Barry Richards?

[SaeedAnwar]

Why did Barry Richards only play 4 international test matches? his average was 72, how is he ranked among all time batsmen?

also why was he kicked out of the South African team? was it because he was black?

[Prince EWS]

Originally Posted by SaeedAnwar

Why did Barry Richards only play 4 international test matches? also why was he kicked out of the South African team?

South Africa were banned from Test cricket for the majority of his career. He wasn't kicked out; they just weren't playing.

Originally Posted by SaeedAnwar

was it because he was black?

[Athlai]

Originally Posted by SaeedAnwar

Why did Barry Richards only play 4 international test matches? his average was 72, how is he ranked among all time batsmen?

also why was he kicked out of the South African team? was it because he was black?

Apartheid led to South Africa being banned from international cricket (as well as other sports).

[Teja.]

Originally Posted by SaeedAnwar

Why did Barry Richards only play 4 international test matches? his average was 72, how is he ranked among all time batsmen?

also why was he kicked out of the South African team? was it because he was black?

I apologize but I laughed out loud when I read this post.

[TT Boy]

Originally Posted by SaeedAnwar

Why did Barry Richards only play 4 international test matches? his average was 72, how is he ranked among all time batsmen?

also why was he kicked out of the South African team? was it because he was black?

**** me.

[Matt79]

Bit harsh, I've taken from some of his posts that Saeed's living in the States and perhaps has only recently developed an interest in the broader history of the game (SA - apologies if this is an incorrect surmise).

Richards was one of a number of wonderful South Africans whose test career was cut off at the knees by the politics of their government. It's a damn shame because they were probably the best team in the world at the time of their exclusion, and the matches we missed between them and the West Indies through the 70s and 80s would have been classics. Guys like Mike Procter (who would have been the best bowler out of the great allrounders of the 70s/80s), Clive Rice, etc make for great subjects of research to learn about the game. Even Graeme Pollock, although he got to play a bit more, had their career rudely curtailed.

Here's a nice article from Cricinfo on the last team SA fielded before they went into exile.

[popepouri]

Originally Posted by Matt79

Here's a nice article from Cricinfo on the last team SA fielded before they went into exile.

Such an awesome team. It had the bowling attack of P. Pollock, Proctor, Barlow and Goddard who were all allrounders.

[SaeedAnwar]

Originally Posted by Teja.

I apologize but I laughed out loud when I read this post.

why?

[archie mac]

Originally Posted by SaeedAnwar

why?

It just sounds strange for a question about BR being black, as SA at that time would not select any black players no matter their talent

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Originally Posted by Matt79

Here's a nice article from Cricinfo on the last team SA fielded before they went into exile.

Great article. Thanks for the link, Matt.

[SeamUp]

I know I might be biast because I am South African but what a team we would have had in the 70's and 80's. Since re-admission and twenty years onwards we have consistently been just behind Australia as the 2nd best side and even snuck ahead of them on ocassions but I really believe West Indies vs South Africa would have been a great battle in the 70's and 80's.

Our team going into the 70's would have lost only Trevor Goddard, Denis Lindsay and Peter Pollock probably. All 3 of whom were brilliant cricketers as well.

Probable team...

1. Barry Richards
2. Eddie Barlow (vc)
3. Peter Kirsten
4. Graeme Pollock
5. Lee Irvine
6. Clive Rice (c)
7. Mike Procter
8. Alan Kourie
9. Ray Jennings (+)
10. Garth Le Roux
11. Vincent Van der Bijl

In reserve there would have been Jimmy Cook who would have come in for Barlow when he retired. Ken McEwan would have come in for Lee Irvine.

In the bowling ranks Stephen Jefferies and the leg-spinner Denys Hobson would have been pushing for places as well.

[Matt79]

Australia of the 70s would have been the third top team. Obviously they were trounced in that last series vs SA, but once Lillee and Greg Chappell came into the team, and they weren't buggered from a tour of India immediately preceding, they would have had some magnificent battles vs that SA team.

[vic_orthdox]

For those who were around at the time, who was generally viewed as the greater batsman; Graeme Pollock or Barry Richards?

[SeamUp]

Originally Posted by vic_orthdox

For those who were around at the time, who was generally viewed as the greater batsman; Graeme Pollock or Barry Richards?

Many people could give you an argument for either being slightly better than the other. But I think Graeme Pollock would win this one to me.

Richards was a perfect technician...probably in the top 5 of all time in that regard. Brilliant player who due to his technique and range of strokes was so dominant whatever the situation.

With Graeme Pollock, he was never the perfect technician and still maintains that cricket is 'a see the ball hit the ball game'. Why I believe most think he is better is that you just have to watch clips of him bat. His cover drive was out of this world...you would see a gentle waft of the willow and the next minute the ball was thudding into the fence...I think dismissiveness of bowlers was what made him so special.

[wfdu_ben91]

Originally Posted by SaeedAnwar

also why was he kicked out of the South African team? was it because he was black?