The Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) honoured two of cricket's greatest players, Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara, with a set of gates named after them. The gates were unveiled on Tendulkar's 50th birthday and 30 years since Lara's iconic innings of 277 at the SCG.
The gates, located between the Members Pavilion's away dressing room and the Noble Bradman Messenger Stand, will be used by all visiting cricket teams to access the field of play. The Australian cricket team enters the field via the Don Bradman Gates, while the Arthur Morris and Alan Davidson Gates front Driver Avenue.
Tendulkar, who averaged 157 in Tests in Sydney and scored three centuries at the venue, expressed his delight at the honour. "The Sydney Cricket Ground has been my favourite ground away from India. 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 said.
Lara, who scored one of his finest innings at the SCG with his 277, also expressed his gratitude. "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," he said.
Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley praised the gesture, saying it recognised two legends of the sport. "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 said.
The two players now join Sir Donald Bradman, Alan Davidson and Arthur Morris in having a set of gates named in their honour at the SCG.