Vivian Richards 61 not out last Thursday

By A. C. De Silva

FLASHBACK: The shining star .... Vivian Richards, popularly know as “Smoking Jee” crossed the 6,000-run mark in Tests on April 16, 1986. In his knock of 87, at Port of Spain, he scored three and he reached the coveted figure. This was his 81st Test and 120th innings. He thus became the fourth West Indian and the 15th cricketer in the world to become a member of the 6,000-run club.

Here under are the series-wise, country-wise figures, his landmarks in a nutshell. All these figures are at the conclusion of the West Indies – England series on April 16 in 1986.

Landmarks in nutshell: Born on 7-3-1952 at St. John’s Antigua.

Debut: On 29-11-1974 at Bangalore vs India

1,000 runs on 25.3.1976 vs India at Port of Spain, 15th Test, 25th innings.
2,000 runs on 12.8.1976 vs England at The Oval, 21st Test, 36th innings.
3,000 runs on 20.6.1980 vs England at Lord’s, 33rd Test, 54th innings.
4,000 runs on 2.1.1982 vs Australia at Sydney, 46th Test, 71st innings.

5,000 runs on 14.6.1984 vs England at Edgbaston, 64th Test, 95th innings.
6,000 runs on 5.4.1986 vs England at Port-of-Spain - 81st Test, 120th innings.

Holder of world record in scoring a century in least number of balls in Tests. He made a century in just 56 balls at Antigua, on April 15th 1986.

World record holder

World record holder for scoring the highest aggregate of runs in 11 Tests in 1976 from January 3 to August 17. His scores: (a) 44 and 2; 30 and 101; 3 Tests in Australia; (b) 142, 130 and 20; 177 and 23; 64 – 4 Tests vs India; (c) 232 and 63; 4 and 135; 66 and 38; 291 – Tests vs England.

He did not play at Lord’s in the Second Test of the 5-Test Series in June, 1976. That perhaps would have enabled him to reach 2,000 runs if he had played.

Richards is the second of the three sons of a fast bowler who became the head warden of the prison at Antigua. He is nicknamed “Smokin Jee” in 1974 because of his resemblance to heavyweight boxing champion Joe Frazier.

A hat-trick

Richards achieved a hat-trick in Antigua on April 15 in 1986. He sidelined Jack Gregory’s record of 100 in 67 balls by scoring a century in 56 balls and established a world record.

He made a hat-trick of tons in his home-town St. John’s as his unbeaten 110 was his third there, the previous two being 114 in 1980-81 and 178 in 83-84.

He joined the select band of batsmen in 109 years of Test history who have made 20 centuries or more in Tests. This was his 20th century in his 122nd innings.

There are only 10 cricketers who have made 20 ‘tons’ or more in 1,045 Tests played upto May 10th 1986.

Richards has scored 8 centuries against England, 6 against India, 4 against Australia and one each against Pakistan and New Zealand.