Why Brian Lara's 153 not out against Australia in 1999 is the greatest test innings ever played

#5. Lara played the innings of the lifetime

Lara after scoring the winning runs

All eyes were on Lara when the play resumed on the fifth day with a good weather forecast and enough time for a result. However, the Australian fast bowlers were bowling fiery spells, and Gillespie removed both Griffith and Hooper within first half an hour. West Indies were 105 for five when Jimmy Adams joined Lara.

Realizing that there wasn’t much batting left after this pair, Lara decided to become more aggressive and take some chances. He scored three fours of Stuart MacGill’s first over, two over deep mid-wicket using his feet and one played an elegant sweep. That gave momentum to Lara’s innings.

Meantime, Adams played smartly by not trying to be too flamboyant and just trying to hang around and giving the strikes to Lara. It was a treat to watch Lara play from the other end. With Adams playing second fiddle to him, Lara kept playing shots. He pulled Warne over mid-wicket for a huge six to bring up his fifty.

He then late cut Warne’s massive turner for another four. Lara kept using his feet to the spinners playing some delightful shots. His square cut and cover drives were just breathtaking. With fielders placed in mid-wicket and deep square leg, he pulled Steve Waugh towards mid-on.

McGrath hit Lara on the helmet with his bouncer, and the two had eye to eye and shoulder to shoulder moment. McGrath bowled another bouncer, but Lara was equal to the task and pulled him over midwicket for four. The crowd absolutely loved that. He then cover-drove Gillespie for glorious four and again punched him off the back foot for another four. Lara brought up his century with a superb hit over mid-on off Warne.

Adams meanwhile chipped in with few boundaries of his own and was playing a grinding innings. Just when West Indies looked in control of the match with the score at 238 for five, McGrath bowled Adams for 38 made just under three hours stay at the crease. From 238 for five, West Indies in no time slipped to 248 for eight. West Indies still needed 60 more runs to win the match.

With Ambrose at the other end and Walsh to follow, Lara knew he had to do the bulk of scoring if they were to win the match. Accordingly, Lara played aggressively while Ambrose held the other end. Lara pulled McGrath, swept and cover drove Warne and took the score to 302. That’s when Gillespie removed Ambrose of a third ball of the over for hard fought 12 runs in a vital partnership of 54 runs with Lara. The last man came in. Courtney Walsh, who held the record for most number of ducks in test cricket.

Three results were possible at that stage. One wicket meant Australian victory, five runs for a tied match and six runs for West Indian victory. Three balls to go in the over. Walsh was facing Gillespie who was pumped up. The first ball was a no ball. Five more runs for victory. Walsh defended next three balls, awkwardly all right. However, that brought Lara in the strike to face the next over.

McGrath to bowl the over. Lara edged the first ball for two runs. Next three balls were dot balls, and McGrath was trying to keep Lara on that end so was bowling wide bouncers. He, in the process, conceded a wide. Two more runs were needed for a win. Lara managed to hook McGrath’s fifth ball but could only manage a single. Scores were level. Walsh to face the most important ball of his life. Everybody was on the edge the seat. McGrath bowled just wide of the off stump, and Walsh let it go. The crowd erupted on their feet.

The first ball of the Gillespie’s next over, Lara thumped through the offside for a boundary. What a victory! What a fitting end to the match and who better to hit the winning runs than the man himself, Brian Charles Lara. West Indians having been humiliated in the first test of the series, were now leading the series. The shot also brought Lara's 150. The crowd went mad and entered the cricket field. Lara was over the moon. Australians were understandably left disappointed.

What an incredible innings was played by Lara! Since he arrived at the crease, 233 runs were scored, and Lara alone scored 153 of them. Monumental effort indeed! He managed to win the match with the lower order. It was not a chance-less innings as Healy dropped him once of a tough chance, but it was an innings of the highest class.