Sir Vivian Richards- the charming cricketer at Lord's

By A.C. De Silva

THE TOP WEST INDIAN CRICKETER: Sir Vivian Richards, the well-known West Indian cricketer, born St. John's Antigua on March 7 in 1952 is a top-notch West Indian cricketer.

Few batsman in the world possess the natural talent and ability of Vivian Richards - the West Indian star batsman. Instinct has always been the basis on which West Indies cricket has been built. Richards, born on March 7th 1952 in St. John's, Antigua and he has been able to built up the West Indies cricket to a high level after he spends just a few minutes at the crease.

For a decade he was the best batsman in the world with an uncanny ability to produce runs on the grand occasion. In 121 Tests, he scored 8,540 runs, and more than any other West Indian and he led his country on 50 occasions. He is also the first West Indian to hit 100 countries.

He retired from Test cricket in 1991. In County Cricket, he played for Somerset from 1974 until his controversial sacking in 1986 and he also played for Glamorgan from 1990 to 1993. His innovativeness, his capacity to run upto long innings without ever giving the impression that there was a slinical strain in his batting and the silken touch with which he often despatches the ball to the ropes make watching the Antiguan at crease an unalloyed pleasure.

His marvellously uninhabited approach has to a certain extend been tempered by the need to figure year-round in professional cricket. When times are tight, he has had to dig in and graft but even in defence he always appeared only to hide his nature.

Defence as counter weapon

He was merely biding his time and using defence as a weapon to launch a counter-attack at the most opportune moment. Instant cricket should logically be his cup of tea but strangely, Richards has not enjoyed any gigantic batting success in the World Cup although his fielding and throwing alone should endow his side with a premium.

Richards made a most unspectacular start. He began his career for Antigua, the biggest of the Leeward Islands, with four successive ducks but his off spin of average ability brought a few wickets and hid off-spin of average ability brought a few wickets and his frolicsome fielding was appreciated and he retained his place. He made his debut in 1972 in the Shell Shield and in just a few years' time became a international cricket celebrity.

Yet Richards has remained an uncomplicated person. There is little that is contrived about him, "I don't let individual bowlers worry me", he would say with a wink with only his natural modesty preventing him from saying more.

His batting and fielding leaves the distinct impression - 'there is a natural.' Batting comes to him naturally. When Richards smacks a ball for four somehow it is different from others hitting it to the same place.

Richards, of course, was spoilt for choice in selecting his most memorable match. It might have been the Oval Test of 1976 when he scored 291 or may be one-day International at Old Trafford in 1984 when he played on astonishing innings of 189 not out, which rescued the West Indies from a perilous position.

Honour, he returned to his homeland Antigua for his chosen match, which took place on the England tour of 1985-86. This was Richards' first series as captain against England and he had been anxious to maintain the awesome standards set his predecessor Clive Lloyd.

By the time the two teams arrived in Antigua for the final Test, this had been achieved with ease.

West Indies well away

West Indies were 4-0 up and seeking to repeat the 'backwash' of 1984. Such was England's disarray that Gower had to persuade Gooch tired of Anti-apartheid protests to stay on for the match.

Richards reached his 100 in 56 balls - the fastest ever in Test cricket in terms of ball received.

And yet like many of the countrymen, Richards can suffer the blues, Any cricketer can suddenly lose from for even an extended period of time, but if Richards is in the doldrums, he "makes you fell that nothing is wrong with his fame.

Something is perhaps wrong with the person. He himself conceded in an interview - "I wake up some days when I know I've got to get out and bat and somehow I've got to get out and play cricket, on others its different. Sometimes when I get out there and I'm standing at the crease I can tell whether I'm feeling good or not. At times, the feet are wrong, the gloves are wrong and the pads feel clumsy.