Cricket at ITS BEST – THE VIVIAN RICHARDS SPECIAL – MASTER BLASTER

[ehteshamul]

THE VIVIAN RICHARDS SPECIAL -THE ONE AND ONLY SIR VIVIAN RICHARDS – MASTER BLASTER

There are probably few cricketers who belong to the elite class of all time greats.

Richards is definitely one of them others being the great Don, Sir Gary Sobers, Dennis Lille and Shane Warne.

Richards was chosen in 2000 by a 100-member panel of experts as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Century . The others were Sir Donald Bradman ,Sir Garfield Sobers Sir Jack Hobbs and Shane Warne .

Another poll in 2004 by ESPN represented by 15 leading cricketers voted Richards as the third greatest ever player after Bradman and Sobers, and the second greatest ever batsman after Bradman.

One other study in 2006 by CricInfo chose Richards as the greatest ODI Batsman ever.

Richards is also the holder of one of the four non-English cricketers to have scored 100 first-class centuries, the others are Australian Donald Bradman, New Zealander Glenn Turner and Pakistani Zaheer Abbas.

He possessed devastating power and could destroy any bowler no matter how fast he bowled or how good the ball spun. It seemed he could see the ball as big as a balloon and dispatch it arrogantly to all parts of the ground with consummate ease.

In his era he probably faced the most formidable and fearsome bowling attacks of all time – Lillie, Thomson, Pascoe, Walker, Gilmour, Snow, Imran, Kapil to name a few but treated all like a schoolboy and never woe a helmet.

One can write on and on about Richards. But this is a post and I want to stop here as far as text part of the thread is concerned.

Time now to see some of his incredible knocks that transcends time.

Below are Video highlights of some of his great knocks/innings:

Vivian Richards against England

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SK_n5le73LE

Vivian Richards vs Australia, First Innings, Adelaide 1980

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H75lTJujKxE

Cricket Classics 3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9lRNXqtLpA&feature=related

Richard is married with two children from Wife Mariam. One of his children Mali Richards played first class cricket.

He also had a sweet romance with Bolywood Acress Neena Gupta. He also has a daughter from Neena named Masaba.

Here is a rare Interview of Neena Gupta.

Interview with Neena Gupta

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlv1jlH17II&feature=related

Let us all salute to Sir Vivian Richards for all that he has given to cricket all over world.

I hope readers will like this thread.

Cheers!

[Rifat]

thanks for the videos ehteshamul bhai :)

[ehteshamul]

thanks for the videos ehteshamul bhai :)

Hello Rifat Bhaiyya,

Thanks for your appreciation of the Video Highlights

Cheers!


Robin

[Tigers_eye]

One man who was immune to pressure. The only thing he could do is inflict pressure on opponents.
In his era he probably faced the most formidable and fearsome bowling attacks of all time – Lillie, Thomson, Pascoe, Walker, Gilmour, Snow, Imran, Kapil to name a few but treated all like a schoolboy and never woe a helmet.
Cause he had faced better bowlers in the nets (where the ball mercilessly bounced) without the helmet. lol.

Roberts, Holding, Garner, Croft, Marshall just name few. Once holding said in an interview that "if you think we bowl fast in the matches, come see us in the nets. We don't hold anything back there. That is how we prepare our batsmen."
+++
RIchards trade mark was his chewing gum. He also never backed down on any bowler. Once in an interview he said something in line that when the bowlers tried to intimidate him (lol) he would keep starring at them until the bowler walked off. As such he would play mind games with the bowlers. :)

Thanks for the thread. See my Fav player?

[ehteshamul]

One man who was immune to pressure. The only thing he could do is inflict pressure on opponents.

Cause he had faced better bowlers in the nets (where the ball mercilessly bounced) without the helmet. lol.

Roberts, Holding, Garner, Croft, Marshall just name few. Once holding said in an interview that "if you think we bowl fast in the matches, come see us in the nets. We don't hold anything back there. That is how we prepare our batsmen."
+++
RIchards trade mark was his chewing gum. He also never backed down on any bowler. Once in an interview he said something in line that when the bowlers tried to intimidate him (lol) he would keep starring at them until the bowler walked off. As such he would play mind games with the bowlers. :)

Thanks for the thread. See my Fav player?

