Lara: Sir Gary an inspiration

"(Sir Garfield) is a great man and someone I have great respect for," Lara told the media after he surpassed Allan Border’s 11-year old record for the most career Test runs.

"He played 93 Test matches for West Indies and did yeoman service for them and he helped me along the way, not just in international cricket."

Lara added: "I remember when I was 16 or even younger playing in the Sir Gary Sobers tournament in Barbados, and him looking at me and saying from that day he thought I would be a Test cricketer. It’s nice to fulfill his dream and I know he will appreciate what I have done."

Lara also paid tribute to Border, with whom he said there were some similarities.

"Looking at the newspapers today and reading what Allan Border had to say, such a humble man, a man I have great respect for," Lara said. "He’s someone who I suppose has walked the same walk I have done in many ways, in playing for Australia in the 80s and having to play that pivotal role all the time, and I’m really happy to be up there with him."

After a string of failures in the two previous Tests, Lara entered the Third Test at the Adelaide Oval on 10,961 runs, still 213 adrift of Border’s record and searching for an innings of merit to salvage an otherwise wretched series.

He proceeded to rack up his eighth Test double century en route to establishing a new mark of 11,187 runs in his 121st match.

"I came here to play four Test matches and I like to score 100 runs a Test match until Adelaide it looked really dim but I’m really proud of it and I’m really proud to have achieved it," Lara admitted.