Glenn McGrath may have taken Brian Lara’s wicket 14 times in Tests but the Australian pace spearhead is deeply respectful of the West Indian batting superstar.
McGrath’s success with the champion left-hander from Trinidad is almost double that of the next most successful bowler against Lara.
McGrath usually nominates his batting ”bunny” in the opposing team but he chose his words carefully on Tuesday before the second Test starting at Bellerive Oval here on Thursday.
McGrath said earlier this season he never felt on top of the Caribbean run-scoring machine.
”I think he is different now, he seems a little bit different to when I first played. I think there is more a mental aspect when I am bowling to him these days,” McGrath told reporters.
”But once he gets set, he is still a great striker of the ball and can score very quickly, so I think a lot of times I have knocked him over, I have knocked him over quite cheaply.
”If I get him out early, then great, if not he sometimes goes on to make a great score.”
Lara (10 903 runs) needs 25 runs to overtake Australian Steve Waugh (10 927), the second all-time leading run scorer in Tests behind Allan Border’s (11 174).
”The Prince” has been a flop this Australian summer, scoring 5, 36, 30 and 14 in the Test arena for the World XI and the West Indies.
However it has been his determination to occupy the crease that has the Australians cautious of Lara, the world record holder for the highest score in Test history.
”I think on his day he still can be [as good as ever], it depends on how he is going, how much he wants it, and how things go out in the middle, he is still a dangerous batsman,” McGrath said.
Lara’s Test record in Australia is 1 168 runs at 37,68, well below his career average of 53,45.
West Indian opener Wavell Hinds, an outside chance of playing in Hobart after damaging a finger earlier in the tour, felt Lara was ready to produce a big innings.
The tourists are trying to save face following a humiliating 379-run loss in Brisbane.
”Brian has been batting pretty well in the nets and is hitting them well, but he just needs some time at the wicket as he tried to do in the first Test,” Hinds said.
”It did not come off, but I back him to come out and pull off a very good performance.
”Brian is obviously the best batsman in the world. He is a great motivator in terms of scoring runs and setting a platform for our team to follow.” – AFP
