Legends owe us apology for 1983?
EDITOR: Now that SVG and Cricket West Indies have fittingly honoured our cricketing Legends of 1983, it is interesting to look at the other side of the cricketing equation. Our Legends gave us immeasurable pride with their two successive World Cup victories in 1975 and 1979. Given our all-conquering triumphs in Test cricket as well, there seemed to be little doubt that the Caribbean cricket kings would achieve a World Cup hat-trick in 1983.
It seemed that way right up until the World Cup final. The champions had gone from strength to strength since their initial World Cup triumph in 1975 and had beaten all opponents. In the final they faced India, not yet the modern-day juggernaut it has since become, but nevertheless, with Sunil Gavaskar, and Kapil Dev as genuine world-class stars.
Thus, on the field, after our all-conquering fast bowling quartet of Roberts, Garner, Marshall and Holding predictably skitted India for 183, it was taken for granted that West Indies would romp home.
A target of 184 in 55 overs for a line-up reading Greenidge, Haynes, Richards, Lloyd and Larry Gomes, 1-5? This was against not the traditional Indian spin attack which posed headaches to all but the very best. No, this time besides Kapil Dev the Indians had a quartet which English commentators would describe as a “lot of dibbley-dobbly” – medium pacers and part-timers.
Even though Greenidge was dismissed early, Viv Richards behaved as if he had a plane to catch urgently.
A quote from “A History of West Indies Cricket” by the late renowned Prime Minister of Jamaica, Michael Manley, speaks volumes about what happened next: “Desmond Haynes looked solid and Richards aggressive. The latter was hitting the ball all over the place in a performance which began to look increasingly more adventurous than sound. He batted like a man who thought he could not make a mistake, and this was his downfall. Having blasted Madan Lal past long-on for four, he tried to lift the next ball over mid-wicket for six but swung fractionally too early. Kapil Dev, running back from mid-wicket, took a fine catch, high over his shoulder, with his back to the batsman.! Richards walked back to the pavilion, out for 33, off fewer balls than his score…” Then inexplicably, the all-powerful West Indian batting machine collapsed, out for a mere 140. Let us quote Mr Manley again: “India’s winning margin of 43 runs was well-deserved on the day, not so much because of how well they played but on account of how badly the West Indies batted. Certainly, it was not the bowlers who failed. They had done remarkably well to hold India to 183 all out.
“In retrospect one must speculate concerning this third World Cup. Watching the West Indies collapse that day on a perfectly reasonable wicket at Lord’s, many an observer felt that Richards’ innings bordered on irresponsibility…. Unfortunately, it was the rest of the side that seemed to choke when he was out”.
Richards himself in his autobiography seemed peeved by the criticism. He said, “I received a certain amount of criticism for the way I had played. Some people thought I was reckless, but the truth was that I had been batting pretty well, and Kapil Dev’s catch was something special”.
It’s a long way since that loss and the West Indies have not been able to win the one-day World Cup since.
Maybe since we are again honouring our Legends, they could reciprocate with a belated apology!
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