WHEN on a song there is no stopping Brian Lara. England and the world found that on the third day of the final Test as the Prince of Port-of-Spain put behind an indifferent form not only to break the world record but to become the first player in the history of Test cricket to pass the 400-run milestone.

Not even the great Don Bradman had come near the mark. Lara first reclaimed the record from Australian Matthew Hayden and then went on to summit peak 400 as the cricketing world waited with bated breath.

Lara in full flow was a delight to watch. His feat gave the battered West Indians hope and something to cheer after they had fallen to record low. The record-breaking series has seen both the highs and lows. Rising like a phoenix from the ashes, Lara reclaimed the record he had made on the same ground, Antigua Recreation Ground, St John's, and against the same opponents 10 years ago.

Lara had then made a record 375 before the burly Hayden went berserk last year against lowly Zimbabwe to notch up 380. In time-honoured tradition of the gentleman's game, Hayden called up to congratulate the new record-holder.

The record resulted from Lara's belief in himself. "At the end of the first day, I felt that the pitch was good and that if any batsman applied himself they could make a big score. I realised that at the rate I was scoring at, there was a lot of time left in the game and it was possible."

"I am proud, definitely. I didn't miss having the record but it is great to have it again."

Lara has just added another benchmark to the game of 'glorious uncertainties.' The world now waits for the next entrant to the most exclusive club in cricket.

Mamat breaks through Indian Open
K.R. Wadhwaney

ONE who seeks assiduously succeeds. This is what jubilant Singaporean Mardan Mamat said after winning the 41st edition of the Indian Open at the Delhi Golf Club course last month.

"This is my proudest moment. This is my first major professional title after 10-years' wait". The turning point for Mamat came when leader Pablo Del Olmo of Mexico faltered on the par-four fourth hole and doubled-bogeyed. "As the leader slipped, I capitalised to move into no-contest zone."

Mamat was all praise for the course which, he says, was difficult but not tricky. Besides praising the spectators, who provided him a fine gallery every time he made a birdie, Mamat acknowledged the role of his caddie, Ali Jaan. "But for his guidance and assistance, I wonder if I could have won the title although I have been participating in this competition for about a decade".

Mamat, received a cheque of $ 50,000 at the $ 300,000 tournament.

Ali Jaan became the first caddie to 'carry the load' of two successive champions. Last year, Mike Cunning won the title. This year he was way down at joint 42nd position with amateur Harinder Gupta. Mamat, won with 23 strokes less than last year's champion while twice champion, Ali Sher, who won in 1991 and 1993, failed to make the cut this year.

Ali Jaan, who is Arjun Atwal's caddy, approached Mamat two days before the start of the competition. Mamat jokingly asked Jaan, "what if Atwal returns to participate in this competition." The caddie said, "Sir, I am now committed to you and I will caddy for you regardless of Atwal's presence".

Ali Jaan was the topic even at the winners' press conference. Olmo, who finished five strokes behind Mamat, said, "My next year's caddy will Ali Jaan".

"Nothing doing", quipped Mamat, adding that "I have tied up with him for life as long as I come to Delhi to take part in this or any other tournament".

Born in Singapore on October 31, 1967, Mamat turned pro in 1994. At Royal Troon he became the first Singaporean to qualify for the British Open. In the same year, he came close to winning on the Asian PGA circuit when he led the Sabah Masters by one stroke with three holes to go. His luck deserted him as he had a triple bogey at the 16th. He dropped down to fourth. He enjoyed a career-best season in 2001 when he ended the year in 13th place on the Davidoff Tour Order of Merit.

The future of this prestigious tournament, the biggest in the country, is uncertain as sponsors Shaw Wallace don't seem inclined to continue with it. The sponsors' feel that they are not getting their money's worth. Promoting golf is one thing but getting something out of sponsoring is quite another.

IN one of the greatest achievements in Indian athletics in recent years, Amritpal Singh obliterated the 30-year-old mark in the long jump. It took everyone a few minutes to absorb the momentous event.

Such miraculous performances are rare in Indian athletics but still it took a back seat to cricket, as all other sports in our country do. The Rawalpindi one-dayer occupied the front pages and Amritpal had to be satisfied with some mention on sports pages.

Amritpal was almost an unknown entity before he set the Federation Cup meet alight in Delhi. He had jumped to 7.98 m at the All-India Police Championships in Chennai last year but had disappeared from the scene after that due to injury.

In less than an hour at the Nehru Stadium on that hot March afternoon he crossed the eight-metre mark thrice. His best of 8.08 m removed one of the biggest names of Indian athletics from the record books.

TC Yohannan had won the gold medal at the Tehran Asian Games in 1974 with a fantastic leap of 8.07 m. For three decades his performance had stood the test of time. Only Sanjay K.Rai had been able to cross the eight-metre mark. His best being 8.03m.

What Amritpal achieved was almost a miracle, clearing the eight-metre mark three times in one competition. It was no flash in the pan, a one time show like so many other performances in Indian athletics.

Amritpal was dogged by hamstring problems at the SAF Games in Islamabad and could not repeat his Delhi performance. He is still young, at the beginning of his career. He is an impressive figure, a tall man, a near look-alike of Shoaib Akhtar, to the hair style and flowing locks and mannerism. He does attract attention while taking his jumps, clapping loudly for the path to be kept free while he starts his run-up. Tremendously strong, he obviously knows his ability.

His performance augurs well for Indian athletics where, apart from the remarkable overall improvement in the women’s section, there has been a noticeable progress in the men’s field events.

Sun rises for Japan

FINALLY the load proved to be too heavy for the aging shoulders of Leander Paes. In the Asia-Oceania Zone Group 1 Davis Cup face-off, India lost to Japan for the first time in 74 years.

With the score-line balanced at 2-2, the 'miracle man' of Indian tennis failed to post a victory which would have carried India to the next rung. The burden of playing on all three days as well as being the captain placed incredible strain on the man who wears his heart on his sleeve when playing for the country.

Paes has pulled off many incredible wins in the Davis Cup, upsetting players placed way above him in the rankings but this time the Japanese had the last laugh. Prakash Amritraj lost both the singles. Paes and Bhupathi won the doubles but the task was too much for Paes in reverse singles.