Brain Lara .          

BRAIN CHARLS LARA  was born 2 May 1969  in Cantaro, Santa Cruz, Trinidad, West Indies.who is a forrmer west indian cricket player . lara has several times topped the test batting rankings & he is the current world record holder for the highest individual innings  score

          .Having started playing cricket at the age of six, it is no surprise that the Prince of Port-of-Spain would become one of the greatest batsmen of all time.

Brain Charles Lara thrilled the world with his expansive left handed batting and scored runs with ease and grace. His batting stance was almost as good to look at as his stroke play: he would have his bat raised high in the air while he positioned his weight onto his bent front knee, while his eyes remained focused and level at all times.

              1987 was a breakthrough year for Lara, when in the West Indies Youth Championships he scored 498 runs breaking the record of 480 by cal hooper set the previous year. He captained the tournament-winning Trinidad and Tobago, who profited from a match-winning 116 from Lara.In January 1988, Lara made his first-class debut for trinidad tema against leewards islands  In his second first-class match he made 92 against a good attack  Later in the same year, he captained the West Indies team in Australia for the Bicentennial Youth World Cup where the West Indies reached the semi-finals. Later that year, his innings of 182 as captain of the West Indies under 23 XI against the touring Indian team further elevated his reputation.

In 1990, at the age of 20, Lara became Trinidad and Tobago's youngest-ever captain,  in 1990 that he made his belated Test debut for West Indies against pakistan scoring 44 and 5. He had made his ODI debut a month earlier against Pakistan, scoring 11.In January 1993, Lara scored 277 versus Australia in Sydney. This, his maiden Test century in his fifth Test, was the turning point of the series as West Indies won the final two Tests to win the series 2–1. Lara went on to name his daughter Sydney after scoring 277 at SCG.his record braking inngns was a brilliant one againts the england team 400 not out .

Batting and fielding averages

	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	4s	6s	Ct	St
Tests	131	232	6	11953	400*	52.88	19753	60.51	34	48	1559	88	164	0
ODIs	299	289	32	10405	169	40.48	13086	79.51	19	63			120	0
First-class	261	440	13	22156	501*	51.88			65	88			320	0
List A	429	411	43	14602	169	39.67			27	86			177	0
Twenty20	3	3	0	99	65	33.00	86	115.11	0	1	11	1	0	0

               

On 26 April 2006 Lara was reappointed the captain of the West Indies cricket team for the third time. This followed the resignation of Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who had been captain for thirteen months – in which the West Indies won just one of the 14 Test matches they had competed. In May 2006, Lara led the West Indies to successful One-Day series victories against Zimbabwe and India. Lara's team played Australia in the finals of the DLF Cup and the ICC Champions Trophy where they finished runners up in both finals.On 16 December 2006 he became the first player for the West Indies to pass 10,000 One Day International runsLara played his final international game on 21 April 2007 in ar World Cup game against England. He was run out for 18 after a mix up with Marlon Samuels; England won the game by 1 wicket. Before the end of this World Cup Glenn magrath stated that Lara is the greatest batsman that he has ever bowled to..

He announced before the 2007 Cricket World Cup that this would be his last appearance in One Day Internationals. After his last match, in the post-game presentation interview, he asked the fans, "Did I entertain?", to which he received a resounding cheer from the crowd, after which he went out and took his 'lap of honour' where he met and shook hands with many of the fans. Lara stated this would be his last appearance in international cricket, he has also indicated his interest in retaining some involvement in the sport..

         

                     

                         Muttiah Muralitharan.

Muralidaran; born 17 April 1972 .Muralitharan was born in kandy, the eldest of the four sons to Sinnasamy Muttiah and Lakshmi. Muralitharan's father Sinnasamy Muttiah, runs a successful biscuit-making business.He began his cricketing career as a medium pace bowler but on the advice of his school coach, Sunil Fernando, he took up off-spin when he was fourteen years old. He soon impressed and went on to play for four years in the school First XI. In those days he played as an all-rounder and batted in the middle order. In his final two seasons at St Anthony's College he took over one hundred wickets and in 1990/1 was named as the 'Bata Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year.

he played Tamil Union Cricket and Asthetic club and was also selected for the Sri Lanka A, e played in five games but failed to capture a single wicket. On his return to Sri Lanka he impressed against Allan Border’s Australian team in a practice game and then went to make his Test debut at R. Premadasa stadium in the second Test Match of the series. In Domestic cricket, Muralitharan has played for two first class Sri Lankan sides, “Tamil Union cricket and Athletic club” in the Premier Trophy and central province in the provincial championship. His record has been exceptional taking 234 wickets at 14.51runs in 46matches.Murali has also played county cricket in England mainly for a Lancashire (from 1999 to 2007) and for Kent during 2003. Murali played his first match against India at the Khettrama stadium and took 1 for 38 off his ten overs. Praveen Amre was his first ODI wicket.

