Why Brian Lara's 153 not out against Australia in 1999 is the greatest test innings ever played

Brian Charles Lara played the greatest test innings in 1999 against Australia in Bridgetown, Barbados. While, never in doubt of his abilities to play match-winning innings, his 153 not out in the fourth innings of the match stands out as the best in test matches. His knock, not only helped the West Indies win the match, but also helped them to take the lead in the series.

Lara has played many long innings, and he is the record holder of the highest scorer in tests and first-class cricket. We were lucky to witness Lara play in the same era as another great Sachin Tendulkar of India. While Lara was not as consistent as Tendulkar, he has played some of the finest innings in test cricket including 277, his first century in test cricket, against Australia in 1993, 375 not out against England in 1994, 213 against Australia in 1999 and 400 not out against England in 2004.

While there have been other great innings played by some of the best batsmen in the world, Lara's innings in Bridgetown was simply the best innings ever played in test cricket for the following reasons:

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#5. Context of the series

Ever since Lara took over the captaincy of West Indies cricket, their ride has not been smooth. Before the start of the tour of South Africa in late 1998, West Indies players had a pay dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB). Only half of the players reached South Africa on schedule, but the captain Lara and vice-captain Carl Hooper remained in London and refused to travel. Even those West Indies players who had entered South Africa flew London to mark their solidarity with the players. As the dispute escalated, they sacked both Lara and Hooper. The tour was in doubt. However, later the WICB reconciled and reinstated them and reached an agreement with the players.

By the time the players reached South Africa, they were disturbed already. It clearly showed the impact of the dispute on the cricket field. West Indies were whitewashed 5-0 in tests, the first in their glorious history. Even in ODIs, they were beaten 6-1. The moral of the team was at all time low. The team looked in complete disarray. As the tour headed towards the end, the players seemed more desperate to go home than play cricket. Lara had failed to inspire the team, neither with the bat nor with his leadership. The West Indies cricket had hit the lowest ebb.

Lara apologised with the South Africans 16 years later for robbing them of competitive cricket and in the process also revealing that the tour would not have gone ahead had they not received a letter from Nelson Mandela requesting them to go ahead with their first ever tour to the new democracy.

On this context, the next series for West Indies was the Frank Worrell Trophy, a four-match test series against the best side in the world, Australia. However, considering the poor performance in South Africa, WICB appointed Lara as a captain for first two matches only.

#2. The Opponents

Steve Waugh

Steve Waugh, who later became the most successful test captain of all times in terms of win percentage, was leading a team which were in good form and just had a thumping 3-1 victory over England in the Ashes. They had last lost a test series in India in 1997-98 season. Since then they had won series against South Africa, Pakistan and England.

Even though Australia had an excellent attack in Jason Gillespie, Shane Warne, Stuart McGill, Steve Waugh’s trump card against Lara was Glenn McGrath who had made Lara his bunny. McGrath was the best fast bowler of his time and was at his prime during this series. He actually won the man of the series award along with Lara.

He used to bowl from close to the stumps at very nagging length and with good pace. For Lara, he used to come round the wicket with many fielders placed in slip and gully regions. More than any other bowlers, McGrath dismissed Lara 15 times in his career. So much so that, every time Lara came to the crease, Aussie skipper would toss the ball to McGrath.

#3. What happened earlier in the series

Lara was appointed as a captain for the first two matches only

After a horrendous tour of South Africa, West Indies Cricket Board had appointed Lara as a captain for the first two matches of the series only. However, it could not have been a more disastrous start to the series. Played in Port of Spain, Trinidad, even after bowling well in both the innings, West Indies suffered a humiliating defeat and were bowled out in less than 20 overs in their second innings for their then lowest ever score of 51. Lara was looking down the barrel.

In the second match of the series, however, Lara turned things around in style. After bowling well again and dismissing Australia for 256, Lara scored 213 and helped West Indies reach 431 all out. Lara was ably supported by Jimmy Adams who made 94.

West Indian bowlers bowled even better in Australia’s second innings dismissing them for 177. It meant that West Indies needed three runs to level the series which they did without losing any wicket in their second innings. Lara was declared Man of The Match for his scintillating double hundred.

Lara was then appointed as a captain for the rest of the series.

#4. Match situation when Lara arrived at the crease

Both the players were fired up

They played the third match of the series at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados between 26-30 March 1999. Australia won the toss and elected to bat first. After a poor start, Australia posted a formidable total of 490 with the skipper Steve Waugh scoring 199 and Ricky Ponting 104.

