Lara becomes fifth batsman to score hundred before lunch

MULTAN, Nov 21 (Reuters) West Indian captain Brian Lara became the fifth batsman in test history to score a century before lunch today.

Lara scored 100 from 77 balls on the third day of the second test against Pakistan in an extended session of two and half hours.

Cricket historians record a century before lunch feat as one where a batsman goes from 0 to 100 in the morning session and it is the second time that the feat has been recorded on Pakistan soil.

Former test captain, Majid Khan scored 107 before lunch on the first day of the third test against New Zealand at Karachi in October 1976.

Trailing the three-match series 1-0, West Indies went into the interval on 312 for four wickets in response to Pakistan's 357 all out.

List of batsmen who have scored a century before lunch.

(103) Victor Trumper (104) Aust v Eng at Manchester 1902 (112) C.G. Macartney (151) Aust v Eng at Leeds 1926 (105) Donald Bradman (334) Aust v Eng at Leeds 1930 (108) Majid Khan (108) Pak v NZ at Karachi 1976.

(100 not out) Brian Lara WI v Pak at Multan 2006.

REUTERS SAM RAI1322