He played many ODI’s for Sri Lanka and could capture 534 wickets in 350 ODI matches. Muralitharan is the first wrist spinning off spinner in the history of the game. He bowls marathon spells, yet it forever on the attack. ~ Murali has played in 4 cricket world cup tournaments in 1996, 1999, 2003 2007 and 2011
On October 27, 2000 in Sharjah Murali captured 7 for 30 against India, which were then the best bowling figures in ODI’s.Murali played his first Test match against Australia in 1992 at the age of 20. In his first match he claimed 3 wickets and giving away 141runs. His first Test wicket was Craig Mc Dermott. During his first test, there was one dismissal which convinced many of Muralitharan’s special Powers. Tom Moody’s leg stump was dislodged when he shouldered arms to a delivery that pitched at least two feet outside the off stump. The youthful Muralitharan went from strength to strength, playing a major part in Sri Lanka’s back to back Test victories against England and New Zealand in 1992-93season.

It was in New Zealand in March 1995 that Muralitharan displayed his qualities as a match winner on any surface. He took 19 wickets in the series and delivering a historic 2-1 victory, the off spinner silenced the doubters.

During the second Test between Sri Lanka and Australia at MCG on Boxing Day 1995, Australian umpire Darrell Hair called Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan for throwing in front of crowd 55,239. The off spinner was no-balled seven times in 3 overs by Hair, who believed at then 23 year old was bending his arm and straightening it in the process of delivery an illegal action in cricket. In January 1998, Muralitharan took his first ten wicket haul against Zimbabwe in the first Test at Kandy; in that match Murali had figures of 12 for 117 which were won by his team. In the same year, he produced his career best test match figures of 16 for 220 against England. Murali became the fastest to reach the 400 wicket landmark when he bowled Olongo in the third test in Galle againstZimbabwe.In August that same year Muralitharan produces his career-best test match figures of 16 for 220, in the one-off test against England. In England's second innings Muralitharan bowled a marathon 54.2 overs to pick up 9 for 65 runs the other wicket being a run out. Sri Lanka won by ten wickets, their first Test victory in England. After breaking the world record for the most test wickets in 2007, Muralitharan commented that his 1998 performance at the Oval against England, was his career highlight. He stated "Everyone thought I was a good bowler then and I didn't look back from there.

         In July 2007, Muttiah Muralitharan became the second bowler after Australia's Shane Warne to capture 700 Test wickets.Muralitharan reclaimed the record for most Test wickets during the first Test against England at kandy on 3 December 2007. The spinner bowled England's paul collingnwood to claim his 709th Test victim and overtaking shane warne in the process. Muralitharan reached the mark in his 116th Test – 29 fewer than Warne – and had conceded only 21.77 runs per wicket compared to the Australian's 25.41. This was Muralitharan's 61st 5-wicket haul. Warne believed that Muralitharan would take "1,000 wickets" before he retired. Former record holder cournty walsh also opined that this would be possible if Muralitharan retained his hunger for wickets. Muralitharan himself believed there was a possibility that he would reach this milestone

Muralitharan was on the winning side on 54 of the 133 test matches he played. In those games he captured a total of 438 wickets (8.1 wickets per match), at an outstanding average of 16.18 per wicket and a strike rate of Muralitharan took 800 wickets for his country Sri Lanka in 133 tests. he is retired after 2011 world cup ..

