Lara: I'm Looking beyond 380

West Indies captain Brian Lara is making no bones about his intention to reclaim Test cricket's individual batting throne.

"We want to bat until lunch tomorrow. If it (the record) is in sight, I'll go for it. I think I mentioned at the beginning of the series that I want to be the first person to score 500 runs," Lara said with a smile just moments after joining the great Donald Bradman as the only batsman to reach the 300 mark twice. "So, I'm looking beyond 380, if that's possible."

Lara was the singular story on the second day. Taking full advantage of a track that made fast bowlers weep, he scored runs at will, ending the day on 313 not out (426 balls, 34 fours, 3 sixes) and setting the stage for many a sick day call-in throughout the Caribbean Monday.

He started the day on 86 not out and partnered with Ronnie Sarwan in the pre-lunch session to grind the England bowlers into the dust. The two added 232 before Sarwan jabbed at the new ball in Steve Harmison's hand and gave Trescothick an easy slip catch.

Resuming his Test career four years after his debut, Ricardo Powell never looked the part. On a track that reeks of runs, Powell was too aerial and streaky in his 53-ball 23 which ended with a skied pull that he top-edged to Hussain at third man.

All this time, Lara was marching along. He pulled with autority; used his feet to drive at the spinners; cut anything that was short into the gaps and even danced into part-timer Michael Vaughn to launch a ball over Simon Crosskill in the commentary booth and into the parking lot across the street.

In between Ryan Hinds seemed to be enjoying a nice little innings. The left-handed Hinds, one of the more level-headed cricketers in the region, reached 36 before he mishit an ondrive bat to Batty.

With Hinds' dismissal the Antigua crowd rose to welcome local boy Ridley Jacobs, who did not disappoint. With Lara, Jacobs played a few cracking shots on his way to an unbeaten 47. Lara and Jacobs has so far put on 126.

At the press conference afterward, Lara made it clear the partnership with Jacobs is still an important one. "You have to remember we're into the tail after myself and Jacobs. Hopefully we can stay out there for that length of time and look at a total in the range of 700-750."

"We'll be looking to pile on the runs," Lara said, while acknowledging that the wicket was a gift to batsmen. "Today is not a situation where you're going to judge a batsman. It's very batsman friendly out there. But, we also have to remember that we're 3-0 down against England. That is what we're staring at right now."

Asked directly if he'll go to bed with Matthew Hayden's record on his mind, he said: "When Hayden broke the record, my reaction wasn't one of sadness. It was the catalyst for me to get my game together. Yes, it's there in the back of my mind. But, at the end of the day, it's West Indies cricket and one individual getting whatever amount of runs is not what West Indies needs right now."

"We need a team that's playing well. We need a team that's playing Test cricket at a very competitive level and we're not doing that right now."

He seemed a bit irked when a journalist asked about the omission of Shiv Chanderpaul from the Test side. "It's well documented what the story is with Chanderpaul...It's time to move on."

"We've got a one day series coming up and the selectors will be meeting to pick that side. I don't know what has happened since Barbados but I'm sure he'll (Chanderpaul) be considered as long as the board and selectors think he has done what is necessary."

For now, Lara was content to deal with tonight's dreams. Dreams of reclaiming that throne.

TRIPLE CENTURIES IN TEST CRICKET

Brian Lara (WI) - 2
Don Bradman (Aus) - 2
Hanif Mohammad (Pak) - 1
A Sandham (Eng) - 1
Len Hutton (Eng) - 1
Graham Gooch (Eng) - 1
Virender Sehwag (Ind) - 1
Wally Hammond (Eng) - 1
Robert Simpson (Aus) - 1
Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) - 1
Lawrence Rowe (WI) - 1
Inzamam-ul-Haq (Pak) - 1
Gary Sobers (WI) - 1
Robert Cowper (Aus) - 1
Mark Taylor (Aus) - 1
Matthew Hayden (Aus) - 1
John Edrich (Eng) - 1

NOTE: Both Lara and Bradman have scored their triple centuries at the same venue and against the same opponents.