THE TEST

 

Image Credit- International Cricket Council.

Venue- Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados [March 1999].

In the summer of 1999, Australian Cricket Team toured West Indies to play 4 Tests and 7 One Day Internationals. The visitors crushed the hosts in the first test at Trinidad, whereas the hosts made a strong comeback in the series by winning the second test at Jamaica. The series was now levelled at 1-1 and all eyes were now set in Barbados. 

On a batting friendly wicket, Australian Captain Steve Waugh won the toss and elected to bat first. The visitors did not get the best of starts as Walsh and Ambrose reduced Aussies to 36/3 after 14 overs. This is when Captain Steve Waugh along with Justin Langer brought Aussies back into the game. However, Langer was dismissed by Hooper just after he reached his fifty. The Aussie scorecard now read 144/4 and this is when a young firebrand Ricky Ponting stepped into the crease. 

The Captain along with his heir apparent blew the Windies bowling line-up as both of them stitched a massive partnership of 281 runs. Ponting scored a majestic 104, whereas Captain Steve Waugh missed his double hundred by just one run. The visitors were eventually bowled out for 490 runs in their first innings. In response the hosts were bowled out for 329 in their first innings. Sherwin Campbell scored a magnificent 105 runs, whereas wicketkeeper batsman Ridley Jacobs scored a solid 68. Glenn McGrath was the leading wicket taker for the Aussies as he picked up 4 wickets in the first innings. 

The Aussies had a first innings lead of 161 runs. It appeared that they would blow away Windies again. But this is when Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh stepped in. The Windies pace duo just slayed the Aussie batting line-up as the visitors were bowled out for just 146 in their second innings. The Windies needed 308 runs to win the test and take a 2-1 lead in the series, 

However, this was never going to be easy in front of the legendary Australian bowling line-up. Though the hosts started in a slow and steady manner, but a flurry of wickets reduced their scorecard to 105/5, still needing 203 runs with just 5 wickets remaining. It seemed that Aussies will easily win this game. And this is when the Prince steeped in. 

Lara assumed control and played a legendary 153-run innings off 256 deliveries. With an innings that had 19 boundaries and a six, he single-handedly led West Indies to victory. Lara remained steadfast as wickets continued to tumble at the other end. The fact that no batsman from either team had previously managed to score more than 40 runs in the second innings made the knock even more noteworthy. He hit a fantastic cover drive off Gillespie to hit the winning runs and send the Caribbean into a frenzy, and that was the great moment. Brian Lara was selected Player of the Match for his outstanding effort as West Indies defeated the opposition by margin of just one wicket. 

This was indeed one of the finest knocks in the history of test cricket. In the words of former West Indian Captain Clive Llyod "To play as he did today, nursing along players with much less ability, was the hallmark of greatness."

To watch the innings of Brian Lara, Click Here.