Brian Lara is unarguably one of the greatest batsmen to walk on the planet. The thrill he provided to millions of cricket fans around the world could not be judged by mere statistics. Watching him slay the best bowling attacks in the world was no less than an extraordinary feeling. While Sachin’s straight drive drove fans into a frenzy, it was Lara’s pull shot that was the hallmark of his pure genius. In a career spanning 17 years, Lara became the only West Indies cricketer to have scored more than 10,000 runs in both, ODI and Test cricket. From those high ominous bat-lifts to the flashing square drives, from those subtle flicks to the sublime square cuts, he left the bowlers in a state of shock with his sheer dominance in the game. If Sachin Tendulkar was famous for his meditative stillness, Lara resembled a coiled spring that suddenly flung into action. As the maverick turns 47, we bring to you 8 lesser known facts about him
1) Micheal Jordan of cricket
Former US president Barack Obama, who was not very acquainted with the game of cricket, described the southpaw as ‘Michael Jordan of Cricket’, comparing his greatness with Basketball superstar. He made this remark during his visit to Trinidad and Tobago where he met the icon. Obama also posed with Lara holding a bat in left hander’s grip.
2) Football: Beach Cricket and Football are the most loved games on West Indian islands. In his childhood, The left-hander not only devoted time for cricket but also played football with friends. However, as time passed he must have sensed that his true calling lies in Cricket.
3) Lara’s love life: It may come as a surprise to many but the West Indian run machine is yet to tie the knot. However, he has two children from her former girlfriend and journalist Leasel Rowedas with whom he was in a relationship for quite a long time. Later, Lara dated a British model Lynnsey Ward, he took her to an Australian tour in which the West Indies fared miserably. He named his daughter Sydney after his 1993 epic 277 against Australia.
4) Golf
Lara is an unbeatable man. After bidding adieu to cricket, he took to golf and went on to win many tournaments. In recognition to his dedication to the game, he was honoured with a membership for a lifetime by ‘Royal St. Kitts Golf Club.’
5) A compassionate man: Lara’s mother died in January 2002 after a long battle with cancer. Lara later established a charitable ‘Pearl and Bunty Lara Foundation’ in memory of his parents. The foundation addresses the health and social cause.
6) Lara The writer: Lara donned the hat of an author in a book titled ‘Beating the Field: My Own Story’ with ‘Brian Scovell.’ The book captures Brian Lara’s legendary journey from a struggler to a cricketing superstar. It also details his exploits on the field. It’s a must for the true admirers of Brian Charles Lara.
7) Cricket Stadium:
While Sachin was honoured by having a stand to his name in Wankhede stadium, the Trinidad and Tobago government constructed a sprawling cricket stadium in Lara’s name. The construction work for this full capacity arena began in 2008. However, it is yet to host a national event.
8) Unsold at IPL: Well, The IPL guys mean business. After missing in action for three years, Lara put his name for auction at a base price 400,000 dollars. However, he failed to find a franchise and went unsold during the ‘IPL 2011’ auction.
