40th anniversary of greatest turn-around in West Indies cricket history - Best achievement?

[Harsh Thakor]

40 years ago in from January 26-30th in 1980 with a thumping 408 run win at Adelaide West Indies defined a new era in their cricket history.For the 1st time they were crowned the undisputed champions of test cricket.In the past they were a bunch of highly talented individuals but it was in the late 1970's that they bound themselves in a cohesive unit to emerge as champion team.Defeating Australia on their home soil took West Indian cricket to to its pinnacle of glory with Australia just comprehensively trouncing England by a 3-0 margin.The body language of the West Indies cricketers on the field told it all.Their pace bowlers took agression in sport to its crescendo resembling an army seeking revenge.I just cannot forget the sight of the quartet thundering in like lightning being struck.

The architects of this great turning point were Andy Roberts and Clive Lloyd,who delivered the final knockout punch.On the 1st day Lloyd made a spectacular return to form with a blistering 121.He executed some of the most dazzling strokes with one boundary even surpassing the domination of Sir Viv Richards on the same day.It was reminiscent of an emperor ressurecting himself on the battlefield to attain glory,similar to Muhammad Ali.Lloyd treated the likes of Dennis Lillee with sheer disdain taking strokeplay to regions of the sublime.It enabled West Indies to reach a competitive total of 328.

The next day Andy Roberts bowled what were arguably the 2 best successive deliveries in test cricket giving a perfect illustration to why he was dubbed as 'the silent asassin.'Storming in he resembled a tiger prowling and stealthily attacking its prey.Ist he removed Ian Chappell with a snorter rising from a good length to be caught after a succession of deliveries with disconcerting bounce. The next ball again rose up alarmingly to have Greg Chappell hopping and fending of a catch to gully.I just don have an adjective to describe the elation in the West Indies camp who liked like a new spirit was infused into them and were on the verge of acheiving untold glory.2 of the greatest batsmen of the last decade were dismissed with pace bowling artistry taken to heights of the sublime.Ian Chappell was the best batsmen of his era in a crisis while brother Greg was arguably the closest to the perfect batsmen.Andy had laid the base for the attack to deliver a final knockout blow and roll over the opposition.It is difficult to even conceive a pace bowler today surpassing Andy's skill with the bouncing ball.Those deliveries were testimony of why he was ranked as the hardest pace bowler to face in his time.The West Indies went on to run through the rest of the Aussie batting line up to skittle them for 200.In the 2nd innings their batsmen went on barrage to give a target of 573 runs to win .The West Indies pace bowlers demolished the Aussie batting line in the 2nd innings with the impact of a bomber attacking an airbase.There could never have been a more ample illustration of a tiger going for the kill.

In that series and test West Indies took spirit of vengeance to its boiling point after its 5-1 humiliation in Australia in 1975-76.It was reminiscent of an army avenging defeat in a battle with the players looking like an army batallion determined to seek revenge from an enemy.Cllive Lloyd had marvellously united a bunch of scattered talent like an Army rising like a phoenix from the Ashes.Viv Richards was simply in another league being the outstanding batsmen in the series .Colin Croft was the most successful bowler.In my view this win was the best achievement ever of West Indies in a test series if you consider the opposition.Clive Lloyd must be given credit for garnering all his resources so methodically.

Even if overall out performed by other stars it was fitting that it Was Clive Lloyd and Andy Roberts who defined the moments when West Inside cricket reached its pinnacle.Even with Viv Richards ,Michael Holding or Joel Garner at their best in the crux situation they were overshadowed by Lloyd and Andy who took agression and craftsmanship to its ultimate height.The cricket world can never forget the extent to which the pair lifted the face of West Indian cricket in the darkest waters.

Here is a youtube of what was arguably West Indies cricket most defining moment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6X611cmsV4c

 

[Junaids]

With respect, I disagree with your premise. And I say this is someone who lived through this period as an English schoolboy, bought CMJ’s book “Cricket Contest” documenting that southern summer, and who now lives in Australia.

You need to understand that everyone viewed the Packer SuperTests of 77-78, 78-79 and early ‘79 in the West Indies as legitimate Tests, and the “official” ICC series as bogus.

The first Packer series was won by the Windies, the second by the World Eleven and the series in the Caribbean was drawn 1-1.

This meant that the aura of Aussie superiority created by winning the Ashes 4-1 in 74-75 and by beating the West Indies 5-1 a year later had already been well and truly shattered.

In 78-79, TV ratings for the Packer SuperTests on average were five times higher than for the “official” home Ashes which Australia lost 5-1.

That had a triple effect: in Australia it de-legitimised the “official” ICC version of cricket and made Packer’s SuperTests featuring “the real team” seem legitimate. But in England and elsewhere, where the SuperTests were not broadcast, it made the public view Australia as no longer the champion team.

In my head, the 5-1 victory of Australia over the West Indies represented the final event in Australian Test superiority.

When Australia lost the 1977 Ashes 3-0 (before the Packer split) they lost any status as the champion Test team - the West Indies had won in England 3-0 a year earlier.

To me, the West Indies period of supremacy started either after their 3-0 win in England in summer 1976, or after Australia’s 3-0 loss there a year later.

The 1979-80 series just told us what we already knew - that Australia were not the champions any more.

But the SuperTests told us something else too.

Nine years after their official Test careers ended:

Barry Richards averaged 79 with the bat, having averaged 72 in Tests.

Mike Procter averaged 17 with the ball, having averaged 15 in Tests.

I think everyone understood that neither Australia nor the West Indies were the true champions - South Africa were. Which was really uncomfortable knowledge given the state of Apartheid at that time.