On This Day In 1994: Brian Lara’s Iconic 501* Rewrote Cricket History

Kaushik Kashyap

Brian Lara after scoring 501* in Birmingham, 1994. [Source - WarwickshireCCC/x.com]Brian Lara after scoring 501* in Birmingham, 1994. [Source - WarwickshireCCC/x.com]

On June 6th, 1994, history was made at Edgbaston in Birmingham as Brian Charles Lara, the Prince of Trinidad, etched his name into cricketing folklore by scoring an unbeaten 501, the highest individual score in first-class cricket. Representing Warwickshire in a County Championship match against Durham, Lara delivered a once-in-a-lifetime performance that remains unmatched even three decades later.

Coming into the match, Durham won the toss and decided to bat on what looked like the flattest deck on earth. The visitors put on a magnificent batting show, posting 556/8 on the board and declared the innings. Warwickshire, in reply, suffered an early loss of opener Dominic Ostler which led to the arrival of Lara at three.

Lara’s Epic 501 Had a Nervy Beginning

The southpaw had a shaky start to his innings, nearly dismissed on 12, bowled off a no-ball and then dropped on 18 by wicketkeeper Chris Scott. Interestingly, this game was played just weeks after Lara had already set the world alight by scoring 375, the highest individual score in Test cricket at the time. 

Therefore, these early reprieves were only going to prove catastrophic for Durham, as Lara, in an unbelievable form and seemingly guided by destiny, went on to rewrite the record books.

And the inevitable happened, as Lara finished Day 2 with 111 on the board, putting Warwickshire in command with 210 for 2 on the board. Unfortunately, rain washed out the entire Day 3, which was followed by a rest day, setting the stage for an explosive final day on June 6th.

Lara’s Late Surge to 501* Shocks the Cricketing World

In the morning of Day 4, Lara started the proceedings slowly, scoring 27 off 41 but then came out with intent and flair, smashing 147 runs off just 78 balls in the first session alone. Lara then added another 133 runs in the second session, leaving him 82 short of Hanif Mohammad's 35-year-old record first-class individual score.

Eventually, Lara was inches closer to the record and was batting on 497 with technically one over left in the game. Dramatically, Lara defended the first three consecutive deliveries from the part-timer John Morris which was followed by a well-directed bouncer which hit Lara on the helmet.

However, Lara wasted no more time and drove the next delivery through the covers for four to go past the colossal 500-run mark, eventually finishing on 501 not out. His innings included an astonishing 62 boundaries and 10 sixes, leaving fans and cricket pundits worldwide in shock.

Brian Lara posing after scoring 501* in Birmingham, 1994. [Source - WarwickshireCCC/x.com]Brian Lara posing after scoring 501* in Birmingham, 1994. [Source - WarwickshireCCC/x.com]

Lara’s Dramatic Wake-Up Call in the Final Over

Lara was well accompanied by Roger Twose, Trevor Penney and wicketkeeper-batter Keith Piper, who himself scored an unbeaten hundred and shared an unbeaten 322-run stand with Lara for the fifth wicket. Dramatically, Lara failed to score off the first four balls of the final over, until his partner Piper reminded him the match could end after this over, forcing him into action.

“I didn't realise we were in the last over until four balls had been bowled. Keith Piper came up to me and said there were only two deliveries left. Records are there to be broken, and I'm happy to be the one doing it. If the records I have set are broken, I hope I am the one doing it,” Lara said after the knock.

The match ended in a draw, but Lara’s achievement still makes people go back to his monumental match which was a spectacle that elevated the art of batsmanship. Years later, while Lara briefly lost his Test record to Matthew Hayden, he reclaimed it with another historic feat, scoring 400 not out against England in Antigua, the highest individual Test score, a record that still stands.

Brian Lara, a graceful left-hander with an unmatched eye for timing and placement, has left a legacy filled with breathtaking innings, but none more iconic than the 501*. As it is the 31st anniversary of that unforgettable knock, the world continues to look back in admiration at a day when one man’s bat did the endless talking and rewrote the history books like never before.