Did Lara sacrifice a possible win to score 400?

[hawkeye]

Should Lara have declared earlier ten years ago when he regained the record to give his side a better chance of winning the game? Did he chase the record at the expense of his team?

On the third morning, the West Indies resumed on 595/5, Lara 313*. The 87 runs that took him to his milestone ate up a further 156 deliveries, a reasonable rate of scoring under normal circumstances, but inadequate when racing against time to set a big total on a flat pitch. Lara's scoring rate appears to indicate that his priority was regaining the record rather than giving his side the best chance of winning the Test.

Now, there are some who argue that the record was more important and likely more enduring than a Test win. There may be some merit to that view, but a captain's duty has to be to seek after the best interest of his team; self-indulgence should normally have no part in the team ethos, particularly if it comes from the captain. Overcoming England should have been Lara's first consideration, especially since England had won the first three games of the four-Test series.

Did Lara Put Himself Ahead Of His Team To Score 40mm

 

[PokerAce]

A Place in history or 'a best chance of winning' a test match in a series that no one remembers. Not really a tough one that.


Oddly enough whatever little we remember of that test match is because of Lara's 400*.

So by not making 400* the only thing that made that test memorable, Lara would have made a meaningless series, even more meaningless. What is more important, a knock they will talk about till the end of cricket, or a win in a match that will be forgetten in ... oops already forgotten.

 

[Master Khan]

I would have want for the 400 as well.
people are still talking about that 400* and its in the records.
just winning a test is good but not as good as breaking a world record.
I still think Michael Clark should have just want for the record when he was on 329*...idiot.
he will not get that chance again.

 

[hawkeye]

Reasonable point. But as a matter of principle I think the captain should put team goals first.

 

[NoLeName]

Reasonable point. But as a matter of principle I think the captain should put team goals first.

Exactly. What kind of example is the captain setting if even he values himself over the team? While Lara was a great player I definitely disagree with this decision and the reasons behind it.

 

[surendar]

If you are in a team which is winning once in a blue moon with internal team issues & high inconsistency, I would prefer Lara to go chasing his personal milestone which has been evidently being remembered & spoken about even until date.

Say, if WI had won that match without Lara scoring that 400 who cares or what would have improved? Would have WI gone to number 1 now? No, not at all. These kind of touching sky milestones obviously adds pride to the country, so I don't see it as putting himself above the team.

If you stay selfish for getting a century or a 50, then that is horrible sports personality. But if he is chasing the cloud in the sky to touch magical figures of 400 - that definitely is a national pride & not selfishness for his record. There is huge difference & exceptions.

 

[westindies2007]

Lara 400 Runs. hmmm. too much hatred for this record. was Lara really selfish?
Number 1 : West Indies already Lost the Series 3-0
Number 2: West Indies Bowlers, bowled 236 Overs.
Number 3: England made 285 allout in the first inning with a Follow on(99overs).
Number 4: WI bowlers had 4 Session to bowl England out before 466 Runs.

Some stats off the game
day 3 - England 1st innings 171/5 (A Flintoff 37*, GO Jones 32*, 58 ov)
day 4 - England 2nd innings 145/0 (ME Trescothick 74*, MP Vaughan 61*, 48 ov)
day 5 - England 2nd innings 422/5 (137 ov) - end of match

Now lets Say for the Best of the Team, Lara decided to Declare.
When he made the triple Century on Day 2 before stump say around 600. Since by
Lunch on day 3 Lara was just inches away from 400. he was 390 by lunch.

SO he declare with WI on 600 and a few.
England 3 days to Bat. lets say they were Bowled out the same way 285 allout which,
Eng had about 315 more to get it. with more than 4 Session to go. ENG got
bowl out on the 3rd day Stump. 6 Session to go 2 more Days. England could of put on
a decent Score of maybe 150 Runs or so. like that 422 they made in the 2nd inning
and added a few more run to it. The Way WI batted that series. Who know IT could
of been a 4-0 Whitewash.
WI 2nd inning scores in the series. 47 allout, 209 allout, 94 allout.

Lara May not be a Great Captain, but one thing for sure . he made that 400 for WI,
giving the fans something to cheer about after a Terrible Series.

 

[MUFC1987]

Lara also did the world a favour by taking that record off Matt Hayden and his annihilation of Zimbabwe.

 

[grkrama]

Reasonable point. But as a matter of principle I think the captain should put team goals first.

Remember this was a WI team in downhill not just as a team, if that innings did anything it reminded them of their past glory day and how good their players can be, also a motivational milestone for the country were cricket was loosing momentum.
That 400 would have meant a lot more to the people than a simple win.He did it not for himself but for team and fans.

If this was crunch match he would have decl but they had to try to gain something more out of that otherwise forgettable series.

 

[asprin]

I take Lara's side on this one. Yes, it wasn't the best thing to do but given how little the West Indian fans during that time have had a reason to cheer about, this gave them an opportunity to celebrate something remarkable.

 

[ParkedTheBus]

Please do remember that the series was already lost. They lost the first 3 matches. The fourth match was the one in which he scored 400*. Even if they had won , it would have been meaningless. And you can not trust the toothless Windies attack to bowl out England. On the other hand , Lara had a shot at glory , a shot at greatness. If Windies had won the match , it would have been yet another dead rubber , but due to his innings , it is one of the most famous matches. So , IMHO , the decision to go for the score was justified

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Lara also did the world a favour by taking that record off Matt Hayden and his annihilation of Zimbabwe.

I can see a butthurt Pom there

 

[MUFC1987]

I can see a butthurt Pom there

Because I think that the record for highest Test score should be against a proper Test side, rather than one making up the numbers on a purposefully flat track especially for the occasion?

 

[cricket_icon]

Always...ALWAYS go for the win, all great captains do, Imran Khan did it, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting did it. It's what defines a captain, the baility to put the team above all else.

the record was great but I have always found it to be extremely selfish.

 

[MattW]

Every cricketer should walk off at 333.

 

[ethybubs]

Every cricketer should walk off at 333.

You have genuinely brought a tear to my eye.