Developed by and published by Codemasters , this sequel arrived in May 1996 for the Sega Mega Drive (Genesis) , Amiga , and PC . In Australia and New Zealand, it was famously rebranded as Shane Warne Cricket to appeal to the local market. Key Features and Gameplay
: The introduction of rain could temporarily stop play and alter pitch behavior mid-match. Why It Holds Up
Retro Review: Why Brian Lara Cricket ‘96 Still Hits for Six brian-lara-cricket-96-game-link
While some critics at the time viewed it as a "roster update" of the original 1995 release, the '96 edition introduced several depth-adding features that kept it at the top of the UK charts:
The game is often praised for its "thoughtful, engaging experience" that captures the measured pace of real cricket. The controls, while intuitive, offered a high ceiling for mastery—especially in bowling, where timing and button-mashing for speed were crucial. Brian Lara Cricket '96 - Sega-16 Developed by and published by Codemasters , this
: For the first time, players could lead all 18 regional English teams.
For fans of mid-90s sports gaming, few titles evoke as much nostalgia as . Released during the peak of Lara’s legendary career—shortly after he set world records for the highest individual scores in both Test and First-Class cricket—the game became a cornerstone of the genre. The Game at a Glance Why It Holds Up Retro Review: Why Brian
: Beyond standard Internationals, the game featured World Cup competitions, Test Series, and a "Classic Matches" mode where you could replay historic cricketing moments.