Once upon a time, the cricketing world trembled at the sight of a figure whose mere presence on the field could alter the course of a match. This figure, none other than the indomitable Viv Richards, wielded his bat like a mace, striking fear into the hearts of bowlers across the globe. On this fateful day, the West Indian legend unleashed a devastating display of power that would etch itself into the annals of cricket history.
Sri Lanka, under the captaincy of Duleep Mendis, came into the match with a respectable bowling attack. Vinothen John, Ravi Ratnayeke, Don Anurasiri, and Ashantha de Mel formed the backbone of their bowling unit, supported by the part-time options of Aravinda de Silva, Arjuna Ranatunga, and Asanka Gurusinha. Though the Sri Lankan side boasted a solid batting lineup, they were still the underdogs in the face of a West Indian team led by Richards, a squad brimming with talent and dominance.
Mendis’ decision to put the West Indies into bat was a gamble, one that appeared to backfire early on. John and Ratnayeke bowled with discipline, restricting the West Indian openers. Ratnayeke struck first, clean-bowling Carlisle Best, and then claimed the wicket of Richie Richardson, who edged his first ball to Brendon Kuruppu. At 45 for 2, with Ratnayeke on a hat-trick, Sri Lanka were firmly in control, and the West Indies seemed rattled.
The King Takes Over
But then, from the shadows of uncertainty, emerged the man who would change the course of the game. Viv Richards, his biceps rippling beneath his shirt, chewed gum with an intensity that seemed to signal the beginning of something ominous. His gaze, as Sunil Gavaskar once remarked, conveyed the message: “What am I doing here among children? I should be among men.”* Richards was not just a batsman; he was a force of nature.
He began cautiously, playing a couple of elegant cover drives, before quickly accelerating. Desmond Haynes, his opening partner, also found his rhythm, and the runs began to flow. Richards’ fifty came up off 62 balls, but this was merely the calm before the storm. The first signs of his impending onslaught came when Aravinda de Silva bowled a delivery aimed at leg stump. Richards, ever the master of improvisation, moved outside leg and dispatched the ball through extra cover with such ferocity that the fielders barely moved. It was the first six of the innings, and the warning signs were clear.
As the game progressed, Richards' destructive power became evident. His hundred came off 98 balls, with the second fifty coming in just 35 balls—a blistering pace that left the Sri Lankan bowlers helpless. With Gus Logie content to play the role of a supporting act, Richards took full control. His shots were a masterclass in power and timing, with extra-cover, square-leg, and mid-wicket becoming the favoured targets. The ball flew over the boundary with ease, and when it didn’t, it raced to the fence so quickly that the fielders had no time to react.
The Carnage
At this point, the West Indies had surpassed Pakistan’s previous record of 338 for five, set just four years earlier. Richards then surpassed Kapil Dev’s iconic 175 not out, with a towering straight six that further cemented his place in cricketing folklore. The Sri Lankan bowlers, particularly de Mel, were helpless in the face of this onslaught. De Mel, who had been a key figure in the previous World Cup, finished with figures of 1 for 97 from his ten overs, a record for the worst economy rate in World Cup history for a bowler who had bowled ten or more overs.
Richards’ assault continued until, with his score at 181, he mishit a delivery from de Mel. As his left hand came off the bat, Roshan Mahanama, running from backward point to third man, pulled off an astonishing catch that would go down in history. Richards’ innings, which included 16 fours and seven sixes, had come to an end, but by then, the damage was done. The West Indies were on 343, and they would go on to finish with a monumental 360 for 4 in their allotted 50 overs.
The Sri Lankan response, though valiant, was never truly a contest. Mahanama, in particular, threatened to take the fight to the West Indies, striking three boundaries off the first three balls he faced. However, his dismissal, caught off Walsh, was the beginning of the end. Sri Lanka’s middle order, led by Gurusinha and Ranatunga, could only delay the inevitable. Gurusinha’s 36 off 108 balls was a brave effort, but it lacked the urgency needed to chase down such a daunting target. Sri Lanka, despite a valiant fifty from Ranatunga and some fine strokes from Mendis, were never in the hunt. The West Indies triumphed by 191 runs, with Richards’ brilliance ensuring that the result was never in doubt.
In the end,
this match was not just a victory for the West Indies, but a testament to the
raw, unbridled power of Viv Richards. It was a performance that transcended the
boundaries of cricket, a reminder that in the right hands, a bat could become a
weapon capable of destruction on a scale rarely seen. The Sri Lankans, despite
their best efforts, were left to wonder what might have been had they been able
to contain the beast that was Richards on that unforgettable day.
Thank You
Faisal Caesar
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