Wednesday, November 22, 2006

The difference between Lara and Tendulkar

By John Cheeran
Playing for the team, that's what Brian Lara does.
West Indies skipper says it is more important for his side to turn up the heat on Pakistan in the Multan Test than for him to push on for a triple century when the play resumes on Wednesday.
"I am not necessarily looking at a triple century...it is all about getting a couple more partnerships to put Pakistan under pressure," Lara said after finishing the third day unbeaten on 196.
"I don't look at my innings in a personal context. What matters is we are in a good position in this match and we try to finish it off well. If that happens it would add value to my runs." Multan is a batsman's paradise.
And sometimes even paradise witnesses pandemonium. And to recall the fuss Tendulkar created at the same ground in Multan during India's tour of 2003!
Skipper Dravid had declared India's innings with Tendulkar batting on 194. Dravid's move, it was said by some pundits, stemmed from Bangalorean's jealousy of the other grabbing one more double century.
Dravid was justified in the end, guiding India to their first Test triumph in Pakistan. Lara's job is now easier since he is now the skipper and the doer. And playing a run-ball innings (100 off 77 balls, 171 off 171 balls) none can accuse Lara that he is playing for himself without any care for a trailing side's interests.
Lara played several savage strokes and was particularly severe on Danish Kaneria, hammering the leg spinner for 26 in one over with three sixes and two fours. "I knew we needed to target someone with the second new ball coming up," said the 37-year-old left hander.
"But there was nothing going on in my mind facing him, I just watched the flight and concentrated playing through mid-on and mid-off."
Lara, the highest scorer in Tests, became the fifth batsman to score a century before lunch as he compiled his fourth hundred in four Tests against Pakistan. He smashed 100 from 77 balls with five sixes and 12 fours to bring up his 34th Test century. Only India's Sachin Tendulkar (35) has more.
"I am very enthusiastic every time I go out and I want to do well. I want to see West Indies do well and I have the energy and desire to carry on," said Lara.

6 comments:

yetanother.softwarejunk said...

another things is that you can not get Lara out in same fashion...like many bowlers do with Sachin.

Anonymous said...

John, surely agreed that Lara is the better Test cricketer at the moment considering Tendulkar has not played many test matches of late....
But you are not doing justice either to Tendulkar or Lara .. by comparing their knocks at Multan..
Tendulkar was batting on 194.. and surely Dravid could wait for atleast ONE over so Tendulkar could reach his double century?.. Surely he could have..
By stating this in your blog.. you are directly calling Sachin Tendulkar selfish and Brian Lara an angel...
By the way.. When Lara scored his 400*... it would be extremely subtle if one would say he played for himself...
It was the fourth test match.. And even though the English had already won the test series 3-0..
Brian Charles Lara, after winning the toss, decided to bat..
He batted till AFTER the lunch of day THREE!!!
Just for the record.. Just for the 400... He was captain... He did not play to win.. He played selfishly..
And Sachin is selfish?
Because he wanted one more over so that he could complete a double century on the harshest rival's soil?
I don't know the grudge you have against him.. But it's not right boss..
And just FYI.. Sachin showed no signs of disappointment on the field.. certainly when he bowled Moin Khan around the legs by a googly on the last ball of the day.. he danced around with joy
Cherish this man.. Cherish his devotion..
Selfish and Sachin??
Nahh.. Thats like ketchup and rice.

Anonymous said...

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Anonymous said...

an innings of 241(436) with S/R of 55 is unselfishness and an innings of 400(582)with S/R of 69 is selfishness . Playing with tailenders and exposing them to strike against bangladesh is unselfishness and throwing your wkt away trying to up the ante while batting with tailenders is selfishness . Let's all hail the most unselfish batsman in the history of the game SACHIN TENDULKAR.He has played some of the most unselfish innings in the history of the game like 241*,60*,248*,194*.He never looks to remain not out to boost his avg. He becomes very aggressive when declaration is coming.He is a team man whose every century wins the match

Satish said...

Sachin is a selfish player. After scoring 90+ he requires close to 20 to 25 balls to score the remaining runs when there are another 10 to 15 overs remaining. which the other batsmen like yuvraj and dhoni could utilise to score more. sachin opens mainly because he has all the time in the world to score centuries. Lara for most of his innings played 3 or 4 position in ODI's. As a batsmam lara i far ahead of sachin. Lara is a match winner.

mac said...

Sachin Tendulkar is not selfish. He is a better cricketer than Lara or any other cricketer for that matter. Why? read http://zty.in/cricket/cricket-fans-that-hate-sachin-tendulkar-saying-he-is-selfish/

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