West Indies captain Brian Lara became the first man to score 400 in a Test innings on the third afternoon of the fourth and final Test against England on Monday. Lara, who had earlier passed Matthew Hayden’s world record individual Test score of 380, swept off spinner Gareth Batty for a single to backward square leg to reach the mark before declaring on 751 for five. Lara finished on 400 not out. He was also the holder of the world mark of 375, scored on the same ground against the same opponents, before it was eclipsed by Australia’s Hayden against Zimbabwe last year. Almost exactly 10 years after he hit a then world mark of 375 against England on the same ground, Lara took his score from 313 overnight to 390 not out at lunch, with West Indies on 734 for five. Ridley Jacobs was not out 100. Lara, struggling for form earlier in the series as England stormed to a 3-0 lead, reached 380 with a straight six off spinner Gareth Batty before sweeping him for four next ball to break the record. He leapt in the air with delight before being congratulated by England’s players as the crowd gave him a standing ovation. The left-hander then kissed the ground before play resumed. ‘‘It’s hard to believe,’’ he told Sky Sports after being given a guard of honour by his teammates as he walked off. ‘‘It’s a great feeling. It’s dampened a bit by the series result but we are going to press for a win. We need to get 750.’’ Hayden had overhauled Lara against Zimbabwe in Perth last October. Lara became only the second man after Donald Bradman to make two Test triple centuries when he passed 300. He hit his 375 in April, 1994 against an attack led by Angus Fraser, Andy Caddick and Chris Lewis and spinner Phil Tufnell. With West Indies resuming on 595 for five, Lara looked good early on, hitting three boundaries to move into the 330s. A well-run two through the leg side brought up his 350, coming off 494 balls, but with the record in sight, he began to look a little edgy. England captain Michael Vaughan brought the field in to tempt Lara to hit over the top and he did just that, smashing him over mid-on to reach 372. Lara then survived an appeal for a catch behind off Gareth Batty, and the nerves were clearly visible as he almost attempted a suicidal single next ball. After reaching 374, Lara then equalled Hayden’s record with a sensational six over long on, before a sweep for four from the next ball gave him the record for a second time, prompting wild celebrations from the packed crowd. Between times, Jacobs was bowled off a no ball by Vaughan when on 87 but he survived to be unbeaten on 100 at lunch, his third Test century. Brief scores (AT 1: 15 IST) West Indies (1st innings): 751/5 decl (B Lara 400 no, R Jacob 107 no, R Sarwan 90). England (1st innings): 65/3 (Tino Best 2/20). (reuters)
