Brian Lara was always going to score at least one century in this series and the third Test on Les Burdett's Adelaide Oval pitch always seemed the best time and place to do it.

Lara's undefeated 136 yesterday might exert far less longterm influence on the series than Glenn McGrath's demolition of him in the first two Tests, but it was a delight to see.

The 31-year-old had his day yesterday and, as one would expect, his team had their first good one of the seven so far. The partnership with the West Indies captain Jimmy Adams (49) brought 183 for the fourth wicket, Lara making 124.

West Indies finished with four for 274, with the impressive Ridley Jacobs in next. On a pitch that will wear, those runs are valuable.

Lara said after play that he wanted to make this into a big hundred, and he hoped his side stayed in until tea on day two to avoid having to bat a second time. At last, a game-plan that survived the first day's play.

With his eye in and his wrists nice and supple, Lara hit boundaries to all angles of the off-side, swinging his bat as if it had never felt lighter. Everything was there, back cuts, a few off the front foot, square drives, drives through extra cover which left the fielders standing, lofted cuts behind point.

"I enjoyed it," Lara said. "It was nice to stay out there and get a hundred. Hopefully tomorrow I can go on and get what the team needs. We need a very big score to put some pressure on Australia."