The superb Brian Charles Lara

This week a great cricket record fell. Allan Border's most runs in test cricket was surpassed by the Trinidad and West Indian genius Brian Charles Lara. Lara probably the greatest batsman the Windies have produced since Sir Garfield Sobers and perhaps Viv Richards took just 121 tests (to Borders 156) to accomplish this record. The 36-year-old Lara scored his 11,175th run on the second morning of the third Test against Australia in Adelaide. He was eventually bowled by Glenn McGrath for 226 after improving the record to 11,187.

While it is generally foolish to compare cricketers across generations, the felling of such a momentous record merits some speculation. The game changes so much every couple of decades that comparing a Lara to a Sobers or even to a Vivian Richards is probably not valid (or fair). Suffice to say Lara is in thetop 2 batsmen of his generation....the only other contender is Sachin Tendulkar (and maybe Ricky Ponting).

In my heart the Don will always be the greatest batsman who ever donned whites and played this king of all games. Until a batsman can average 99.96 runs after 52 tests, everyone else will only be competingfor the #2 spot. What could the Don have achieved if he did not lose 6 of his best years to WW II. He could have averaged 150 and doubled his output.

So rather than posit a "top 10" batsmen of all timelist- I will submit a "remaining 9" list. In no particluar order for the spot 2-10...

2. Vivian Richards

3. Sunil Gavaskar

4. Sachin Tendulkar

5. Javed Miandad

6. Allan Border

7. Sir Garry Sobers

8. George Headley

9. Sir Jack Hobbs

10. Greg Chappell

How naked a list without Zaheer, Ranji, Weekes,Trumper, Waugh and Boycott....