"He looked more and more worried" - When Chris Gayle revealed that Brian Lara seemed unhappy with him getting closer to 400* record in a 2005 Test

West Indies legend Chris Gayle had once revealed that Brian Lara was seemingly worried about him breaking his individual highest Test score record of 400 not out. Brian Lara had reclaimed the world record from Mathew Hayden in April 2004 and has been the holder since.

In 2005, former West Indies opening batter Chris Gayle came close to taking the record away from him in a Test match against South Africa at Antigua. Gayle later revealed that Brian Lara was worried that he would break his record and there was no encouragement from him in the dressing room.

The left-hander was eventually dismissed for 317 in that innings. Writing in his autobiography 'Six Machine: I Don't Like Cricket...I Love It' which was released in 2016, Gayle revealed (via NDTV):

"Some players do care about records. When Brian Lara was out for four in that match, he sat in the dressing-room and read a book. Occasionally he would go out into the balcony and check the scoreboard, then go back inside. (Ramnaresh) Sarwan was watching him, because he was wondering. And every time Brian came out to see my score getting closer to his record, he looked more and more worried.

"When I came in for lunch and tea he didn't say anything to me. No advice, no 'Keep it going,' no 'Do it for the team.' When I went back out he would go back to that slow shuttle: read inside on his own for a bit, come out to check my score, look worried."

Wiaan Mulder powers South Africa to mammoth score against Zimbabwe at Bulawayo, does not to attempt to break Brian Lara's record

The cricketing fraternity woke up and waited in anticipation as South Africa's stand-in captan Wiaan Mulder produced an outstanding batting performance against Zimbabwe at Bulawayo. The right-hander put himself in contention to break Brian Lara's record for the highest individual score in Test cricket of 400 not out, set in 2004.

He made the most of the excellent batting conditions, making an unbeaten 367 off 334 balls with 49 fours and four sixes. Mulder put on 184 runs for the third wicket with David Bedingham, 217 runs for the fourth wicket with Lhuan-dre Pretorius, 88 runs with Dewald Brevis for the fifth wicket and 113 runs for the sixth wicket with gloveman Kyle Verreynne.

These stands ensured South Africa posted 625/5 at Lunch on Day 2. The visitors, however, decided to declare the innings at that score, with Mulder 34 runs away from breaking Lara's record.