Richard
Cricket Web Staff Member
West Indies circa 1968-1973 (when they won just 2 Tests in 6 series, the last 3 home ones against India, New Zealand and Australia) were not remotely as good as South Africa circa 1969/70. It's very possible, probable IMO, that that South African team was the greatest ever assembled.
West Indies might have retained excellent batsmen (Fredericks, Kanhai, Sobers, Lloyd), but their only passable bowler of the time was Vanburn Holder, a decent, middle-of-the-road Test bowler who wasn't a patch on his predecessors Hall and Griffith (who had both waned significantly by '68 and '69). Lance Gibbs wasn't the force he once had been either, nor Sobers, and the rest of the attack was made-up of the likes of David Holford, Lester King, "Prof" Edwards, John Shepherd, Grayson Shillingford, Arthur Barrett, Jack Noreiga, Inshan Ali, Uton Dowe, Tony Howard, Raphick Jumadeen and Elquemendo Willett. Outstanding bowlers none.
Compare this to Pollock, Procter, Goddard, Trimborn, Lance and Barlow. No comparison.
West Indies might have retained excellent batsmen (Fredericks, Kanhai, Sobers, Lloyd), but their only passable bowler of the time was Vanburn Holder, a decent, middle-of-the-road Test bowler who wasn't a patch on his predecessors Hall and Griffith (who had both waned significantly by '68 and '69). Lance Gibbs wasn't the force he once had been either, nor Sobers, and the rest of the attack was made-up of the likes of David Holford, Lester King, "Prof" Edwards, John Shepherd, Grayson Shillingford, Arthur Barrett, Jack Noreiga, Inshan Ali, Uton Dowe, Tony Howard, Raphick Jumadeen and Elquemendo Willett. Outstanding bowlers none.
Compare this to Pollock, Procter, Goddard, Trimborn, Lance and Barlow. No comparison.
