30 years on, Vivian Richards still doubts a decision
Whom
does he rate as the greater batsman, Sachin Tendulkar or Brian Lara? "I
never compare batsmen," Vivian Richards replied.
NEW
DELHI: Another day, another time, this might have been an explosive
disclosure. But even today it's quite a story. It relates to a dismissal
of Sir Vivian Richards ("just call me Viv"), who was the Guest Editor
for Times Sports on Thursday.
Some will still recall the famous episode in which he broke down a door after being dismissed at Delhi's Feroz Shah Kotla during an India-West Indies Test in 1983.
Richards recounted, "Someone called me up the night before in the hotel. It was an anonymous call. He said, 'Mr Richards? You don't know me but if I were you tomorrow I'd be careful of (the umpire). The next day, I got hit on the pads. The ball wouldn't have hit another set (of stumps). Kapil just sort of went 'aah' (gesticulating disappointment) and I was given out. I couldn't believe it when I saw the finger going up. You never heard about match-fixing and all that stuff so I don't know what was going on then."
Richards still has the trademark swagger that intimidated opponents and electrified audiences the world over. But he doesn't chew gum anymore.
He looks as broad-shouldered and athletic as in his heyday, and you half-expect him to pick up a bat and start swinging. These days, though, the original Master Blaster prefers to watch from the sidelines and dispense his considerable wisdom on the game.
Who was the hardest bowler to face? "Jeff Thompson," he replied unhesitatingly. "He was seriously fast, had this slingy action and kept the ball concealed till almost the last moment. But he was never overtly aggressive, unlike Dennis Lillee, who was in your face all the time, no matter what your score or the match situation."
Whom does he rate as the greater batsman, Sachin Tendulkar or Brian Lara? "I never compare batsmen," he replied. "But it has been a privilege to watch both of them and see what they have accomplished. And don't forget Ricky Ponting." And which does he rate as his finest innings. He looks you straight in the eye and replies, with quiet pride, "Never going to apartheid-era South Africa."
Some will still recall the famous episode in which he broke down a door after being dismissed at Delhi's Feroz Shah Kotla during an India-West Indies Test in 1983.
Richards recounted, "Someone called me up the night before in the hotel. It was an anonymous call. He said, 'Mr Richards? You don't know me but if I were you tomorrow I'd be careful of (the umpire). The next day, I got hit on the pads. The ball wouldn't have hit another set (of stumps). Kapil just sort of went 'aah' (gesticulating disappointment) and I was given out. I couldn't believe it when I saw the finger going up. You never heard about match-fixing and all that stuff so I don't know what was going on then."
Richards still has the trademark swagger that intimidated opponents and electrified audiences the world over. But he doesn't chew gum anymore.
He looks as broad-shouldered and athletic as in his heyday, and you half-expect him to pick up a bat and start swinging. These days, though, the original Master Blaster prefers to watch from the sidelines and dispense his considerable wisdom on the game.
Who was the hardest bowler to face? "Jeff Thompson," he replied unhesitatingly. "He was seriously fast, had this slingy action and kept the ball concealed till almost the last moment. But he was never overtly aggressive, unlike Dennis Lillee, who was in your face all the time, no matter what your score or the match situation."
Whom does he rate as the greater batsman, Sachin Tendulkar or Brian Lara? "I never compare batsmen," he replied. "But it has been a privilege to watch both of them and see what they have accomplished. And don't forget Ricky Ponting." And which does he rate as his finest innings. He looks you straight in the eye and replies, with quiet pride, "Never going to apartheid-era South Africa."
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