Bacher rates Lara as `one of the greatest players of all-time’
By Keith Holder
Guyana Chronicle
May 4, 2007
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Former South Africa captain Dr Ali Bacher has described recently retired West Indies skipper and star batsman Brian Lara as “one of the greatest players of all-time”.
“He is one of the greatest players of all-time. There can be no question about it,” Bacher told CMC CricketPlus.
“I saw him get 190-odd against South Africa in a Test match in Trinidad the last time we toured here (in 2005) and I have never seen batting like that. I mean he is just sheer genius and the world will record and acknowledge that he surely one of the greatest batsmen of all-time.”
Lara, who celebrated his 38th birthday on Wednesday, retired from international cricket on April 21 after West Indies’ last match in the Super Eight of the World Cup against England at Kensington Oval here.
The Trinidadian left-hander boasts the highest Test runs aggregate (11 953) at an average of 52.88 in 131 matches. He hit 34 centuries including a world record 400 not out.
In 299 One-day Internationals, Lara amassed 10 405 runs (average 40.48) with 19 centuries. He also holds the word record for the highest first-class score (501 not out).
Bacher reckoned Lara had made the right decision in retiring at this time although indicating a few weeks earlier that he wanted to prolong his Test career until the age of 40.
“I think you must get off at the top. I think he knows his own ability at this point in his life and I think he has made the correct decision.
Get off when the game is reasonably good and he left fond memories of his career and certainly the world of cricket has had so many hours and hours of wonderful enjoyment from him. Those memories people from around the world will treasure,” Bacher said.
Bacher, who captained South Africa in the 1960s during their apartheid era, said world cricket needed a very strong West Indies team despite its disappointing showing in the Test arena for the last decade.
“I am sure I give the views of almost all the people in the Caribbean that the team hasn’t done well for some time. What the reasons are I cannot tell you but world cricket needs a very strong West Indies team.
“They have a different approach, a different style which is fantastic. It has given so much enjoyment to spectators around the world of cricket and we hope they come through under a new captain and become once again a major force in world cricket because world cricket needs a strong West Indies team,” Bacher said.