Lara a batting magician

Brian Charles Lara is undoubtedly a batting magician. He uses the bat like a wand to perform batting tricks that are simply exciting and amazing.

Lara holds his viewing audience spellbound with strokes, that at times defies description. Be it the drives on either side of the wicket, the pull, the cut, the hook, the glance and even the lofted drive which sails over the boundary are played to perfection.

Lara is also blessed with the rare ability to innovate and play some strokes that are not in the book, that leaves all opponent bowlers muttering under their breath in disbelief. The great man puts all these god given abilities to pulverize the South African bowling attack in the only Two Tests that he has faced them. He played an excellent innings of 196 in the Test in Trinidad and then in Barbados he made mince meat of the attack to score a magnificent 176. These knocks were champagne.

His batting magic left TV Commentators describing the action on Ten Sports -Michael Holding, Ian Bishop, Paul Allot, Tony Cozier and Mike Haysman stuttering for adjectives to describe the strokeplay of the master.

The South African bowlers were respected when they were spot on, but once they erred in line or length the next thing they knew and saw was the ball sailing over the line or past it.

The Tests in the Caribbean starts at 8 p.m. local time and finishes at around 3 a.m. I don't think viewers eyes are heavy with sleep staying awake watching the Lara batting magic show, even to the wee hours of the morning. Such is the entertainment he provides.

The best thing that could have happened to Lara was the contractual obligations that finally went to strip him off the captaincy. it is obvious that he is now enjoying his batting free of responsibilities. He seems to have rejuvenated and has an unquenching thirst for runs, that has brought the game alive. But sadly his show has not run to crowded houses in the Caribbean.

Lara is also the holder of the individual world batting record. He first broke Sir Garfield Sobers' record of 365 smashing 375 against England. Then when Australian Matthew Hayden took it away from him battering the Zimbabweans, he was quick to make the record all his own, when he once again tore the English attack to shreds to post 400, which will not be easily broken for a long time.

Timing is what batting is all about and Lara is head and shoulders above all batsmen in this aspect. With an amazingly high bat lift, he brings it down well in time for bat to meet ball and send it to wherever he wants in the field.

With Lara's hunger for runs beginning to show again, the remaining Test and one-dayers in the Caribbean are sure going to be chockful of the master's magical strokeplay. So viewers keep watching Ten Sports, you will never feel sleepy. Lara's batting is a connoisseur's delight.

England jittery

The coming Ashes Test series between Australia and England is expected to be interest packed with no quarter asked or given.

England who have had a good run in recent times under the leadership of Michael Vaughan are confident that this is their best chance to pluck the Ashes urn from the Aussies after over a decade.

England are mad that they have been unable to beat the Aussies in Tests and would try every trick to try and unsettle the awesome Aussies. As a first step to destabilising the kangaroos, the Marylebone Cricket Club, cricket's lawmakers are attempting to ban Aussie captain Ricky Ponting's bat.

England think that Ponting's bat which carries a thin strip of carbon graphite gives him an unfair advantage for power.

The International Cricket Council has been sounded and a decision on this would be made at the meeting in Dubai. Kookaburra, manufacturers of the bat have rubbished the MCC allegation saying that the carbon reinforces the strength of the blade, but also protects the blade and does not provide any undue advantage.

Obviously England are upset that they would not be able to curtail the free and heavy scoring of the Aussie captain, and so have thought this up to unsettle the skipper.

We hope the ICC who are struggling for consistency would not rule unwisely on this very vital matter.