Hello Mizan Bhai,

Thanks for your invaluable inputs. It has added great value to the thread.

I hope to see others contribute as well.

Cheers!

Robn.

[bujhee kom]

these are awesome viv richards clips robin bhaiya! classics! much thanks!

west indies during the time of viv richards, joel garner, clive loyd, ritchi richardson, michael holding, greenidge, jeff dujon, malcolm marshall, wayne daniel, roberts was even bigger and more powerful than the 2000's australia (according to my book/mind), ruthless, clinical, one team show/action!
man, i miss the west indies team of that decade!
alvin kalicharan although a bit older generation was a legend!
i remember malcolm marshall, this stocky short dude used to make english batsmen run away from their crease/batting stance! joel garner was like this huge 7 foot tall zombie (no offence intended, only genuine respect in mind) guy who wouldn't even do a run up, he would litterally do a very slow walk up and bowl with 90+ mph and boy bouncer after bouncer! man those west-indies legendery bowlers were scary!

[Tigers_eye]

QUIZ:

Even at 55 if someone has a six pack... what was he like when he was 25 or 30?

http://www.cricinfo.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/64300/64360.jpg

Viv Richards smiles after facing the first ball of the Stanford 20/20 tournament from Alan Stanford himself, Standford 20/20, Antigua, July 11, 2006 (You know where the ball went :) )

http://www.cricinfo.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/64500/64545.jpg

Sobers (left), Richards (middle). 2006.

By the way, March 7 was his birthday.

[ehteshamul]

QUIZ:

Even at 55 if someone has a six pack... what was he like when he was 25 or 30?

http://www.cricinfo.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/64300/64360.jpg

Viv Richards smiles after facing the first ball of the Stanford 20/20 tournament from Alan Stanford himself, Standford 20/20, Antigua, July 11, 2006 (You know where the ball went :) )

http://www.cricinfo.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/64500/64545.jpg

Sobers (left), Richards (middle). 2006.

By the way, March 7 was his birthday.

Great and unique photos.

I appreciate your inputs.

Thanks and cheers!

[ehteshamul]

these are awesome viv richards clips robin bhaiya! classics! much thanks!

west indies during the time of viv richards, joel garner, clive loyd, ritchi richardson, michael holding, greenidge, jeff dujon, malcolm marshall, wayne daniel, roberts was even bigger and more powerful than the 2000's australia (according to my book/mind), ruthless, clinical, one team show/action!
man, i miss the west indies team of that decade!
alvin kalicharan although a bit older generation was a legend!
i remember malcolm marshall, this stocky short dude used to make english batsmen run away from their crease/batting stance! joel garner was like this huge 7 foot tall zombie (no offence intended, only genuine respect in mind) guy who wouldn't even do a run up, he would litterally do a very slow walk up and bowl with 90+ mph and boy bouncer after bouncer! man those west-indies legendery bowlers were scary!

Hello Bujhee Kom Bhaiyya,

Thanks for your appreciation and inputs.

Cheers!

[Tigers_eye]

You are welcome Robn bhaia. In the first photo did you notice the shoes? Pure Comedy!!

He is among the best of all time. Bradman was an anomaly. Sobers was too talented. And Viv was a freak.

We all know Lloyd was one of the best captains of all time along side Imran. But get this: Richards as a captain never lost a series. Home or away!! Nada, zero!! Ofcourse the team was filled with superstars but managing egos, I'd take to be very difficult. That is why World XI always loses badly against Australia even thoug the talent may be better.

[ehteshamul]

You are welcome Robn bhaia. In the first photo did you notice the shoes? Pure Comedy!!

He is among the best of all time. Bradman was an anomaly. Sobers was too talented. And Viv was a freak.

We all know Lloyd was one of the best captains of all time along side Imran. But get this: Richards as a captain never lost a series. Home or away!! Nada, zero!! Ofcourse the team was filled with superstars but managing egos, I'd take to be very difficult. That is why World XI always loses badly against Australia even thoug the talent may be better.

Hello Mizan Bhaiyya,

Yes, the shoes of Richards in the Photo is indeed looking very funny and unrichard like (LOL!).

Great observations about Richards and other greats.

Please feel free to add any interesting things that you can recall and contribute here on Richards. Others are also welcome. It will help to make the thread and posting more enriched.

Thanks and Cheers!