Originally posted by Gary_86:
quote:
Originally posted by Gabba Dan:
OK I admit it I don't rate Lara compared to Richards and LLoyd.
If you want to talk W.I. sook then Brian's your
man.
Lara was a genius - even more so than Richards and Lloyd.
If you look at Lara's career the toughest matches were played against Australia, its always worth seeing how a player performs against the best around at the time - but Lara still has a stunning record: 9 Test centuries at an average of 51.
From spanking Warne all round the SCG to the tune of 277, via a match-winning 132 on a Perth flier vs McGrath and Reiffel, 182 at Adelaide against McGrath, Gillespie and MacGill when no-ne else on his side could reach 50. To prove it wasn't a fluke he did it again 5 years later: 226 against McGrath, Lee and Warne this time. Two furious half-centuries to help set up the greatest run-chase of all time at Antigua.
All that and I still haven't mentioned his trilogy of hundreds in 1999 against Australia, when he dragged himself from the brink of despair to almost single-handedly defy the world's best team and claim a draw in the series. That 153* at Bridgetown is the most compelling innings I have ever seen.
So rather than worry about the troughs, how about remembering that the peaks were higher than most batsmen can even dream of.
Everyone Is Entitled To My Opinion! 
