Brian Lara, How Good Was He?

[sandeano]

Sometimes when watching Lara bat, I'd think to myself, "I could watch this guy bat ALL day". Every now and then, I got my wish.

There is a genuine sense of pleasure, isn't there, in watching that kind of batting.

Not necessarily explosive, but so aesthetically pleasing that it makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Lara had that in spades and against top quality bowling. I should mention that as good as Lara was to watch, just *listen* to the sound of the ball coming off the bat. Anyone who has played cricket knows it, but usually all too rarely. It is the sound of the ball hitting the middle in perfect unison with the bat's movement. Some players had it occasionally - Kim Hughes, Greg Chappell, Carl Hooper, Damien Martyn, but Lara could manage it numerous times per innings.

 

[Ishikawa]

Martyn's dainty taps through the covers versus Lara's exaggerated scythes slaughtered through cover-point. So different yet almost impossible to say which one gave me more pleasure as a cricket watcher.

 

[STFU Donnie]

I thought I'd bump this thread. We haven't praised the legend in far too long. Some statistical highlights from his world record innings of 501*

0-100 in 138 balls (14x4 - 56)
100-200 in 82 balls (16x4, 2x6 - 76)
200-300 in 58 balls (14x4, 5x6 - 86)
300-400 in 72 balls (9x4, 1x6 - 42)
400-501 in 77 balls (9x4, 2x6 - 48)

He went mental with the boundaries in the third ton but then eased back quite a bit although the overall scoring rate remained superb. So he had to run out the majority of his last 201 runs. He must have been knackered at the end!

It was his seventh century in eight consecutive innings, a unique achievement in first-class cricket.

 

[blackcat]

I thought I'd bump this thread. We haven't praised the legend in far too long. Some statistical highlights from his world record innings of 501*

0-100 in 138 balls (14x4 - 56)
100-200 in 82 balls (16x4, 2x6 - 76)
200-300 in 58 balls (14x4, 5x6 - 86)
300-400 in 72 balls (9x4, 1x6 - 42)
400-501 in 77 balls (9x4, 2x6 - 48)

He went mental with the boundaries in the third ton but then eased back quite a bit although the overall scoring rate remained superb. So he had to run out the majority of his last 201 runs. He must have been knackered at the end!

It was his seventh century in eight consecutive innings, a unique achievement in first-class cricket.

needs major caveat / asterisk

*#asterisk pre-Gray Nichols dehydrating the willow

when Gunn&Moore and Woodworm , Duncan Fernley , County , Stuart Surridge and Madras Rubber Factory and New Balance and Symonds and Honda start dehydrating the willow , the game (tension) between ball and bat fundamentally alters

my favourite player Kevin Pietersen straddles both eras

could have Steve Smith , de Villiers and McCullum averaged anywhere near KP and Lara and Tendulkar even on bathtub sized Kiwi ovals ?

Zgope1 @generaljohnmonashemailschemaandpantsmanextraordinaire medusala

 

[STFU Donnie]

needs major caveat / asterisk

*#asterisk pre- Gray Nichols dehydrating the willow

when Gunn&Moore and Woodworm and Madras Rubber Factory and New Balance and Stuart Symonds and Honda start dehydrating the willow , the game (tension) between ball and bat fundamentally alters

my favourite player Kevin Pietersen straddles both eras

could have Steve Smith de Villiers and McCullum averaged anywhere near KP and Lara and Tendulkar even on bathtub sized Kiwi ovals ?

Never change blackcat.

 

[Gough]

I thought I'd bump this thread. We haven't praised the legend in far too long. Some statistical highlights from his world record innings of 501*

0-100 in 138 balls (14x4 - 56)
100-200 in 82 balls (16x4, 2x6 - 76)
200-300 in 58 balls (14x4, 5x6 - 86)
300-400 in 72 balls (9x4, 1x6 - 42)
400-501 in 77 balls (9x4, 2x6 - 48)

He went mental with the boundaries in the third ton but then eased back quite a bit although the overall scoring rate remained superb. So he had to run out the majority of his last 201 runs. He must have been knackered at the end!

It was his seventh century in eight consecutive innings, a unique achievement in first-class cricket.

There was a three ball duck in Sunday League game in Guildford against Surrey that I went to amongst those seven hundreds. Ground was sold out because of it and he bombed.

 

[Leeda]

Never change blackcat.

um challenge and swap files... hangry is the hungry..

 

[Ok Boomer]

The only query I have with Lara was his consistency, particularly in the middle portion of his career. Now a lot of this coincided with the general decline of the team in the late 90's and his stint as captain so I think it is explainable.

 

[PhatBoy]

The only query I have with Lara was his consistency, particularly in the middle portion of his career. Now a lot of this coincided with the general decline of the team in the late 90's and his stint as captain so I think it is explainable.

His career had three distinct phases.

As cricinfo once put it ‘the torrent of runs that marked his first incarnation as a Test batsman had become a spurt.


He averaged 60 in his first 33 tests.

