GROS ISLET, St Lucia, 25 June 2003 — Brian Lara struck a sparkling 209 to expose the Sri Lankan bowling limitations in the opening Test against the West Indies at the Beausejour Stadium here yesterday.
Lara’s fourth Test double-century in 95 matches enabled the West Indies to post 477-9 declared at tea in reply to Sri Lanka’s first-innings total of 354 on the fifth and final day of the match heading for a tame draw. Omari Banks was unbeaten on 50, reaching his maiden Test half-century with a pulled six off seamer Prabhath Nissanka.
Lara dominated a record 136-run stand for the seventh wicket with Banks, the previous best against the same opponents being 59 between Marlon Samuels and Marvyn Dillon in Sri Lanka in 2001.
Lara, stranded on 93 on Sunday, went on the rampage after reaching his 21st Test hundred, and the fifth in as many matches against Sri Lanka, off 222 balls in the morning session.
He took 131 more deliveries to complete his double-century, with a lofted four over mid-on off spinner Thilan Samaraweera. He cracked one six and 24 fours in his 360-ball knock before being caught behind off an attempted pull.
Lara initially struggled a bit, especially against off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, before putting the Sri Lankan bowling in proper perspective with a wide range of attacking shots.
Muralitharan bagged three of the five wickets that fell on a fifth-day pitch to finish with 5-138, his 38th haul of five or more scalps in a Test innings in 81 matches.
The spinner nearly got the prize wicket of Lara, who survived a stumping chance on 94 as wicket-keeper Romesh Kaluwitharana failed to gather the ball properly.
There was then no stopping Lara as he smashed left-arm seamer Chaminda Vaas for his ninth boundary to complete his century and then fluently drove the same bowler through the covers for a four to cross 150.
Nearly two sessions on Sunday and the entire day’s play the following day were washed out. Resuming at 272-4, the West Indies added 112 in the extended morning session with Lara alone contributing 84.
Lara exploded with a flurry of boundaries as he punished leg-spinner Kaushal Lokuarachchi for 16 runs in an over, including three fours.
