A set of gates at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) have been named after India’s Sachin Tendulkar and West Indies’ Brian Lara in order to pay tribute to two of the greatest cricketers of all time.
The announcement was made on the Indian's 50th birthday and the 30th anniversary of the West Indies batter's innings of 277 at the ground.
The gates will be used by the visiting players while going towards the pitch from the away dressing room in the Members Pavilion. Home players enter the field through gates named after Australian legend Don Bradman.
"The Sydney Cricket Ground has been my favourite ground away from India," Tendulkar, who scored three centuries in five tests at the SCG and celebrated his birthday on Monday, said in a Cricket Australia news release.
"I have had some great memories at the SCG right from my first tour of Australia. It is a great honour to have the gates used by all visiting cricketers to access the field of play at the SCG named after me and my good friend Brian," he added.
Meanwhile, Lara, who scored a double century in his first Test at the ground in January 1993, said: "I'm deeply honoured to be recognised at the Sydney Cricket Ground, as I'm sure Sachin is. The ground holds many special memories for me and my family and I always enjoy visiting whenever I'm in Australia."
Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley was among the dignitaries who unveiled the gates at the SCG.
"As the cricketing world celebrates Sachin Tendulkar's 50th birthday, this is a fitting and timely gesture by the SCG to recognise Sachin and Brian Lara as two legends of the international game with exceptional records at the SCG,” Hockley said.
"Their feats will no doubt be an inspiration to not only visiting international teams, but all players fortunate enough to walk onto the hallowed turf of the Sydney Cricket Ground, for generations to come,” he added.
- Brian Lara