Brian Lara

Brian Lara(Full Name: Brian Charles Lara)  is a former Trinidadian cricker and is regarded as one of the greatest to have ever graced the game. He was a prolific run scorer in both one day internationals and test cricket. He was born on 2^nd May, 1969 in Cantaro, Trinidad. He batted left hand and is known in the cricket world for his knock of 400 not out versus England in 2004 – a record for most runs scored by a batsman in one innings. He also scored a score of 501 not out, which is also a record for the highest first class individual score in an innings, for Warwickshire against Durham at Edgbaston in 1994.

Brian Lara was a prodigy who picked up a cricket bat at an age of three. He was one of eleven children(tenth child) in his family.His parents were Bunty and Pearl Lara. His talent was first identified by his sister, Agnes Cyrus, who wanted him to attend cricket training at the Harvard cricket clinic. He was attracted by the game of Colin Cowdrey after watching bat in a live match at the age of five. As he grew up, he idolised Roy Fredericks, who was a left handed batsman. Roy Fredricks was an opening batsman who represented West Indies cricket team. As a kid playing street cricket, he was nicknamed Roy Fredricks by his friends in the locality. Being unusually talented, he was also a member of the national football team for the below 14 age group. He was touted be the next great cricketer since his early days. During his career, he was ofted compared with another great batsman Sachin Tendulkar. He inspired a whole lot of cricketers of later generation.  

He did not take much time to impress others at Harvard cricket clinic. Spotting his talent, his coach soon made him play against cricket balls. West Indain cricketer Carlisle Best was impressed with the boy after seeing him bat at the club and presented him a bat as a gift. He loved both cricket and football as a kid. When he confronted with a situation to choose one, it was his father who played a role in Lara’s decision. 

He made his debut for the national cricket team of West Indies when he was just 21 in the year 1990. It took him a bit longer to create an impression at the top level, it was not until 1994. In 1994, he broke the records of highest individual score in test cricket after score 375 runs versus England and the record of highest individual score in first class cricket after scoring 501 not out in county cricket. He later bettered his personal best score by scoring 400 not out against the same opposition and broke the record that belonged Mathew Hayden ( Mathew Hayden 380). 

He raised curtains to his international career after 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup. He finished his career as one of the most prolific run scorers in the history of cricket. He scored 11, 953 and 10,405 in test cricket and one day cricket respectively(including 53 centuries) – one of the few to do so. Called as ‘Prince of Trinidad’, he was inducted to the ICC Hall of Fame in 2012.

Reference:

Cricbuzz

The Best Days of My Life by Scharda Dubey

Britannica.com/biography/ Brian Lara