KALLICHARRAN TAMES THE TIGER
Kennington Oval, London • 14 June 1975
The clash everyone looked
forward to in the 1975 World Cup was the one between Australia and the West
Indies. They were the best teams at the time and were battling hard to gain the
initiative in Group B. Both sides had impressive bowling line-ups, and the
batsmen found runs hard to come by. That was till Alvin Kallicharran strode
into the arena.
The pacemen had enjoyed themselves for much of the Australian innings.
Rick McCosker went to the third ball of the day, caught off his gloves at
backward short-leg as a Bernard Julien snorter took off from a length. Soon
Andy Roberts and Keith Boyce got among the wickets, and Australia slid to 61
for five. Ross Edwards, showing fine form, and Rodney Marsh arrested the slide
with a 99-run partnership, but all that the Aussies could manage was 192 in
53.4 overs.
The West Indies lost Gordon Greenidge at 29, and that was when
Kallicharran took over the match. Kallicharran is Rohan Kanhai's cousin, and
was often dubbed as the left-handed version of the former captain. Both
diminutive and superb strokemakers, they could be astonishing on their day.
Kallicharran also possesses an effervescent outgoing personality, and was
always a likely candidate to be a crowd favourite.
Kallicharran's silken smooth strokes were in evidence right from the
start. The elegant left-hander took the attack to the Aussies. He was
particularly severe on Dennis 'Tiger' Lillee. The great paceman was left
bewildered as he had rarely been treated with such disdain. As Kallicharran
waded into him, Lillee bowled faster, only to be hit harder by the little man.
He brought the house down in the 31st over, hammering four
fours off a fuming Lillee. In his next over Kallicharran hit a huge six high up
above long-leg. In an exhilarating sequence, Kallicharran smashed
4.4.4.4.4.1.4.6.0.4 – 35 runs off 10 deliveries from the paceman. Lillee was at
his wits' end. When he pitched up, Kallicharran was on to it like lightning and
driving through the covers. If he tried to bounce, Kalli would hook fiercely.
To use Dennis Compton's words: "The short-pitched balls held no terrors
for the West Indian. He got on to the back foot and right behind the line and
hooked them mercilessly".
Kallicharran raced to 78 off 83 balls with 14 fours and a six in an hour
and three-quarters. He had put on 124 for the second wicket with Roy Fredericks
when he finally mishooked a bumper from Lillee and was caught at mid-wicket.
Lillee eventually had his revenge but it was too late as the West Indies were
already on the road to victory, and his own analysis in shambles. Fredericks
fell soon after but Vivian Richards and Kanhai saw the side to victory. Lillee
finished with one for 66 off 10 overs.
It was a
brilliant display by Kallicharran, worth going miles to see. Those who saw it
or heard about it on the radio, shall never forget the excitement.
(Author Indra
Vikram Singh can be contacted on email singh_iv@hotmail.com).
The Big Book of World Cup Cricket 1975-2011
ISBN 978-81-901668-4-3
Distributed in India by Variety Book Depot, Connaught
Place, New Delhi, Phones + 91 11 23417175, 23412567
Available in leading bookshops, and online on several
websites.
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