10 Comments

I was fortunate enough to spend a few hours drinking with Viv and Dean Jones in the Hyatt in Delhi about 8-10 years back.

Viv tolerated us fanboys pestering him with inane questions all night, and we saw a new side of Deano, who hitherto had lived up to his reputation for arrogance among our cohort of expat cricket tragics, as he became the self deprecating second fiddle to the Master Blaster.

One of my fondest memories.

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Just as you did previously with that photo of Warney, I enjoy these posts in which you analyse a photo and uncover things that would otherwise remain hidden, Gideon. In many ways, despite the fearsome and towering nature of the Windies' bowling attacks, IVA was the most intimidating figure in the side.

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I had the pleasure of travel with Mark Ray on some wonderful and exotic cricket tours. As a former captain of Tasmania turned cricket writer Mark had unparalleled behind the scenes access. This is a unique cricket book!

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Nothing more exhilarating as a 6 and then 11 year old to see v. Richards rule the roost of what was supposed to be a pecking order……just strode around irrespective of conditions and never a doubt in his ability to determine the competition to his will. He backed it up as well. And I was constantly devastated but with so much admiration.

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Time for vital pedantry:

"We were so resigned to defeat that Australia declined to tour the Caribbean for more than a decade."

Since the first tour in 54/55 Australia have never gone more than 10 years without a test tour of the West Indies and at the time the gap between the tours that bracketed 88/89 was 7 years (Early '84 to early '91). Between 1972 and 2015 that was the only time the gap was more than 4 years.

/pointless pedantry

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I have a book of the 1991 series. Australia was valiant. Mark Taylor in his pomp was hooking opening bowlers. I wouldn’t have known the tour was on as a 12 yo back then otherwise. This is a long forgotten but important tour. Wasn’t dean jones run out off a noball???? And was this the tour ab hit a half track double bounce noball for four????? Can’t recall forgive any error.

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Jones was given out (incorrectly) when bowled off a no ball and leaving the crease thinking he was out. Yes AB did his a six off an off track double bouncer, I think in a one dayer. My recollection was he said Richards was pissed off about it. There is great photo of it somewhere (the shot, not Viv being pissed). I was only just about to turn 13 myself and it wasn't on telly. I'd have got most of this from Rod Nicholsons tour book.

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We must be alike in that way. I was born 78…..I recall seeing the vision of it somewhere but yes possibly read about it. Awesome memories. 1991 was my first year of playing proper red leather ball cricket.

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Eh. Just realised there is a book by a Roland Fishman. That’s not the book I have.

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Calypso Cricket, I do have it. For reason I can't really articulate properly I don't like it. Something about the tone. From memory the author wasn't a cricket person and he gonzoed the book a bit, which doesn't mix.

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