Lara elated after surpassing Bradman

Brian Lara: 'To pass him [Bradman] is really an honour' © AFP

Brian Lara was delighted to score his 30th century - in the process surpassing Don Bradman's 29 Test hundreds - in the second Test against Pakistan in Jamaica. Lara, who rescued his team again from a precarious position of 59 for 2, finished on 153 and was hoping that his team could win the match.

"It was truly a great feeling going past such a great man," Lara told the Jamaica Observer. "Everyone in the world, including myself, respects and reveres Bradman for the standard he had set, and to equal and then pass him is really an honour." Lara reached the milestone in his 117th Test and was the third fastest to achieve the feat, behind Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar, who both managed it in 99 matches.

Lara, who has now scored four centuries in five Tests this year, thrived on the buzz at Sabina Park. "I love the Jamaican atmosphere and always relish the opportunity to play here, and to achieve this milestone here is also a special feeling," he continued. "It's just unfortunate that crowds at the venues across the Caribbean are not as large as in the past. But I'm looking forward to a big crowd tomorrow (today) and hope the team will be able to put on a show."

In 27 Tests that Lara has played since the last World Cup in South Africa, he has amassed 3246 runs at a phenomenal average of 70.57, which includes 12 hundreds and nine fifties - making him the highest run-scorer since the tournament. Jacques Kallis lies in second place, having scored 395 less from an equal number of matches.