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Sir Vivian
"Wisden Cricket Monthly" announced in May 1999 that Vivian Richards had been voted the best international cricketer of the past 25 years by his peers. Ian Botham came second and Shane Warne third. Both of them voted for Viv Richards. The most compelling and exciting batsman in the modern game, Viv Richards played for the West Indies from 1974 to 1991. He took over the captaincy from Clive Lloyd in 1985 and under his leadership West Indies became the most feared team in the world, the irresistible force of the international game. Now, seven years after his retirement from the game, Viv Richards can tell his story without fear or favour for the first time. From the early years in Antigua and as a teenager in the West Country, the story continues with the humiliation of West Indies at the hand of pace bowlers Jeff Thomson and Dennis Lillee and charts the successful remoulding of the West Indians into the team that dominated world cricket for nearly 20 years.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 24, 2020
Walking out to bat,Viv Richards had a characteristic swagger.He was among the most destructive batsmen cricket in cricket history.No less a bowler than Imran Khan acknowledged that Richards could butcher bowlers.
He was nicknamed Smokin' Joe for his resemblance to heavyweight champion,Joe Frazier.He came from the Caribbean island of Antigua.When he was 17,he was actually banned from cricket in the West Indies for two years after an incident in an inter island match.
Luckily for cricket fans,he staged a comeback.
The West Indies dominated world cricket from the mid 1970s through the mid 1990s.
While the West Indian battery of fearsome fast bowlers terrorized the opposition's batsmen,Richards did the same to opposing bowlers.
Highly unorthodox as a batsman,he relied on a quick eye and sharp reflexes to destroy bowlers.His batting style was not to be found in any coaching manual.The other outstanding West Indian batsmen of that era,including Gordon Greenidge, were totally overshadowed by him.
He also captained the West Indies for a good long while,during their decade and a half of domination of international cricket.
He always made it a point never to use a protective helmet.It was as if he was daring the opposition bowlers to hit him on the head and they never succeeded.
He helped the West Indies win two World Cups,playing a memorable innings in the 1979 final.In 1983,his complacency cost them a third,as he got out to a rash shot chasing an easy target, and they threw away a winning position against India.
West Indies completely dominated Australia and England during those years as Richards plundered runs at will.The book mostly focuses on those series.
Pakistan offered them resistance,but there is no mention of that in the book.That is a glaring omission as those series from 1986-90 were fiercely contested.Pakistan should have won in 1988,but for some dubious umpiring.
There is also a good deal about Richards' career in English county cricket with Somerset,and his friendship with that controversial character,Ian Botham.
Also included is his involvement with Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket,when virtually the entire West Indies team defected to play for Packer rather than the West Indies.
The book itself is not particularly well written,and Richards is too full of himself.He was always a cocky character.
The book is nowhere near as entertaining as his batting.Still,it brought back memories of his breathtaking,audacious strokeplay.
He was nicknamed Smokin' Joe for his resemblance to heavyweight champion,Joe Frazier.He came from the Caribbean island of Antigua.When he was 17,he was actually banned from cricket in the West Indies for two years after an incident in an inter island match.
Luckily for cricket fans,he staged a comeback.
The West Indies dominated world cricket from the mid 1970s through the mid 1990s.
While the West Indian battery of fearsome fast bowlers terrorized the opposition's batsmen,Richards did the same to opposing bowlers.
Highly unorthodox as a batsman,he relied on a quick eye and sharp reflexes to destroy bowlers.His batting style was not to be found in any coaching manual.The other outstanding West Indian batsmen of that era,including Gordon Greenidge, were totally overshadowed by him.
He also captained the West Indies for a good long while,during their decade and a half of domination of international cricket.
He always made it a point never to use a protective helmet.It was as if he was daring the opposition bowlers to hit him on the head and they never succeeded.
He helped the West Indies win two World Cups,playing a memorable innings in the 1979 final.In 1983,his complacency cost them a third,as he got out to a rash shot chasing an easy target, and they threw away a winning position against India.
West Indies completely dominated Australia and England during those years as Richards plundered runs at will.The book mostly focuses on those series.
Pakistan offered them resistance,but there is no mention of that in the book.That is a glaring omission as those series from 1986-90 were fiercely contested.Pakistan should have won in 1988,but for some dubious umpiring.
There is also a good deal about Richards' career in English county cricket with Somerset,and his friendship with that controversial character,Ian Botham.
Also included is his involvement with Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket,when virtually the entire West Indies team defected to play for Packer rather than the West Indies.
The book itself is not particularly well written,and Richards is too full of himself.He was always a cocky character.
The book is nowhere near as entertaining as his batting.Still,it brought back memories of his breathtaking,audacious strokeplay.
December 31, 2021
One of the greatest cricketers. A great batman. A great captain. The West Indies was a formidable team in the eighties, with a great line up of players. We learn a lot about the batmen. Good insight and nice read. If you cricket, you will love this book.
November 15, 2024
The tale of this “adopted Welshman (his words not mine) was great when focussed on his early life and cricket. The book lost its way in the last 3 or 4 chapters that focussed on wider issues in the sport.
September 17, 2023
Most interesting when considering Richards's county career with Somerset. Overall a decent read and quite revealing about the man.
November 30, 2011
Being a somewhat recent follower of cricket, I found this book very entertaining without going into the sometimes complexity's of the game.
The book takes the standard cronolgical approach in telling Sir Viv's life so far, but what made this book so enjoyable were the stories and the easy way in which he tells them, you can tell he had so much enjoyment in his time playing county cricket in the UK, and the exploits and tales of "after" the matches, make him very approachable and entertaining.
If like me you are new to this wonderful game, you would not go far wrong in reading this book and get to know why these people enjoy the game so much.
The book takes the standard cronolgical approach in telling Sir Viv's life so far, but what made this book so enjoyable were the stories and the easy way in which he tells them, you can tell he had so much enjoyment in his time playing county cricket in the UK, and the exploits and tales of "after" the matches, make him very approachable and entertaining.
If like me you are new to this wonderful game, you would not go far wrong in reading this book and get to know why these people enjoy the game so much.
December 31, 2014
This is a pretty nice book where Viv gives a vivid account of his rise in cricket. He emphasizes his friendship with Ian Botham and his appreciation of Brian Close in his formative years as a batsman. He also writes about his duels with Dennis Lilee and Thompson.
September 17, 2012
Someone who made batting look easy
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews