l ST JOHN'S

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has saluted legendary batsman, former captain and world record holder Brian Lara on being inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame.

During the gala ICC Awards event at the Water's Edge in Sri Lanka, on Saturday evening, Lara formally joined 15 other West Indian legends in cricket's elite Hall of Fame.

In a message on behalf of the Board of Directors of the WICB, President Dr. Julian Hunte praised Lara for his immense contribution to the game of cricket as a player, captain and ambassador for West Indies and Trinidad and Tobago.

"Brian Lara is, unquestionably, one of the all-time greats of this glorious game and on behalf of all Caribbean people and cricket lovers I want to congratulate him on this tremendous and fitting honour. He brought joy to the hearts of West Indians with his super-human performances with the bat.

"That there is no consensus on which of his innings is his finest is a testimony to his wide array of memorable and historic performances," Dr. Hunte observed.

"We can recall numerous individual performances, including two world records and countless match-winning innings including the much celebrated 153 at the Kensington Oval and 277 in Sydney, but we must note that Lara led the West Indies team to our only global title since our double World Cup triumphs in the 1970s when he raised the ICC Champions Trophy at the Oval in 2004."

Dr Hunte also noted Lara's captaincy of the West Indies in 2003 when the regional team prevailed over Australia at the Antigua Recreation Ground to set the record for the highest fourth innings run chase in Test cricket.

"We join all others across the world as we salute this outstanding ambassador and Caribbean citizen on his due elevation to the ICC Hall of Fame," Dr Hunte said.

During his 17-year international career, Lara featured in 131 Tests and 299 ODIs. He scored 11,953 Test runs at an average of 52.88.

Lara scored 34 Test centuries and 48 fifties. He twice broke the world record for the highest individual Test score. First, he toppled fellow West Indian and Lara's own mentor, Sir Garfield Sobers' then 36-year-old record in 1994 when he made 375 at the Antigua Recreation Ground (ARG). And then, ten years later, Lara returned to the ARG to reclaim the record with an imperious 400 not out against England, which remains as the world record.

In the 299 ODIs that Lara played, he scored 10,405 runs at an average of 40.48, including 19 centuries and 63 half-centuries.

Dr Hunte also thanked the ICC for recognising, at the earliest available opportunity, Lara's unmatched accomplishments in cricket, and according him the most suitable induction.