Lara achieves oval crown

BRIAN LARA finally achieved his Oval crown yesterday, scoring a brilliant 122 runs, his first Test century at home, and a glittering one at that. Even though in the end the West Indies lost to Australia, no one who witnessed the excitement, the tension, the nerve tingling climax to Lara’s brilliance yesterday could forget it.

Cricket lovers flocked to the Tragarete Road venue in anticipation of what they truly believed would be Lara’s day at the Oval, sensing that his overnight score of 52 not out would be continued to triumph over the Australian bowlers. They were right. Despite the bodily battering and bruising he suffered at the hands of Aussie bowler Brett Lee, Lara like a stoic stood his ground and inched to that elusive Oval century. At 94, Lara faced 23 deliveries without scoring. Then he got two runs through square leg, moving to 96. Then a clip on the offside for another two, bringing him to 98. The excitement reached fever pitch as Lara glanced the ball to long leg for a single, which took him to 99 in the last ball of the over.

Hearts must have stopped beating. He was now on strike for the first ball of the new over and he let Stuart MacGill have it, flicking the ball through mid-on for four runs, taking him to 103. The Oval crowd erupted with applause for the Prince of Port-of-Spain who had now achieved his great desire to score a Test century at the Oval. Lara responded by putting down his bat and helmet and saluting the crowd with his own lusty applause. It was his 20th Test century and his 20th Test match at the Oval. The Australians are now 2 up in the four match series.

Scores: AUSTRALIA 576/4 dec and 238/3 dec vs WEST INDIES 408 and 288.

With Lara at the wicket on his overnight score of 52 not out, West Indies fans had held out a glimmer of hope of getting the 300 runs required on the final day yesterday to level the four-match series 1-1. Cricket lovers arriving at the Oval were prepared to witness the magic promised by the gifted left-hander who was the only obstacle in the way of the rampant world champion Australian team. And the world double-record holder did not disappoint.

The Santa Cruz lad delivered a carefully planned and executed hundred that came in 224 minutes off 164 balls with 12 fours and a six. It was especially auspicious, as the 33-year-old had narrowly missed out on the achievement in the first innings on Easter Monday, when he was dismised for 91. His dismissal however, after the lunch break for a magnificent 122, broke the spell and spelt the end of the bold West Indies charge to get an improbable 407 overall to win on the last day of the enthralling Test match.

Lara started the day in business-like fashion, methodically climbing his way into the 90s just as minutes ticked towards the end of the first session of play. In the nineties he endured a torrid assault from Brett Lee, regarded as the fastest bowler in the world, who dealt him several blows to his body. But not one to spurn a challenge, Lara came through the test with flying colours, after going scoreless for 23 deliveries while on 94. The crowd, sensing their hero was in some trouble in the nervous nineties, started to chant his name and cheer on his every defensive prod. He immediately responded with a pull through square leg for two runs and a clip on the off side for another double that took him to 98, followed by a single which took him to 99. Then, in the next over against leg spinner Stuart MacGill, Lara fulfilled his lifelong ambition when he flicked the ball through mid-on for four to the relief of the entire Caribbean and his fans worldwide.

Starting the day needing 300 runs to win the Test with seven wickets in the shed, Lara and his vice-captain Ramnaresh Sarwan added a rapid 61 runs from 13 overs in the first hour.
The duo took the score to 210 without further loss at the lunch interval and looked ominous for the Australians. But needing another fruitful session to realise a successful outcome, West Indies batsmen faltered. They were undone by fast medium bowler Andy Bichel, who claimed three quick wickets to turn the tide swiftly back in his team’s favour after the luncheon interval. Sarwan was the first to go, playing a loose pull for 34. He was quickly followed by Marlon Samuels (1), playing across the line; and debutant David Bernard, who failed to live up to expectation, out chasing a wide delivery as the West Indies slipped to 228 for six. Ten runs later the Australians struck the most decisive blow, removing the prized wicket of Lara caught at slip by Matthew Hayden.

Lara became the highest scorer for the West Indies against Australia, surpassing Sir Viv Richards’ mark of 2,266 runs that has stood for 15 years. The Caribbean cricketers slipped further down the slippery slope, when stand-in wicket-keeper Carlton Baugh was the next to go for one as the marauding Australians smelt blood. Fastmen Mervyn Dillon and Vasbert Drakes held up the Australians for a while in the partnership of 32 runs for the ninth wicket, but by then the outcome was not in doubt. Pacer Jason Gillespie wrapped up the win with the wicket of Pedro Collins for five, leaving Drakes unbeaten on 26.