After 80, it dropped to 46.he averaged 39 in those 47 matches. Still hit 8 centuries, mind, but was very hot and cold.

Then in his last 51 tests he averaged 61.

For the 84 matches that bookended his career he averaged over 60. The burden of captaincy and just a lack of drive and dedication probably ruined that middle third and had it not, he’d probably have a record vying with the likes of Smith, Headley, Pollock, Sutcliffe etc

 

[Doss]

He remains the most sublime and unstoppable player I have ever seen.

As a personal spectating experience, being there at the first day of the 2005 Adelaide test when he made 202* out of 352 (on the way to 226) will be something that is very, very hard to top. A complete privilege and utter joy to be there to witness it. The Prince was a pure pleasure to witness.

 

[imadodgyumpire]

Shits me I missed that because I was playing cricket myself.

 

[konkani]

As someone who pretty much adored Lara and used to watch some of his shots on repeat in youtube highlights, my favourite Lara fact is reasonably mundane.
As a youngsters, 2005 Ashes was basically the series I can remember absolutely falling in love with test cricket, I loved the 2001 win India had over Australia with the legendary feats of Laxman and Dravid. But before 2005 Ashes aside from being crazy about Pakistan I didn't have as much of an appreciation of Tests, at least I think that was the turning point.... watching up late on SBS, that was the sh*t....
So it was great to read over this thread about one of my favourite players ever.
So anyway I used to play competitive table tennis (i'm nothing special as a player), I still hit quite often, and a short while ago, I read online that Brian Lara woul try to find places to have a hit of table tennis to get his eye in for playing cricket. I almost lost my absolute sh*t when i found that out haha, was all inspired and that!
There you go, mundane. The funny thing is I fancy myself as having a pretty nice / interesting table tennis style and so learning that about pretty much the most graceful AND yet powerful and destructive player I've ever seen, it gave me a warm glow inside for sure.

 

[blackcat]

There was a three ball duck in Sunday League game in Guildford against Surrey that I went to amongst those seven hundreds. Ground was sold out because of it and he bombed.

irony i read he liked to procrastinate at the non-batsman's/bowler's end (*) to get a handle on the pitch and what the bowler's arm was doing , as a whipper-snapper I was thinking Gus Logie II but after three series as a young'un and getting his feet wet I dont know/am not aware of anyone better than him in full flight

~o~

*first three balls is still first three balls innit
#Saxonfirstseasonofbigbrothertheguywhowentoffwithkilleen

 

[blackcat]

As someone who pretty much adored Lara and used to watch some of his shots on repeat in youtube highlights, my favourite Lara fact is reasonably mundane.
As a youngsters, 2005 Ashes was basically the series I can remember absolutely falling in love with test cricket, I loved the 2001 win India had over Australia with the legendary feats of Laxman and Dravid. But before 2005 Ashes aside from being crazy about Pakistan I didn't have as much of an appreciation of Tests, at least I think that was the turning point.... watching up late on SBS, that was the sh*t....
So it was great to read over this thread about one of my favourite players ever.
So anyway I used to play competitive table tennis (i'm nothing special as a player), I still hit quite often, and a short while ago, I read online that Brian Lara woul try to find places to have a hit of table tennis as his pre-game ritual, for playing cricket. I almost lost my absolute sh*t when i found that out haha, was all inspired and that!
There you go, mundane. The funny thing is I fancy myself as having a pretty nice / interesting table tennis style and so learning that about pretty much the most graceful AND yet powerful and destructive player I've ever seen, it gave me a warm glow inside for sure.

<youtube> Stephen Curry + 'pregame routine'

which , theory* would go , seeks to engage the fine-neuro-muscular coordination nervous system nerves

*i assume a lay heuristic, but nonetheless akin to pro-grade wiff-waff demanding reflexes like facing a Mark Philipoussis or SEN Sam Groth first serve

medusala #wiffwaff

edit: Steph will use his left-hand(off-hand) disproportionate time in warm-up
this is not to fire/trigger or 'improve' his left side , it is near enough perfect from thousands of hours in training , but it nonetheless is weaker than his right which was recently filmed hitting ~140ish baseline threes in a row, I am confident with a warm-up Steph can hit a dozen left-hand threes from 45° in-a-row
My intuition says his left will place a greater demand on his grey-matter to fire and respond , than his right side would , his warm-up is really a neuro/brain warm-up and to acclimatise to the bleechers background and lighting , a Harlem Globetrotters warm-up]
#Pavlovs_dogs Pavlov's

 

[konkani]

I'm also kind of glad that Lara never played much T20. I think it could have ruined his mystique a bit or something (idk why i say that, almost like he's 'above' t20 LOL).
My fave one day innings I remember as a kid was when Lara chased something like 99 off of the last 10 overs or so in an ODI against Aus some time around the 90's (perhaps later?) and won the game off his own bat. It was waaaay before teams did that for fun, and its always saddened me that i've never been able to find that innings online in recent years. Blew my damned mind.

 

[blackcat]

He remains the most sublime and unstoppable player I have ever seen.

