<sod>  *Lara has played some of the most brilliant innings in recent years. [[Wisden]] published a top 100 list in July 2001, a distillation of the best performances from 1,552 Tests, 54,494 innings and 29,730 bowling performances. Three innings by Lara were placed in the top 15. [http://www.rediff.com/cricket/2001/jul/30bat100.htm] His heroic 153 not out in [[Bridgetown, Barbados]], during West Indies' 2-2 home series draw against Australia in [[1998]]-[[1999]] was deemed the second greatest Test innings ever played, behind [[Donald Bradman]]'s 270 against England in the Third Test of the [[1936]]-[[1937]] series at [[Melbourne_cricket_ground|Melbourne]]. On [[13 October]], [[2003]], PricewaterhouseCoopers Ratings team published a list of top innings since [[1990]] under their own methodology.  Lara's 213 against Australia in [[Kingston, Jamaica]] in [[1999]] came out to be the top inning. His 375 was placed 8th and his three other innings, including the 153 not out, were not far behind.
 
 ==Batting average==
Lara's batting average in [[test cricket|tests]] is over 53 and in [[One Day International|one-dayers]] he averages over 42 at a strike rate of close to 80. The following four graphs shows his test batting average over the years in four chronological sections:
 <br><br>
 [[Image:Lara_Career_Graph_1.gif|100px|The beginning]] 
 [[Image:Lara_Career_Graph_2.gif|100px|First drop]] 
 <eod> <sod> *Lara has played some of the most brilliant innings in recent years. [[Wisden]] published a top 100 list in July 2001, a distillation of the best performances from 1,552 Tests, 54,494 innings and 29,730 bowling performances. Three innings by Lara were placed in the top 15. [http://www.rediff.com/cricket/2001/jul/30bat100.htm] His heroic 153 not out in [[Bridgetown, Barbados]], during West Indies' 2-2 home series draw against Australia in [[1998]]-[[1999]] was deemed the second greatest Test innings ever played, behind [[Donald Bradman]]'s 270 against England in the Third Test of the [[1936]]-[[1937]] series at [[Melbourne_cricket_ground|Melbourne]]. On [[13 October]], [[2003]], PricewaterhouseCoopers Ratings team published a list of top innings since [[1990]] under their own methodology.  Lara's 213 against Australia in [[Kingston, Jamaica]] in [[1999]] came out to be the top inning. His 375 was placed 8th and his three other innings, including the 153 not out, were not far behind.
 
 ==Batting average==
Lara's batting average in [[test cricket|tests]] is over 53 an inning and in [[One Day International|one-dayers]] he averages over 42 an inning at a strike rate (% of runs scored per ball) of close to 80. The following four graphs shows his test batting average over the years in four chronological sections:
 <br><br>
 [[Image:Lara_Career_Graph_1.gif|100px|The beginning]] 
 [[Image:Lara_Career_Graph_2.gif|100px|First drop]] 
 <eod>