On This Day In 2004: Brian Lara Scales Mount, Scores 400 In A Test Match

“Here it is! Perhaps the most significant single in the history of Test match cricket. Brian Charles Lara becomes the first man in the history of the game to register a score of 400” An elated Late Bob Willis said on commentary as the charismatic Brian Lara once again etched himself in the history books and reclaim his record, months after having lost it to Australia’s Matthew Hayden, before scaling Mount.400 in front of a vociferous Antigua crowd, on this day in 2004.

There is something about Brian Lara and adversity. Every time questions started to get raised on his personal form, the Prince of Trinidad & Tobago made it a point to respond with absolute disdain. He did that in 1999 against Australia where he followed his double hundred with an unforgettable 153* at Barbados to help West Indies pull off one of the greatest Test wins of all times.

He did that then. And he did it again, five years later in the fourth Test against England. Lara was amidst one of his worst returns in a home Test series. He had managed just 100 runs across the first three Tests as the home side fell to a series defeat against Michael Vaughan’s England.

Also Read: On This Day in 2000: The Beginning Of The End For Hansie Cronje

Coming into the fourth Test, questions had begun galore around Brian Lara’s form

And, with the home side staring at a humiliating series whitewash, someone had to give. West Indies won the toss in Antigua and on the back of a some whirlwind strokes from Chris Gayle got off to a breezy start before the Prince took center stage. By the end of Day 01, Lara had taken West Indies to 2-208. Resuming on 86 on the second day, Lara shellacked the English bowlers to the tune of a triple hundred as the Windies finished at 5-595.

The moment that everyone had been waiting for came on the third day when Lara swept Gareth Batty past fine-leg to once again reclaim his record of being the highest individual run-getter in Test match cricket. And, he did that on the very same ground and against the same opposition, against whom he had broken Sir Gary Sobers record in 1994.

But, Lara wasn’t satisfied with that. He wanted to scale Mount. 400. And, once again it was Gareth Batty, who was at the receiving end as Lara swept him again for a single, to send everyone present in the stadium and millions of fans watching at home in a frenzy.

That said, West Indies were not able to enforce a win as England, after having been bowled out for 285 in their first innings, managed to escape with a draw, finishing with 5-422 in their second essay.

Also Read: On This Day in 1995, When Sachin Tendulkar Batted Like A Ferrari En-route To His 4th ODI Ton

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