On this day: Lara rewrote history with his 501

Lara’s big first-class score in a high-scoring match came off 427 deliveries in 474 minutes….reports Asian Lite News

Exactly 27 years ago to this day, former West Indies captain Brian Lara hammered 501 not out against Durham in a County Championship match for Warwickshire here at Edgbaston. It remains the highest first-class score until today.

Lara’s big first-class score in a high-scoring match came off 427 deliveries in 474 minutes. He hit 10 sixes and 62 boundaries during the world record innings.

Lara, who also holds the record for highest individual score in a Test innings as well, had surpassed former Pakistan batsman Hanif Mohammad’s score of 499, scored 35 years prior, in 1959.

Mohammed had played that innings for Karachi against Bahawalpur in a first-class game in Pakistan.

Durham had hit 556 for eight declared in their first innings, with John Morris scoring 204. In response, Warwickshire lost an early wicket, which exposed Lara to the new ball. The West Indian settled down and added 115 for the second wicket with New Zealander Roger Twose (51 off 35 balls) and dominated the 314-run third wicket partnership with Trevor Penney (44).

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Lara added unbeaten 332 for the fourth wicket with Keith Piper before Warwickshire declared their innings at 810 for four.

Lara, who was 111 not out at stumps on Day 3, hammered 390 runs on the fourth day, which had followed a rest day.

He reached the milestone with a drive through off-side that went for a four and lifted his arms in the air. Penney ran up to him to hug him. Durham players congratulated him and some of the spectators also walked in to congratulate him.

A few days before the innings for Warwickshire, Lara had scored the then highest individual Test score of 375 against England in Antigua on April 16, 1994.

Australian Matthew Hayden broke that record by scoring 380 against Zimbabwe on October 9, 2003.

But Lara reclaimed the Test record on April 10, 2004, almost 10 years after he had hit 375, scoring 400 not out again against England in Antigua.

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