West Indies cricket captain Brian Lara, who made 178 not out against South Africa on Sunday, said he was inspired by the exploits of Indian batsman Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman in Adelaide earlier in the day.
Lara led a rousing fightback on the third day of the first Test at the Wanderers as the West Indies moved to 363 for six at stumps, 198 runs behind South Africa’s first-innings tally of 561.
In making his first century against South Africa, Lara blasted 28 off a single Robin Peterson over to break New Zealander Craig McMillan’s world record for the most runs scored off a Test over.
Lara took full advantage of Graeme Smith’s decision to bring in the field, striking four, six, six, four, four and four the second-last over of the day.
”I was watching cricket from six o’clock this morning,” said Lara. ”The way [Rahul] Dravid and [VVS] Laxman batted was very inspiring.
”It gave me the impetus I needed to take on the second-best team in the world.
”Like India, we were also replying to a big score of over 500. I used their strength in today’s performances. We are the underdogs in this series and we needed it.”
Dravid ended the day in Australia on 199 not out after he had shared in a 305-run partnership with Laxman for the fifth wicket. Laxman was eventually dismissed for 148.
The South Africans, though, will be ruing two dropped catches — one when the left-handed Lara was on 15 and the other when he was on 62.
Despite toiling so unsuccessfully with the ball, South African coach Eric Simons is confident that a result can still be achieved.
”It was a hard day,” admitted Simons. ”On other days if we had bowled like that we would have had a little more reward.
”But I still think there can be a result. Anything can happen. If we get them out for another 20 runs tomorrow [Monday] and we bat for a session and a half, we can put them in again.
”There’s still a lot of cricket to be played.” — Sapa