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A special page on Aravinda De Silva
(This page is specially reserved for the charmers from the Caribbean Islands, a few English giants and some great commentators. For info on players from other countries, please go to their respective pages.)
What can one possibly say of the man they call the Batsman of Batsmen? Born March 7, 1952 Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards was one of the most explosive and entertaining batsman to grace the game. Viv captivated millions of followers all over the world with his dashing cavalier style of batting. Nothing can stop Viv when he gets going, he can tear any bowling attack to shreds in the matter of a few minutes. He made his debut against India in the 1974-75 series and smashed 192 in his very second Test. Viv had a particular liking for the English bowling, as he rattled up 829 runs in 4 Tests in the 1976 series in England, carving two double hundreds in the process. He blasted a 56 ball hundred at Antigua in April 1986, a world record for the fastest test hundred. Viv has always revelled in the World Cups, in the 1975 final his brilliant fielding was responsible for three run-outs in the Australian innings. In the 1979 final, he hammered a brilliant 138. Viv also hit a blazing unbeaten 189 in a one dayer at Old Trafford, adding 106 unbeaten runs for the last wicket with Mike Holding who made 12*. Viv had his moments in the 1987 Reliance Cup too, scoring 181 at Karachi against Sri Lanka. A brilliant fielder in any position, Viv was also an underrated bowler, his seemingly innocuous off-spinners leading many a complacent batsman to his doom.
Viv batting in England. While most batsman floundered in seaming English pitches, Viv revelled in them, a sure tribute to his skills. Was this taken from the 1983 Prudential Cup?
Viv in action in the 1979 Cup final against England, when he made a match winning 138
Sir Garfield Sobers the greatest all rounder of all time
That's Clive Lloyd in the 1975 World Cup final where he made an 82 ball hundred
Anderson Montgomery Everton Roberts, one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. Roberts not only possessed fearful pace, but had a variety of bouncers in his repertoire. Added to that was a lethal yorker. Roberts was a fearome lower-order batsman as well, having smacked Botham for 24 runs in an over in 1981.
Malcolm Denzil Marshall, the mean machine of a bowler. Macco's reputation assumed a frightening dimension after the tour of India in 1983-84. Malcolm was the least accomplished of the pace quartet during their home series against India early in 1983 but later on spearheaded the attack in India with great distinction. He single-handedly bowled the Windies to victories in Kanpur and Calcutta, and from then on, became a different bowler altogether. Marshall held the record for the most number of wickets by a West Indian bowler until he was overtaken by Courtney Walsh.
Ian Terence Botham, the flamboyant English allrounder. Bombay 1980 and Headingley 1981 will forever be etched in memory for the monumental feats of this great cricketer
Among the four great all-rounders of the Eighties, Botham was the only one to score a Test double hundred. His career best of 208 came against India in 1982. An explosive bat Botham often opened for England in one-dayers and more often than not, got England off to blazing starts. His tryst with the opening spot began with the WSC in 1982-83 and later played a pivotal role as an opener in England's WSC triumph in 1986-87. Beefy played a key role too in the 1992 World Cup Down Under both as an opening bat and seam bowler.
With a lovely flowing action, Botham was not genuinely fast, but proved quite a handful on seaming wickets. His career best of 8-34 came against Pakistan in 1978.
David Ivan Gower, an elegant and enchanting stroke-player one worth going miles to watch. There are few lovely sights in cricket than a Gower caress through the covers for four. David's peak was in 1985 when he starred with 732 runs in the Ashes series at home against Australia. England won 3-1.
David with the prized Ashes urn in 1985 after England beat Australia 3-1. The Ashes often brought the best out of Gower. He has scored overr 3000 runs against Australia at an average of close to 45. Under Gower's captaincy Engladn regained the Ashes in 1985, a series that saw Gower slam 2 hundreds and a double hundred. He has forever been England's most consistent batsman against their famed rivals, having scored nine hundreds against them of 42 Tests.
Sir Richard Hadlee, the master fast bowler from New Zealand. Sir Richard ploughed a lonely furrow for New Zealand all through his career. The highlight of his career was the victorious 1985-86 Trans-Tasman series against arch-rivals Australia Down Under, a series Hadlee dominated capturing 33 wickets at 12.15 in three test matches. Hadlee went to finish with 431 Test wickets, a world record until it was broken by Kapil Dev in 1994.
Jim LakerThe greatest off-spinner of them all, his 19-90 at Manchester 1956 is likely to stand for posterity.
Great Commentators all : Greig, Ian Chappell, Lawry, Benaud, Blofeld and Greg Chappell.
Click here to visit Bill Lawry's page and hear him too!!!
