batsman Charlie Marshall, had some idea of what the West Indian was going through pressure-wise during his knock of 375.

But while Marshall's 100 not out in Cup Match in 1980 does not even compare to Lara's feat on the world stage, the memories still came flooding back as Marshall sat in his Hamilton Parish home yesterday and watched the elegant Trinidadian make history.

"I understand the tension he was going through leading up to breaking the record,'' said Marshall yesterday. "Overnight he was able to sleep and come back rested and score the last of the runs.'' It was back on August 1, 1980 when Marshall, also a left-hander, stroked his way into the local record books. The occasion was the 79th annual Cup Match classic and Marshall, then only 19, needed a six off the last ball of the match to become the first player to score a century on his debut.

"I knew when I got in the 90s that time was running out,'' explained Marshall, who needed to score seven runs off the final over from Robert Hinds to reach the milestone.

He had made history minutes before when he passed Bergon Spencer's record for a colt of 75. Then the matter of a century was all that was left in a match that had long been destined for a draw. Still, a record crowd of 10,000 crammed into the ground to witness the occasion.

Needing seven off the last over, Marshall failed to make contact with the first three deliveries. He then got a single on the fourth ball to move to 94.

Much hinged on him getting the strike back for the final delivery and partner Ken Pitcher duly obliged by scoring a single.

Thousands swarmed onto the field when he lifted the final ball over the deep mid-wicket boundary. The accomplishment bought him in excess of $3,500 from fans and he still has the ball, the bat and a celebration photo to remind him of the day.

"I haven't used the bat since,'' he said.

Unlike Marshall, Lara had plenty of time to reach his record, the series having already been won by the West Indies.

"There wasn't pressure on him related to the time factor,'' said Marshall.

"The time span helped him to accomplish that goal. I would have loved to have been there to experience that over. Watching it on TV wasn't enough.'' Marshall says he was also impressed with teenager Shivnarine Chanderpaul at the other end whose coolness belies his tender 19 years.

"You can see both he and Lara have had a lot of training and exposure at a young age,'' said Marshall.

Marshall says despite the nerves he would not mind experiencing his own feat all over again, and would like to think he can score another Cup Match century or two before he retires.

"Everybody in sports aims to break records,'' he said. "I know I've got four or five years left in Cup Match and I'm looking forward to breaking some more records.'' Marshall also knows that one day he, like the greatest left-hander of them all, Sir Garfield Sobers, could watch the record he has treasured for so long be broken.