Emotional Lara praises Border

Lara made 226 in the West Indies’ first innings to pass Border’s career tally of 11,174 runs and add the aggregate world record to his individual world record score of 400 not out.

Named Man of the Match in the seven-wicket defeat, Lara later revealed that Border had provided the inspiration for his own career. Lara was just 14 when he went to see his West Indies heroes play the Australians at Trinidad in 1984, but it was Border who caught his imagination.

Although the Australians were heavily outgunned and eventually lost the series, Border scored 98 not out and then an unbeaten 100 to force a draw in that match. "As a West Indian, I wanted him to get out but what I got out of that was his fighting spirit," Lara said. "That definitely gave me the impetus to go out there and perform.

"Yes I’m West Indian, yes I love West Indian batsmen but you (Border) have been an icon to me from the very first day I played cricket." Lara said he considered it an honour to pass Border’s record and he was especially pleased to do it in Australia, where he is revered as much as in the Caribbean.

"From the time I played my first test match in Pakistan under Desmond Haynes to today under Shivnarine Chanderpaul, it’s been a great honour to be a part of the West Indian cricket team," Lara said.

"It’s been an exciting time for me culminating in this test match and myself passing Allan Border’s record. The Australian cricket team today stands as the best team in the world and has the respect of all the countries that play cricket in the world.

"I hope that you can see that it is your responsibility to ensure that the game is played and continued to be played in the best spirit."