Lara Set to Smash Viv's Record

Whenever Brian Lara is backed into a wall, the response is usually swift and emphatic.

Smarting from criticism over his captaincy -- and careless dismissal -- in the first Test, the West Indies captain collared the Zimbabwe bowlers on the opening day of the second Test at Bulawayo, lashing an unbeaten 77 that puts him on the brink of obliterating the record for the most Test runs by a West Indian batsman.

When rain and bad light chased the players off for good on day one, Lara had pushed his career tally to 8,511 runs, just 29 short of Viv Richards' 8,540. Lara has appeared in only 97 Tests compared with 121 for Richards, who is widely regarded as the greatest West Indian batsman ever.

He is just 31 runs short of reaching 1,000 runs in a calendar year for the third time, the only West Indian to do it on multiple occasions. Viv Richards, Gordon Greenidge, Gary Sobers and Shiv Chanderpaul all reached 1,000 in a calendar year once.

Lara did it twice before -- 1,222 in 1995 (avg. 67.89) and 1,151 in 2001 (avg. 63.94).

In 2003, Lara has so far scored 969 runs at an average of 64.60.

The Trinidadian batting maestro stepped to the wicket with the West Indies on 146-2 at the fall of Daren Ganga's wicket and immediately took control. He helped himself to nine boundaries in his 93-ball stay.

Earlier, opening batsman Wavell Hinds also took the attack to the ragged Zimbabwe bowlers, smacking two sixes and 12 fours in a knock of 81 before he lost his head -- and his wicket.

Hinds, after doing all the hard work to get to within 19 of his second overseas Test century, waltzed down the wicket to swipe at a delivery from Price and was easily stumped. It was an inexplicable dismissal, coming on the heels of similar foolishness in the first Test.

Ganga, who badly needs to prove he can be consistent at the Test level, again threw away his wicket to a ridiculous shot. After looking good for 23, he slog-sweeped at a ball pitched outside the off-stump and top edged it high down Matsikenyeri's throat at backward-square.

Chris Gayle also showed a welcome return to form with 47, studded with nine fours.

All that was before Lara's gem and a solid supporting knock of 46 not out by vice captain Ramnaresh Sarwan, who overcame a scratchy start to pick up eight boundaries -- mostly exquisite cuts between point and third man.

Raymond Price, the hero of the first Test with a 10-wicket haul, picked up two expensive wickets for Zimbabwe (2-108 from 23 overs).

West Indies won the toss and decided to bat. Pacer Merv Dillon and off-spinner Omari Banks cracked into the final eleven. Vasbert Drakes was left out from the twelve selected for this match.