High praise for Lara's century (1 April 1999)

1 April 1999

High praise for Lara's century

Versel Thompson

Former West Indies and Jamaica opening batsman Easton McMorris believes Brian Lara's match-winning innings at Kensington Oval in the third Test against Australia on Tuesday "belongs to the ages".

"It was a wonderful victory and (Lara's innings) belongs to the ages," McMorris said yesterday.

"Congratulations to Lara and his men and his magnificent innings ... this was beyond his innings made at Sabina Park in the second Test and is rated with anything (Garfield) Sobers or (George) Headley would have done during their time," he said.

"The part played by (Jimmy) Adams is most significant in the rebuilding of the West Indies team ... it appears that the captain has a great respect for him and the frequent conversation by the two at the wicket suggests Jimmy has a calming effect on Lara, "McMorris said of the Jamaica captain.

Another former West Indies opening batsman Basil "Shotgun" Williams said: "It was nothing short of a genius, it was a great innings. It was well controlled as Lara worked out how many balls (Curtly) Ambrose would face which was part of his dominance," Williams said.

"When a man can score 501 runs in one match, he can do almost anything he wishes ... the man is a genius, he played all the shots the great players before him had played and we in the West Indies must really laud him to the highest," Williams said.

Former WI pacer Chester Watson said: "It was a fantastic win and I hope it is a rebirth of the true WI fighting spirit. Lara as the world No. 1 batsman has done the job we know he can do and have always expected of him."

"I think the innings in the second Test at Sabina Park was one of the best I have ever seen but the game in Barbados shows his true class and that the one at Sabina Park was not just a flash in the pan," he said.

"Of all the innings he has ever played, they must go down as the two best and I must compare the Barbados innings with the one that Sobers played at Lords with his cousin David Holford some years ago," he said.

"With this form by Lara I am sure we can win the series and regain the Sir Frank Worrell Trophy but having said all this, let's give the bowlers full credit as it was them who brought us back into the game with Lara putting the icing on the cake and made it sweet and tasty," he said.

Source :: The Jamaica Gleaner (https://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/)