Capturing Lara, batsman who launched a thousand strokes (IANS Book Review)

The West Indies dominated world cricket for an era and Brian Lara was one of its greatest legends whose rise and brilliant career have been captured by Clifford Narinesingh in the book "Lara: The Untamed Spirit".

Lara's batting epitomised the West Indian approach to cricket which ensured the game's survival for many decades. That approach involved re-working the techniques of the game and discarding the 'safety first' tactics of the 1950s.

With his stupendous skills and exploits over a sustained period, Lara has shown that great batting is not a mere skill but an art form.

"The high, straight back lift, the cocked right wrist at the top of the handle, the balance and alacrity of his footwork, all combine beautifully and with great precision to produce batsmanship endowed with it very own lyrical beauty...The ancient precept that swift, correct movement of the feet is the essence of great batting is truly epitomised by Lara," Balan Sundaram, senior associate professor in economics, Delhi University, writes in the foreword to the just published book.

Narinesingh, in his preface, writes: "Lara's place in history is assured through a unique career as a master craftsman, full of flair and flamboyance, one which has transformed the game into exciting drama with superlative stroke play and epic achievements."

Narinesingh, as he did with similar productions on Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar - "Portrait of a Hero" and "The Presence of Tendulkar" respectively -, has interspersed his 19 chapters with pieces of either poetic or philosophical sayings, which enhance the book.

Narinesingh has now become a master in crafting such books about cricketers, all of whom have become icons. Cricket needs strict and in-depth determination and interpretation, sprinkled with rich and historical references and cross references as is apparent throughout the book.

Some of the chapters include: "Images of West Indies Cricket", "The Early Years", "A Team In Transition", "Lara's First, Second and Third Reigns as Captain of the West Indies", "Shift in Leadership", "Towards Assessing Lara", and "Post Lara West Indies".

The chapter "Post Lara West Indies" is spurred by a quote from Rudyard Kipling's, "The Storm Curse" : "This is the midnight - let no star delude us - dawn is very far."

Narinesingh writes that West Indian prosperity in cricket did not evolve suddenly; it came with initiative, commitment and it blossomed after years of determination.

"After World War II, it grew until it formed into a strong, formidable even invincible force for two decades."

The statistical appendix provides information on Lara's 34 centuries from 1993 to 2006, ODI centuries, man of the match test awards, among others.

"Lara: The Untamed Spirit" not only offers crisp, authoritative and captivating reading, it also forms part of Trinidad and Tobago's and the Caribbean's contribution to social history, which could be used in secondary schools in any part of the world.

Brian Charles Lara is the Caribbean's inspiration for the world.

Book: "Lara: The Untamed Spirit"; Author: Clifford Narinesingh; Publisher: Royards Publishing company

Last updated on Feb 8^th, 2010 at 11:14 am IST--IANS