WICB salutes Lara’s Hall of Fame induction

ST.JOHN’S, Antigua,  CMC- – The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has saluted batting legend and world record holder Brian Lara on being inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame.

Brian Lara

The former West Indies captain joined 15 other West Indian legends in cricket’s elite Hall of Fame during the gala ICC Awards event at the Water’s Edge in Sri Lanka on Saturday evening.

WICB President Dr. Julian Hunte, praised Lara for his contribution to the game and for the role he played as an ambassador for West Indies and Trinidad and Tobago.

“Brian Lara is, unquestionably, one of the all-time greats of this glorious game. He brought joy to the hearts of West Indians with his super-human performances with the bat”Dr.Hunte said.

“That there is no consensus on which of his innings is his finest is a testimony to his wide array of memorable and historic performances,”.

During his 17 year international career Lara featured in 131 Tests and 299 ODIs.

He totaled 11,953 runs with an average of 52.88 and scored 34 Test centuries and 48 fifties. Dr. Hunte also mentioned Lara’s captaincy of the West Indies in 2003 when the regional team prevailed over Australia at the Antigua Recreation Ground to set the record for the highest fourth innings run chase in Test cricket.

“We join all others across the world as we salute this outstanding ambassador and Caribbean citizen on his due elevation to the ICC Hall of Fame,” Dr Hunte said.

“We can recall numerous individual performances, including two world records and countless match winning innings including the much celebrated 153 at the Kensington Oval and 277 in Sydney”.

Lara twice broke the world record for the highest individual Test score, toppling Sir Garfield Sobers’ 36 year old record in 1994 when he made 375 at the Antigua Recreation Ground.

Ten years later, Lara returned to the ARG to reclaim the record with an imperious 400 not out against England which remains as the world record.