       Bowling averages

	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10
Tests	133	230	44039	18180	800	9/51	16/220	22.72	2.47	55.0	45	67	22
ODIs	350	341	18811	12326	534	7/30	7/30	23.08	3.93	35.2	15	10	0
T20Is	12	12	282	297	13	3/29	3/29	22.84	6.31	21.6	0	0	0
First-class	232		66933	26997	1374	9/51		19.64	2.42	48.7		119	34
List A	453		23734+	15270	682	7/30	7/30	22.39	3.85*	35.1*	17	12	0
Twenty20	159	159	3609	3821	176	4/16	4/16	21.71	6.35	20.5	3	0	0

        Batting and fielding averages

	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	4s	6s	Ct	St
Tests	133	164	56	1261	67	11.67	1794	70.28	0	1	146	29	72	0
ODIs	350	162	63	674	33*	6.80	869	77.56	0	0	50	12	130	0
T20Is	12	2	0	1	1	0.50	5	20.00	0	0	0	0	1	0
First-class	232	276	83	2192	67	11.35			0	1			123	0
List A	453	205	76	945	33*	7.32			0	0			159	0
Twenty20	159	38	14	81	11	3.37	110	73.63	0	0	3	2	31	0

                                   WASIM AKRAM 

Wasim Akram  is a former Pakistani cricketer. . he was born on 3 June 1966. He was a left-arm fast bowler and left-handed batsman, who represented the Pakistani cricket team in Tests and One-Day Internationals. He is widely regarded as one of the finest fast bowlers ever He was educated at Government Islamia College Civil Lines Lahore, where he played as an opening bowler and batsman.Wasim signed for Lancashire in 1988 and went on to become one of their most successful overseas players. From 1988 to 1998, he spearheaded their attack in their NatWest Trophy, Benson & Hedges Cup and Sunday League winning sides. He was a favourite of the local fans who used to sing a song called "Wasim for England" at Lancashire's matches.

         Wasim made his Test debut for Pakistani cricket team against New Zealand in early 1985 and in only his second Test he made his presence felt with a ten-wicket haul. Like a few other Pakistani cricketers of his time, he was identified at club level and bypassed first-class domestic competition, entering international cricket directly. A few weeks prior to his selection into the Pakistani team, he was an unknown club cricketer who had failed to even make it to his college team. He was spotted by Javed Miandad, and as a result of his insisting was it that Wasim was given an oppurtunity to play for Pakistan. Later that season he paired with Imran, who became his mentor, at the World Championship of Cricket in Australia.Wasim's rise in international cricket was rapid during the initial years. When Pakistan toured the West Indies in 1988, he looked to be the quickest bowler between the two sides. However, a serious groin injury impeded his career in the late 1980s. Following two surgeries, he re-emerged in 1990 as a bowler who focused more on swing and control than speed.

         Wasim was instrumental in Pakistan's famous World Cup victory in 1992 in Australia. In the final against England his late flurry of an innings, 33 off 19 balls, pushed Pakistan to a respectable 249 for 6. Wasim then took the all-important wicket of Ian Botham early on, and when brought back into the attack later on, with the ball reverse swinging, he produced a devastating spell which led to Allan Lamb and Chris Lewis being clean-bowled in successive deliveries. His excellent performances earned him the Man of the Match award for the final.  He was Pakistan's top bowler in the 2003 World Cup taking 19 wickets in 7 matches. However, Pakistan failed to reach the "Super Six" phase of the tournament, and Wasim was one of the eight players to be sacked by the Pakistan Cricket Board as a result.

   Wasim was also skilled with the bat and was regarded as a bowling all-rounder. He was especially effective against spinners. However, he liked to slog and was criticised for his lack of big scores and giving away his wicket too cheaply for a player of his talent. He did silence his critics in October 1996 when he scored 257, not out, of the team's total of 553 against Zimbabwe at Sheikhupura. He also made good scores in difficult times for the Pakistan team such as his 123 against Australia and his 45 not-out to take Pakistan to victory in a low-scoring match. Pakistan, needing six runs in two balls two win the Nehru Cup saw Wasim come out to bat. The first ball he faced was hit out of the ground and secured the cup. Ahmed Bilal was his coach who gave him tricks on reverse swing

Batting stats   M Inn Runs HS Avg SR NO 100 50 4s 6s Tests 104 147 2898 257 22.64 53.78 19 3 7 324 57 ODI 356 280 3717 86 16.52 88.33 55 0 6 247 121

Bowling stats

M

Inn

B

Runs

Wkts

BBI

BBM

Econ

Avg

SR

5W

10W

Tests	104	181	22627	9779	414	119 / 7	110 / 11	2.59	23.62	54.65	25	5
ODI	356	351	18186	11812	502	15 / 5	15 / 5	3.9	23.53	36.23	6	0