The 'Big Cat' bids adieu
by A. C. de Silva
CRICKET: Craig McDermott - the 19-year old then, unlike rookie fast
bowlers, tread the straight and narrow path well at Sydney and he
deprived the West Indies skipper Clive Lloyd - affectionately known as
'Big Cat' of a century in his 175th and last Test innings.
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End of an innings ... close to tears, Clive Lloyd walks off the
Sydney cricket ground to a standing ovation. He retired from
big-time cricket after this engagement. |
McDermott simply was relieved that he had removed one of the master
batsmen of the game and so ensured Australia of an historic victory by
an innings and 55 runs over West Indies.
While McDermott might not have felt any remorse, the crowd that day,
numbering 24,286 certainly did. To a man they wanted Lloyd to score a
century as he made his majestic, last farewell.
In a summer that saw the Australians miss 26 catches, Allan Border
held on to the one the people wanted to be dropped - the one from
Lloyd's heavy blade. But it was not to be and big Clive was given an
unforgettable ovation all the way to the pavilion.
Lloyd unmatched
Lloyd, then on 40 years, an extraordinary leader of men, left the
Test arena with 7,515 runs at 46.68 against his name. Only Sunil
Gavaskar Geoff Boycott, Sir Garfield Sobers and Colin Cowdrey have
scored more Test runs. He was happy to end his playing days at the
Sydney Cricket Ground, the only ground in Australia where he has not
scored a Test hundred. But while he did not quite achieve it, his score
of 72 in the second innings of the Test was his best in five Tests at
the ground.
I would love to have got a hundred. And I was quite confident I
could, too. Perhaps too confident", he said.Lloyd was philosophical
about his team's defeat, a rare happening since he took over the helm in
1974. Under him the team won 36 matches, drawing 26 and losing just 12.
Ironic happening
Lloyd was close to tears when he returned to the dressing room as the
West Indies headed for its innings defeat in 112 Tests since Melbourne
in 1968-69. For like Sir Learie Constantine and Sir Frank Worrell before
him, he has served Caribbean cricket with great distinction.
He didn't look back as he reached the gate. But behind him were the
Australian players huddled together at the wicket still applauding. One
of those applauding most enthusiastically was Mc Dermott, whose
potential as an international bowler of class was first recognised by
Lloyd in Brisbane just about an year before this game.
With his retirement he did the next best thing - he became a match
referee of the I.C.C.
In the last match that Clive Lloyd played for the West Indies, the
Australian quicks had been in tremendous form that season, but their
efforts had been nullified by one of the most slip-shod catching by an
international team. Here at Sydney in the fifth Test, Border's men,
obviously galvanised by the honourable at Melbourne, knocked up their
best total in the series even as the disease of dropped catches spread
to the West Indies camp.Both Wood and Wessells were let-off early and
they prospered to a century partnership for the second wicket in the
first innings - 1 for 12 to 2 for 126. Border, in some panic after
winning the toss and electing to bat, was a happy man at the end of it
all. The in-form Wessells placed a crushing burden on the West Indies
with a solid 173. His 482 minute vigil at the crease knocked the fight
out of the West Indies fast bowlers. Ritchie (37), Border (69) and Boon
(49) built up the score and saw to it that Malcolm marshall - the
Windies pacie, went wicketless. The Aussies made the eye-catching total
of 471 for 9 wickets and declared.
Early blow
Facing that big total, it was imperative for the West Indies to get a
solid start. But McDermott settled that. The young tearaway, not even
born when Cilve Lloyd made his first class debut, had Greenidge caught
behind by Rixon for 18 with the total on 26 and wickets fell rapidly
with only Lloyd making the second highest score of 33 after Haynes made
34. West Indies were all out in the first innings for 163.
Hollard was in great form with the ball and he took 6 for 54 in the
first innings.
Asked to follow-on, the West Indies fared 100 runs better in their
second innings and Clive Lloyd in his farewell knock made 72 while
Richards made 58 and West Indies were all out for 253.Hollard was in
good form with the ball for the Aussies and took 4 for 90 off 33 overs.
So, Hollard was the top bowler for the Aussies with a match - haul of 10
for 144 runs.
Bennett had three wickets and McDermott had two wickets.
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