Brian Lara delighted fans wherever he played

By A.C De Silva

Think of a smile, in cricket; who else can it be - Brian Lara of course.

He is someone of a genius and at a certain time he was a genius in the game of cricket. Lara, in his hey days, was a human barometre of West Indian cricket - the indicator of the Calypso graph in full flow, he was just magic, and you've a feeling that West Indian batting was in safe hands. When he fails, you also know what to expect, a West Indies slide.

West Indies legend Lara was inducted into the International Cricket Council's Hall of fame.

The superb left-hander from Trinidad who set several records in his illustrious cricket career was warmly applauded and showered with praise as he became the 17th West Indian to be inducted.

Lara was warmly attired and flashed his trademark smile as he was presented with his ICC Hall of Fame Cup. The former West Indies captain was accompanied by his wife.

He dedicated the award to his late father Bunty Lara, who died before his son made his International debut for the West Indies.

"This person you see on this day before you, accepting this Hall of Fame honour is someone he moulded. He ensured that I had everything I needed to succeed as a cricketer and in life, even in trying times.

He made a special effort to make sure everything was there", Lara said.

Lare was one of the game's most prolific batsmen.

Lara - guest of President Rajapaksa

Lara has been to Sri Lanka a few years back and was the guest of President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees and had a friendly chat with former Sri Lanka cricket captain Sanath Jayasuriya joining them.

Sanath Jayasuriya made 340 in August 1997 against India at the R. Premadasa Stadium and Lara made 400 not out to get hold of the World batting record.

The other cricketers who have scored over 300 runs per innings in Tests are; Sir Garfield Sobers (365 not out), Len Hutton (364), Hanif Mohammed (337), Wally Hammond (336 not out), Sir Don Bradman (334 and 304), A. Sandham (325), R.B. Simpson (311), John Edrich (310 not out), Cooper (307), Lawrence Rowe (302).

The West Indies batting revolved around Lara, yes - cricket's pint-sized monarch. He's, therefore, the most precious gemstone that's totally self-supportive, like a swordsman with a classy touch.

Good leaders helped cricket

At the helm, again, Lara says that he has matured; in control of himself. However, all along the road, he's had all the qualities of a good leader - a mind so well balanced and mature as captain.

Lara highest score 501 not out

In the process, Lara has the highest individual score of 501 n.o. for Warwickshire against Durham scored off 427 deliveries. Having notched a record Test score of 375 against England in 1994, he is the only one in history to have re-claimed the record with 400, also against England.

It is rather like his penchant for self-indulgence spelt the death-knell of a result and his ego was legendary but then Oprah's ego has been measured to be the fourth largest land mass after Russia, Canada and China.

Lara is the only player after Bradman to score two triple Test centuries and is the only one after Bill Ponsford to score two first class quadruple centuries.

At the time he retired, his nine double centuries was only second to Bradman's twelve.

His highest total number of runs in a Test career, over-taking Allan Border, was subsequently broken by Sachin Tendulkar who has kept flowing like 'the brook'. Lara has been Man of the Series many times, Man of the Match in Tests twelve times and in ODIs 30 times.

It is said that "talent is what a man possesses and genius is what possesses a man" and Lara, in his element, was the devil incarnate, plundering runs with no respite to the wilting bowlers other than a token offer of a friendly chance.

Spectators got money's worth

For 17 years Brian Lara delighted spectators and was the scourge of bowlers but, like Compton and Miller, he would give them threads of hope to weave imaginary cloaks.

If Frank Wooley was graceful, Sobers was workmanlike and David Gower, elegant, Lara combined all three elements in his batting and was, in the process, flamboyant.

He has been the most destructive player of spin and plundered runs at will as he played cat and mouse with Warne and Murali, the world's best ever leg and off spinners. His classy cover drives and the power of his square cuts had no equal in his day.

Whenever Lara's batting has been found wanting, the Windies joy seemed to glitter although the Windies have some fine batsmen in its ranks: Shivnaraine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh 'the-new-born-Rohan Kanhai' Sarwan, Wavel Hinds, Chris Gayle, Martin Samuels and co.

The Windies have had a fall from cricket, once called 'World Beaters!' Why at stage, the writing on the wall was more imminent: Lara was only a shade of the Lara of 1994, even if he has had his purple patches thereafter. Or, have they only been a few and far between, although he was at his wondrous best against the likes of a magician called Muttiah Muralitharan, in Sri Lanka, before a freak elbow injury got the better of him; or against Australia and South Africa?

Lara replies with willow

So, the story has also been common place. Every time Lara gets into his bad period, anybody who is somebody in cricket circles has a field day: questioning his genius. Is Lara overrated? Is he really the best in the business?

The more the arguments got hot, Lara has wanted to respond: with his willow. Example: Ask the proteas. World Cup 1996. Witness, the most crucial match Hansie Cronje's radiant gladiators lost. South Africa's cause was gone relegated to the dustin as saying of a fairy tale gone sour. It was action replay, for Lara, in World Cup 2003, just as well. His brilliant century centered the Windies to a memorable win.