LARA TIMETABLE TO IMMORTALITY
Sporting Life
April 13, 2004
Brian Lara broke the world record for an individual Test innings today in the final Test against England at the Recreation Ground, 10 years after he achieved the same feat against identical opponents at the same venue.
Below we look at how he progressed from 313 overnight to break Matthew Hayden's record of 380:
9.42am: Lara clips Marcus Trescothick off his legs to claim his first boundary of the day down to fine leg.
9.43am: Ridley Jacobs brings up his half-century with a single from off spinner Gareth Batty and next ball Lara makes room for himself by stepping outside leg stump to drive through the covers for another boundary.
9.49am: Lara gets a single down to third man to bring up the 150 partnership with Jacobs. The West Indies captain contributed 91 to the stand while Jacobs added 58.
9.50am: England take the third new ball after 161 overs with West Indies on 615 for five and Lara unbeaten on 325 - 56 runs away from the record.
9.52am: Steve Harmison's fourth delivery with the new ball is edged by Lara wide of Andrew Flintoff at second slip and flies to the third man boundary.
10.30am: Lara clips Simon Jones off his hip for another boundary down to fine leg from the first ball after the drinks break - his first boundary for 11 overs.
10.54am: Lara steers off-spinner Gareth Batty for two to bring up his 350 and become the only man in history to reach that total in a Test twice. He had faced 494 deliveries and hit 39 fours and three sixes to reach it.
11.15am: Lara's history bid receives a further boost with Harmison being removed from the attack for the remainder of the innings after receiving his third official warning from umpire Darrell Hair for running on the pitch in his follow through. He is just 21 runs shot of the record.
11.26am: A pushed single off his legs facing England captain Michael Vaughan takes West Indies to 693 for eight - their highest ever total against England. Next ball Ridley Jacobs is bowled attempting to drive for 87 only for umpire Hair to signal a no-ball for over-stepping.
11.34am: Lara dances down the pitch to launch Vaughan for another four to take himself past 370 and West Indies' total beyond 700.
11.43am: His moment of destiny finally arrives when he dances down the pitch and drives off-spinner Batty into the Viv Richards stand down the ground for a straight six to equal Hayden's record. He sweeps the next delivery for another four and is immediately congratulated by the Prime Minister of Antigua, Mr Baldwin Spencer. After also accepting the congratulations from the England team, Lara kissed the pitch as he did 10 years previously. He had hit 42 fours and four sixes to reach the record and faced 546 balls during his 732 minutes at the crease.