Brian Lara Cricket (Europe) (March 1995)
Inside Brian Lara Cricket (Europe) (March 1995)
Brian Lara Cricket is a sports simulation that brought one of cricket's biggest names to the SEGA Genesis. Released in Europe in March 1995, this was the first game officially licensed by the West Indian batsman Brian Lara, arriving just months after he set the world record of 501 not out in a single innings. It also appeared on the Amiga and PC, but the Genesis version let console players experience a cricket match without needing a hard drive or fast processor. The publisher was Codemasters, known for other sports titles, and the game aimed to capture the strategy and timing of real cricket rather than arcade-style action.
You take control of a cricket team, either playing as a batting side or a bowling side. The core gameplay revolves around timing your shots as a batsman and choosing deliveries as a bowler. When batting, you move your batsman into position and press a button to swing, with the ball's trajectory depending on how you timed your stroke. Bowling involves selecting the type of delivery (fast, medium, spin) and its line and length before releasing the ball. Fielding is handled automatically or with simple button presses to throw the ball back. Matches follow the standard rules of limited-overs or test-style cricket, and you can play a single match or a short tournament.
For fans of cricket or sports games on the Genesis, Brian Lara Cricket is a solid pick because it offers a more realistic simulation than the few other cricket games available at the time. The player names are real (including Lara himself), and the game tries to recreate the ebb and flow of a real innings. It's not a flashy title, but if you enjoy the strategic side of cricket or want to see how the sport was translated to 16-bit consoles, this is worth a few overs. The lack of official licenses for teams (outside of Lara) means some names are fictional, but the core cricket mechanics hold up reasonably well for a game from that era.
How to Play Brian Lara Cricket (Europe) (March 1995) Online
Getting Started
When you start the game, you will see a title screen featuring Brian Lara. Press Enter to proceed. The main menu offers options like One Player, Two Player, and Match Type. Use the Arrow Keys to move through the options and press X to confirm your selection. You can choose between a single friendly match or a tournament of several games. If you are playing alone, you will control one team while the computer controls the other. The game follows standard cricket rules: you will bat first or bowl first depending on a coin toss that happens automatically at the start of a match.The core loop involves batting and bowling. When batting, watch the bowler's run-up and choose your shot timing by pressing X or S as the ball approaches. The direction of your shot is influenced by the D-Pad position at the moment of contact. When bowling, use the D-Pad to set the line and length of the delivery, then press X or S to release the ball with the desired speed. After every few overs, you switch ends. The innings ends when ten wickets fall or the overs are completed. Try to score runs by running between the wickets: press S to send your batsman for a run, and press it again to turn back. Fielding is mostly automatic, but you can throw the ball by pressing a button when it is near a fielder. Start with a short match (like 10 overs) to get used to the controls and timing.
Brian Lara Cricket (Europe) (March 1995) Keyboard Controls
Controls
- Arrow Keys: D-Pad / Movement
- X: A button
- S: B button
- Z: C button
- A: X button (6-button pad)
- Q: Y button (6-button pad)
- E: Z button (6-button pad)
- Enter: Start / Mode
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