THE PRINCE OF PORT-OF-SPAIN IN TRIUMPH…

The man who launched the career of Brian Charles Lara unfortunately never saw him play a Test innings.

Bunty Lara not only took his son Brian to watch the West Indies stars at play at the Queen's park Oval, but also took the time to bowl to his talented son in his backyard from a very tender age, and later enrolled him at the Harvard Sports Club cricketing clinics.

But, the closest Bunty would come to seeing his son's rise to stardom was when he was named 12^th man on the West Indies team in 1989, shortly before he died.

Now, the man dubbed the Prince of Port-of-Spain after his record 375 innings in St John's, Antigua, and later his first-class record of 501 not out for Warwickshire against Durham in the English county Cricket Championship, is now King of West Indies Cricket, being named captain of the regional team for the series against England, which begins January 29^th in Kingston, Jamaica.

Lara's cricketing career began while at school at Fatima College. Born to Bunty and pearl Lara at Cantaro Village, Santa Cruz, 28 years ago - he will be 29 on May 2^nd - he began making his mark at cricket while just 14, playing in the under -16 and First Divisions of national schoolboys' cricket.

Not yet celebrating his 14^th birthday, Lara totalled 745 runs in the schoolboys' league at an astounding average of 126.16 per innings.

He was immediately selected on the national team, and in their three matches had scores of 61, 42 and 31.

When just a 17-year-old, Lara was elected captain of his school team's under-19 squad and began showing his now customary dominant form, scoring 72 and 74 to go with two centuries.

Selected for the senior Trinidad and Tobago team, Lara was quick to impress, hitting a masterful 92 at the Queen's Park Oval against a powerful Barbados attack which included current bowler Malcolm Marshall, the highest wicket taker in West Indies cricket with 376, and Joel "Big Bird" Garner.

When the pint-sized Lara approached the crease, Trinidad and Tobago were already tottering on 23 for two.

But, his father Bunty who gave the young Lara all encouragement, was not to see his son trod on to the field as a West Indies player, as he died in 1989, after Brian was named 12^th man in his debut Test.

In his debut Test innings against Pakistan in Pakistan, Lara scored a classy 44, and stayed with Carl Hooper to rescue West Indies from a precarious position.

Lara gave notice of the greatness to come in the Red Stripe Cup of 1994, averaging 79.44 for the series.

Then he burst on the international scene against England the same year, calmly and classically stroking the world record 375 on the Antigua Recreation Ground, surpassing WI compatriot and idol, Sir Garfield Sobers' 365 not out against Pakistan.

Only eight weeks had elapsed, when Lara, playing for Warwickshire against Durham, became the first ever batsman to score more than 500 runs in a single innings - 501 not out, after batting for just shy of eight hours.

But it was not all cricket for BC Lara, who with his watchwords - dedication, determination, discipline - walked out of Fatima College with seven O Level passes.

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FACTFILE of Brian Lara, named last Wednesday as West Indies captain for the forth-coming Test series against England.

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