, West Indies lose despite Lara's 100.
1999 Singer Cup Trophy (Singapore): West Indies win the Singer Cup vs India at the Kallang Cricket Ground.
2001: After an illness, Lara scores 688 runs vs Sri Lanka in the 3 match series, West Indies still lose 3-0.
2003: Australia's Matthew Hayden scores 380 vs Zimbabwe as he overtakes Lara's 375
2003 World Cup: In the opening match vs South Africa, he spoils the hosts party as he scores 116 in a West Indian victory.
2003 vs South Africa: Lara scores 28 runs in a single over off Robin Peterson (4,6,6,4,4,4). He scores 202 but West Indies still lose.
2004 vs England: Lara regains his highest record score with 400 vs England, almost 10 years to the date.
2004 ICC Champions Trophy: West Indies win their first major tournament since the 1979 World Cup.
2005 vs South Africa: Lara returns to the team after contractual disputes. He scores 196 and 176 in two tests, but West Indies still lose 2-0.
2005 vs Australia: Lara scores 226, once again in a losing cause. But doing so, he overtakes Allan Border's record of most career runs of 11,174.
It was his last test in Australia. He leaves to a standing ovation.
2006 vs India: West Indies beat India comprehensively 4-1 in the One Day Matches, but lose the Test Series 1-0.
2006 ICC Champions Trophy: Leads defending champions to the final, where they lose to Australia.
2006 vs Pakistan: Scores a phenomenal 216 in the 2nd Test, including a 100 of 79 balls. In doing so, he hits spinner Danish Kaneria for 26 off one over (406664). Scores 0 & 49, in his last Test as West Indies lose the series 2-0.
2007 World Cup: After sweeping the first round, West Indies lose 6 out of 7 games, failing to qualify for the semi-finals. 5 of the defeats were comprehensive. They lose the last match narrowly to England, it is Brian Lara's final game. He is run-out for 18.
