On this day – Brian Lara announces his arrival with a double ton in Sydney

West Indies toured Australia in 1992-93 for a 5-match Test series but were 0-1 down after the first two Tests. The 3rd Test was hosted by Sydney cricket ground where the spotlight was on Brian Lara who scored fifties in the first innings of the first two games. Lara was making a comeback into the Test team as he made his debut in the last match of the 1990 tour of Pakistan but did not feature even once in 1991.

He returned to the XI for the one-off Test against South Africa in 1992 at home. Lara scored a crucial 64 in the second innings thus securing his place in the West Indies playing XI.

Sydney seemed to have perfect batting conditions as the Aussies posted 503/9 while batting first. Lara walked out to bat on the 3rd day morning with the score of 31/2 and joined his captain Richie Richardson. The duo went unbeaten to stumps having added 217 runs for the 3rd wicket. Lara was more aggressive than Richardson as he ended up with 121 registering his maiden century in Test cricket.

Continuing the boundary flow, Lara raced to a double century. He added 124 runs for the 4th wicket with Keith Arthurton whose contribution was only 47 runs. The southpaw moved to 277 where he got runout putting an end to his 474-minute stay having faced 372 balls and struck 38 fours. West Indies, who ended the 4th day with 488/5 shortly after Lara’s dismissal, finished with 606 as the match ended in a draw.

Lara was adjudged as player of the match for his brilliant double hundred. The 277 runs scored by Lara accounts for the 5th highest maiden century in Test cricket. His 277-run knock is also the highest individual score in Test cricket which ended via runout till date. As on today, Lara’s innings is also the 3rd highest individual score by a visiting player on Australian soil and the highest ever Test score for West Indies against the Aussies.