How did this happen? Viv Richards is 60. There were parties in Antigua to celebrate.
One of the great showmen, nobody ever dominated a match –or a whole ground - like Sir Vivian.
At Lords this would start even before play began; he was the last to walk the length of the field on his way to the nets at the Nursery End, swirling his bat.
To reinforce the point he could sometimes, just a few minutes later, be the first one back, alone; he only needed a bit of a loosener.
It is salutary to remember now that on his first representative trip to England, for the 1975 World Cup, he failed to impress with the bat: just another over-hyped youngster, some said, saved by his performance in the field (especially in that heart-stopping final). West Indies management had to justify their faith to the press – an English hopeful would have been sent away to prove his worth in the county game until he matured.
But next year, Richards was back, to prove his point & justify the faith of the selectors. Helped only a little bit by English pitches so dry & sere from the drought that they seemed to favour the visitors rather than the home team.
