A legend leaves the arena

Brian Chalez Lara............

West Indies captain Brian Lara bid an emotional farewell to international cricket on Saturday after scoring 18 in his side's 300 all out in his final match against England at the Kensington Oval. The last game of the World Cup Super Eights would have been a meaningless affair, as both sides failed to make it to the semi-finals, but Lara's surprise decision to quit on Thursday transformed the occasion.

"My game is over," an emotional Brian Lara said after the West Indies lost to South Africa in the Super Eights World Cup match in Grenada on Tuesday. The defeat all but ended the hosts' hopes of making it to the semi-finals.

A full house turned up at the Oval, the venue for next week's final, and Lara, one of the greatest batsmen of the modern era, got a tremendous send-off from both home and visiting supporters.

His last knock, though, was a disappointment as he fell for 18. Marlon Samuels hit the ball to mid-on, called his skipper for a run and then changed his mind, leaving a dejected Lara stranded.

Brian Chale'z Lara (Name ! No need introduction in World Cricket Era..............)

I always still wonder to do the comparison between sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara ??

Frankly speaking I could never do that but.........

Lara is altogether grate Batsman where as Sachin Tendulkar is different kind of approach towards the game. For me it is just like Impossible but some days I had to agree that Brain Lara is Bad Shah ( King ) of " TEST CRICKET " and Sachin Tendulkar Kohinoor Hera ( The Rare found Diamond ) of "ONE DAY CRICKET ", that's it from me ???

Readers are still wise than me and the spectator can enjoy both the " Exceptional Talents in Cricket Era ". Am I write ???

The 37-year-old Trinidadian holds the record for the top Test score (400 not out) and highest in the first-class game (501 not out).

He has scored more runs (11,953) in Test cricket than anyone, his 400 not out remains the highest individual score in Tests and his 501 not out for English county team Warwickshire in 1994 is unsurpassed in first-class cricket.

What is most impressive, though, is Lara's mental toughness and the way he often carried a team in decline since the mid-nineties, when players of the calibre of Richie Richardson and Desmond Haynes retired.

Lara is congratulated by the old-time rival Shane Warne. The Australians applauded his genius generously and Border was one of the first to pass his best wishes to the West Indies left-hander.

Even when an inferior West Indies team met an Australia consisting of several all-time greats like Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Steve Waugh and Mark Waugh in 1999, he single-handedly earned a 2-2 series draw with three scintillating centuries. One of them, 153 at Barbados, was considered by cricket's most respected almanac Wisden as the second-best Test innings of all-time.

Breaking records isn't a novelty for Brian Lara anymore, but on Saturday he conquered the highest peak in international cricket.

The Prince of Trinidad held the Australians spell-bound for a masterly knock of 226 to lift his career tally to 11,187 from 121 Tests and set a new world record for the most runs in Test cricket. He eclipsed the previous record of 11,174 held by former Australian captain Allan Border. Playing possibly his final Test on Australian soil, the 36-year-old Lara started the day on 202 and needing 12 to pass the record.

Incidentally, his first Test hundred was also a double and came against Border's Australian team in Sydney in 1992-93. It held such a special place in his heart that Lara named his daughter after the city.

"I played against Brian when he made his century in Sydney in the season of 1992-93 and I would rank him as one of the best three batsmen in the world."

Border said he had watched most of Lara's innings on television from his Brisbane home but missed the moment he broke the record because he was watching his son playing a junior match.

"I have had the pleasure of seeing him [Lara] play a lot of cricket and there is no doubt he is a genuine genius," he said.

"I am sure I am not the only Australian who is pleased to see him hold this record."

The Lara's style and allegance .........................absolutely no words to decribe the Legends............

Lara kisses the ground in celebration of his record breaking innings.

He reached 380 with a straight six off Gareth Batty before sweeping him for four next ball to break the record.

The 400 came with a deft sweep to fine leg off spinner Gareth Batty.

Brian Lara ,

West Indian Legend.