Tony Becca, Senior Sport Editor
THE SECOND Test between the West Indies and Australia was highlighted by some wonderful individual performances.
Years from now, cricket fans, and particularly those who were present at Queen's Park Oval, will still be talking about the batting of Ricky Ponting and Daren Ganga and the bowling of Brett Lee.
In ticking off his maiden double century, Ponting was brilliant - no question about that; in scoring his second century in a row, Ganga was good; and in swinging the ball and delivering it with such accuracy while bowling at a fast and furious pace, Lee was awesome.
For many reasons, however, the performances that will probably linger forever in the minds of the fans were those by Brian Lara who scored 91 in the first innings as the West Indies, on the run at 25 for two, tried to save the game; and 122 in the second as the West Indies, chasing a massive, unprecedented 407 to win in four sessions and falling at 12 for two, attempted to win it.
In an illustrious career, Lara has played some of the game's most memorable innings - including his world record 375 against England in St. John's in 1994.
However, with the exception of his 277 run out against Australia in Sydney in 1992-93, his 221 and 130 against Sri Lanka in Colombo in 2001, and probably his 145 against England in Manchester in 1995, not many can compare with his Port of Spain epic.
It was an innings to remember, not, obviously, because of the runs scored but because of the circumstances and the conditions in which they were scored.
Great men, it is said, do great things when great things are needed and Lara went pretty close to producing two great innings when his team was in trouble, in both innings, and particularly in the second innings when the conditions were heavily in favour of the bowlers.
A flambouyant batsman, on his day the most exciting in the world, Lara adjusted his play and in so doing led the West Indies fight to save the follow-on in the first innings and the attempt at victory in the second.
It was a perfect lesson of how to bat on a pitch favouring spin - a pitch on which Stuart MacGill and Brad Hogg got the ball to spin appreciably, a pitch on which the bounce of the ball was unpredictable.
Unlike the less gifted, less experienced batsmen around him who carelessly went for their shots and paid the price, Lara blocked the good deliveries, pounced on anything off target, hardly ever missed those he wanted to hit, and in the process flayed the Aussie spinners.
In terms of brilliant stroke play, it was not Lara at his best. One of the hallmarks of a great batsman, however, is his ability to perform despite the circumstances, the conditions and the quality of the bowling.
Although it did not save the West Indies, Lara undoubtedly demonstrated that ability at Queen's Park Oval.
They were two master performances - two innings of class by a batsman of class.