In reply, West Indies had a familiar disastrous start. They lost Lara as the fourth wicket with the scorecard reading a paltry 64. Sherwin Campbell and Ridley Jacobs were the only two players offering some fight. They were all out for 329 and trailed Australia by 161.

West Indies veteran fast bowlers Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose had other ideas in Australia’s second innings. Walsh had a wicket off the second ball of the innings, and Australia never recovered from there. They kept losing wickets at the regular interval and were eventually bowled out for 146 giving West Indians a formidable target of 308 runs. Walsh took a five-for with Ambrose and Pedro Collins chipping with two wickets each.

Chasing 308 for victory, West Indies had a reasonable start with openers putting up 72 runs for the first wicket. However, the West Indians lost two quick wickets. Pedro Collins was sent in as a night watchman, but he too perished without troubling the scorers. At the score of 78 for three and still needing 230 more runs for the win, Lara arrived at the crease. Lara and Adrian Griffith saw the end of the fourth day with the score at 85 for three.

#5. Lara played the innings of the lifetime

Lara after scoring the winning runs

All eyes were on Lara when the play resumed on the fifth day with a good weather forecast and enough time for a result. However, the Australian fast bowlers were bowling fiery spells, and Gillespie removed both Griffith and Hooper within first half an hour. West Indies were 105 for five when Jimmy Adams joined Lara.

Realizing that there wasn’t much batting left after this pair, Lara decided to become more aggressive and take some chances. He scored three fours of Stuart MacGill’s first over, two over deep mid-wicket using his feet and one played an elegant sweep. That gave momentum to Lara’s innings.

Meantime, Adams played smartly by not trying to be too flamboyant and just trying to hang around and giving the strikes to Lara. It was a treat to watch Lara play from the other end. With Adams playing second fiddle to him, Lara kept playing shots. He pulled Warne over mid-wicket for a huge six to bring up his fifty.

He then late cut Warne’s massive turner for another four. Lara kept using his feet to the spinners playing some delightful shots. His square cut and cover drives were just breathtaking. With fielders placed in mid-wicket and deep square leg, he pulled Steve Waugh towards mid-on.

McGrath hit Lara on the helmet with his bouncer, and the two had eye to eye and shoulder to shoulder moment. McGrath bowled another bouncer, but Lara was equal to the task and pulled him over midwicket for four. The crowd absolutely loved that. He then cover-drove Gillespie for glorious four and again punched him off the back foot for another four. Lara brought up his century with a superb hit over mid-on off Warne.

Adams meanwhile chipped in with few boundaries of his own and was playing a grinding innings. Just when West Indies looked in control of the match with the score at 238 for five, McGrath bowled Adams for 38 made just under three hours stay at the crease. From 238 for five, West Indies in no time slipped to 248 for eight. West Indies still needed 60 more runs to win the match.

With Ambrose at the other end and Walsh to follow, Lara knew he had to do the bulk of scoring if they were to win the match. Accordingly, Lara played aggressively while Ambrose held the other end. Lara pulled McGrath, swept and cover drove Warne and took the score to 302. That’s when Gillespie removed Ambrose of a third ball of the over for hard fought 12 runs in a vital partnership of 54 runs with Lara. The last man came in. Courtney Walsh, who held the record for most number of ducks in test cricket.

Three results were possible at that stage. One wicket meant Australian victory, five runs for a tied match and six runs for West Indian victory. Three balls to go in the over. Walsh was facing Gillespie who was pumped up. The first ball was a no ball. Five more runs for victory. Walsh defended next three balls, awkwardly all right. However, that brought Lara in the strike to face the next over.

McGrath to bowl the over. Lara edged the first ball for two runs. Next three balls were dot balls, and McGrath was trying to keep Lara on that end so was bowling wide bouncers. He, in the process, conceded a wide. Two more runs were needed for a win. Lara managed to hook McGrath’s fifth ball but could only manage a single. Scores were level. Walsh to face the most important ball of his life. Everybody was on the edge the seat. McGrath bowled just wide of the off stump, and Walsh let it go. The crowd erupted on their feet.

The first ball of the Gillespie’s next over, Lara thumped through the offside for a boundary. What a victory! What a fitting end to the match and who better to hit the winning runs than the man himself, Brian Charles Lara. West Indians having been humiliated in the first test of the series, were now leading the series. The shot also brought Lara's 150. The crowd went mad and entered the cricket field. Lara was over the moon. Australians were understandably left disappointed.

What an incredible innings was played by Lara! Since he arrived at the crease, 233 runs were scored, and Lara alone scored 153 of them. Monumental effort indeed! He managed to win the match with the lower order. It was not a chance-less innings as Healy dropped him once of a tough chance, but it was an innings of the highest class.