Read the article of Australia vs West Indies 4th Match Benson & Hedges World Series Cup 1979/80 - Benson & Hedges World Series Cup one-day international tournament of the 4th ODI match played between West Indies and Australia at Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney in 09th December 1979.
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| Viv Richards plays a shot © SMH / REUTERS |
Majestic Viv Richards' record-breaking 153* and Desmond Haynes' superb 80 sets up to West Indies' record 80-run victory over Australia and keep their campaign alive in fourth match of a Benson and Hedges World Series Cup.
Match Stats :
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WEST INDIES scored 271/2 (48 overs) with top scorer by Viv Richards*
153 off (130) - which was his 3rd ODI hundred and Desmond Haynes 80 (122)
Australia best bowler by Dennis Lillee 1/48 (10) and Jeff Thomson 1/43 (8)
AUSTRALIA scored 191/8 (48 overs) with top scorer by Allan Border 44 (58) and Greg Chappell 31 (21)
West Indies best bowler by Michael Holding 2/29 (10) and Collis King 2/40 (10)
This match reported by Brian Mossop (Third Party Reference from SMH)
Richards blazed an unbeaten 153 to set up comfortable win for his team in the limited-over international watched by an enthralled crowd of 39183.
Inspired by the flashing bat of the 29-vear-old Antiguan, the West Indies hammeied 271 runs for the loss of only two wickets in 48 overs to set Australia a near impossible target.
Australia, then struggled to 191-8 to lose the game by 80 runs, left-hander Allan Border top-scoring with 44.
Richards will be remembered long after the result is forgotten: it was an innings of absolute authority by a master batsman over some of the game's finest howlers.
And it is all the more remarkable that he, was playing on one leg, against medical advice.
Richards should not have played in the first Test in Brisbane because of a painful and restricting right hip injury. But he did, and he scored 140.
But that paled into insignificance alongside his power-laden innings yesterday — one made possible only because the West Indies felt they needed him in the side to ensure victory.
How right they were! Richards was flown to Melbourne front Sydney where he wi►s to have nad a fortnight's intensive treatment in a 'hid to get him fully fit.
,He had two injections on Friday and refused another before batting yesterday. His treatment will continue today.
Richards, a quiet man off the field, despite his explosive qualities at the wicket, refused to become carried away by his blazing knock. "I wouldn't really rate it," he said. "I'm just happy we won and that I contributed. "Today is history. You have got to look torward all the time. In the one-day game the main thing is attack.
Greg Chappell, the Australian captain. was full of praise for Richards' match-winning innings. "Viv couldn't play any better," Chappell said. "It would have to be close to the best innings I have seen in a one-day game. That sort of controlled aggression is very hard to combat."
Richards does not intend playing again until the West Indies play a one-day match against Australia in Sydney on December 21. "It's the battlefield and I want to take part," Richards said of love playing, but I think I need the rest as well."
As Deryck Murray. the West Indies captain said: "We have to start thinking of putting Viv in cotton wool.
Even if he did not lift a bat again in this series, the outstanding moment of this summer would be Richards' savage destruction of the Australian attack.
He cut, pulled, hooked and drove — hardly a textbook shot escaped his repertoire. And there were some that do not even appear in the textbook.
One such shot was when he danced down the wicket to speedster Rodney Hogg, checked himself in mid-preparation for a drive, then pulled the ball to the fence.
Even on a beautiful batting wicket it takes a player of extraordinary ability to treat a top fast bowler with that sort of disdain.
But Richards is such an extraordinary batsman. He faced only 131 balls in 174 minutes and his 153 included 16 fours and a six, struck off Border high over the mid-on fence.
It seems almost incidental that Richards shared a second-wicket stand of 205 in 146 minutes with opener Desmond Haynes batted superbly, showing great control in a splendid knock of 80. But, unhappily for him, he was completely overshadowed by the greatness of his partner.
Richards laboured under difficulties in the latter stages of his innings, but reached 151 before giving the hint of a chance — a catch put down at deep mid-on by Chappell off Hogg.
Hogg went wicketless but bowled well despite figures of 50 runs otf 10 overs and it was disturbing to hear Chappell mention that Hogg is in some doubt for Tuesday's limited-over international against England in Sydney.
The Australians got through only 48 overs in their three and a half hours in the field, but fines for slow-over rates have been waived for the next few matches.
But the Australians did so much leather-chasing that 50 overs were virtually impossible. Australia were never in the hunt chasing the biggest one-day total that Chappell has ever faced, and the only resistance was from Chappell and Border, who added 77 runs tor the third wicket.
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