Lara breaks the world record again [Merged]

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Hayden salutes Lara for breaking his batting record](http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/040413/3/38oa.html)

MELBOURNE, Australia (AFP) - Australian opening batsman Matthew Hayden has praised West Indies skipper Brian Lara for taking the world Test record score to a new level.

In a 13-hour batting marathon against England on Antigua, Lara broke Hayden’s world-record individual Test score of 380 and went on to raise an unbeaten 400 before the West Indies declared their first innings in the fourth Test on Monday.

Hayden’s 380 against Zimbabwe in Perth last October had surpassed Lara’s own 10-year-old record of 375 runs.

“I sort of had the expectation that he was going to break the record - he really had it in his sights,” Hayden said here on Tuesday.

“And I think he’s that kind of player as well who has incredible skill and ability to be able to bat a long period of time. He’s truly taken it to a new level.”

Hayden was quick to phone Lara and congratulate him after his peerless 400.

“I spoke to him this morning and (he said) it was a really fun experience and similar to the one we had in Perth,” Hayden said.

"It was really noisy - Antigua’s a venue that basically turns into a hip hop stage and you can imagine walking through the dressing room cutting a swathe of cigar smoke as all these guys are dancing around.

“They were having a lot of fun and so they should. It’s a tremendous event and marks a record-breaking performance…something which no-one has ever done before.”

Hayden said he was mildly disappointed about losing the record but had enjoyed his time - albeit relatively brief - as cricket’s greatest run-maker.

"I guess you feel a little bit disappointed but at the same time I’ve enjoyed an incredible wave of euphoria for the better part of six months. "It’s been a lot of fun.

Hayden said that while “the gauntlet’s there”, he does not expect to set a new world record again.

"I had no real expectations to break the record and nothing’s really changed for me.

“I hadn’t really had any expectations, firstly to get it and even to hold it, I had nothing in mind.”

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Respect to the man :k:

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A great personal triumph but it could cost his team a win. If Windies had declared at around 600 they would have had a great chance to bowl England out twice but they'll struggle to do it now. I wouldn't want a captain of my team putting his individual ambitions above the team.

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Mr Xtreme: *
A great personal triumph but it could cost his team a win. If Windies had declared at around 600 they would have had a great chance to bowl England out twice but they'll struggle to do it now. I wouldn't want a captain of my team putting his individual ambitions above the team.
[/QUOTE]

I would disagree there.... I am pretty sure that every single person of WI would have wanted lara to do 400 and could careless if the match draws. Especially when there was a 50/50 chance of winning/draw. Thats how I would have wished for any of my batsmen.
-Sal

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Mr Xtreme: *
A great personal triumph but it could cost his team a win. If Windies had declared at around 600 they would have had a great chance to bowl England out twice but they'll struggle to do it now. I wouldn't want a captain of my team putting his individual ambitions above the team.
[/QUOTE]

Actually his decision to play on was vindicated when England followed on. England actually batted well in the second innings to draw this game otherwise WI had given them every chance of winning the match midway fourth day when England followed on. They just lacked the final punch

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One thing i would like to point out here. When Lara was batting after his triple century, he never seemd like getting out. No edges no nervy moments. While Sehwag was batting in the first test, he still was edging deliveries even when he was on 280-odd. Taking nothing away from Sehwag though but that highlights the class Lara has and the reason why Pakistan should not have let Sehwag scored a triple ton :~)

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I must admit, Lara is something special...

I can't manage to stay conscious through more than 30 minutes of Cricket as of late, so to not only remain conscious, but to actually stand at the wicket for 776 minutes really is something else. Kinda puts David Blaine's standing-on-a-flag-pole trick to shame, that's for sure.