As a personal spectating experience, being there at the first day of the 2005 Adelaide test when he made 202* out of 352 (on the way to 226) will be something that is very, very hard to top. A complete privilege and utter joy to be there to witness it. The Prince was a pure pleasure to witness.

then the PM gave him a beach on Trinidad ¿

 

[PhatBoy]

I'm also kind of glad that Lara never played much T20. I think it could have ruined his mystique a bit or something (idk why i say that, almost like he's 'above' t20 LOL).
My fave one day innings I remember as a kid was when Lara chased something like 99 off of the last 10 overs or so in an ODI against Aus some time around the 90's (perhaps later?) and won the game off his own bat. It was waaaay before teams did that for fun, and its always saddened me that i've never been able to find that innings online in recent years. Blew my damned mind.

Perth I think if I remember right. He was out of form, hit 48 at Brisbane to get a bit of touch back and went hundred 90 hundred in his next 3 games if it’s the innings I’m thinking of

 

[konkani]

Perth I think if I remember right. He was out of form, hit 48 at Brisbane to get a bit of touch back and went hundred 90 hundred in his next 3 games if it’s the innings I’m thinking of

wonderful will have a look for it tomorrow!

 

[konkani]

Some more 'Prince loving table tennis' action

 

[Park cricketer]

Lara didn't have a single ton in a test whenever a high quality express quick featured in the opposition attack in his test career.

*Runs for cover*

 

[nobbyiscool]

Lara didn't have a single ton in a test whenever a high quality express quick featured in the opposition attack in his test career.

*Runs for cover*

What? McGrath & Lee don't count? Or McGrath & Gillespie? Pollock, Ntini & Kallis?

Did I misunderstand your assertion? Cos that's just off the top of my head.

 

[blackcat]

Lara didn't have a single ton in a test whenever a high quality express quick featured in the opposition attack in his test career.

*Runs for cover*

so you don't classify Bing Lee but do with Allan Donald , but how many tons did he reel off in the Red Stripe/Hope Shield ? None against Akram Younis and Shoaib ? None against Harmison Jones Flintoff at his back end because in that home series versus us in the first decade of the 2000s in the Ashes (home in Englandthat is , Flintoff Jones and Harmison were all pushing consistently well above 150 which made me think the Poms had rigged the radar and there was jiggery pokery going on , because whenever Mitch Johnson would ever get his body and his form honed , he rarely ever pushed 150-even(flat)

put it down to Lasith Malinga and the batsman not being able to pick him out of the arm/hand

think Tremlet bowled that series Bont don't ever remember him as quick

you should see how Lara did against Bishop et al at home in first class matches , sure he played them like Viv sans helmet and hooked them off his nose

 

[Park cricketer]

What? McGrath & Lee don't count? Or McGrath & Gillespie? Pollock, Ntini & Kallis?

Did I misunderstand your assertion? Cos that's just off the top of my head.

Out of the bowlers you mentioned, only Lee counts as "express" but I don't think he was high quality.

These were the high quality express quicks that were playing during Lara's time:

Donald
Bond
Waqar
Wasim
Akhtar
Steyn
Patterson

Not sure if Ambrose and Bishop were express (pretty sure Bishop was), but in any case, Patterson, Ambrose and Bishop played for Lara's team and so it doesn't matter anyway. Steyn did debut during Lara's career but he never played against him. Lara didn't have a single century against the rest of the bowlers mentioned.

 

[blackcat]

What? McGrath & Lee don't count? Or McGrath & Gillespie? Pollock, Ntini & Kallis?

Did I misunderstand your assertion? Cos that's just off the top of my head.

(express)

post injuries (so basically entire career) Dizzy was not express

pre injuries , he could push the needle to Starc levels

 

[footyfan1978]

As someone who pretty much adored Lara and used to watch some of his shots on repeat in youtube highlights, my favourite Lara fact is reasonably mundane.
As a youngsters, 2005 Ashes was basically the series I can remember absolutely falling in love with test cricket, I loved the 2001 win India had over Australia with the legendary feats of Laxman and Dravid. But before 2005 Ashes aside from being crazy about Pakistan I didn't have as much of an appreciation of Tests, at least I think that was the turning point.... watching up late on SBS, that was the sh*t....
So it was great to read over this thread about one of my favourite players ever.
So anyway I used to play competitive table tennis (i'm nothing special as a player), I still hit quite often, and a short while ago, I read online that Brian Lara woul try to find places to have a hit of table tennis to get his eye in for playing cricket. I almost lost my absolute sh*t when i found that out haha, was all inspired and that!
There you go, mundane. The funny thing is I fancy myself as having a pretty nice / interesting table tennis style and so learning that about pretty much the most graceful AND yet powerful and destructive player I've ever seen, it gave me a warm glow inside for sure.

Hopefully you do not tamper with the rubber on the bat...
Probably a little table tennis ball going to be very good to train to get your eye in , so does not surprise me Lara would do that a bit to keep himself sharp.