On Sunday last at the Wanderers cricket ground in South Africa, AB de Villiers left an indelible mark in the history of One Day cricket.Like a dentist working on decaying teeth, the world's best one-day artist repeatedly blasted the hapless West Indian bowlers into the stands 16 times with staggering improvisation.Captain Jason Holder conceded 91 runs in nine overs–the proverbial lamb put to slaughter.
One-day records fell at the wayside as AB smashed the fastest ever one-day hundred (31 balls) to propel the South Africans to the second highest ever total (439) in one-day cricket.What a tragedy for West Indian cricket fans. Did AB de Villiers (149 off 44 balls) craft the greatest ever one-day innings in the history of international cricket.?
On May 31, 1984, at Old Trafford, Manchester, Viv Richards smoked the English bowlers to all parts of the ground–many of his shots in that unforgettable innings of 189 off 170 balls (21 fours, 5 sixes) turned the English fielders into stone.The "massacre at Manchester" has been regarded as the greatest ever one-day innings. Has the "walloping at Wanderers" eclipsed the Manchester innings of Viv Richards?
How the tide has turned for the fortunes of West Indies cricket over the last two decades.One of the English bowlers, Derek Pringle, who faced the wrath of Viv Richards on that fateful day in May 1984, was quoted: "He was a batsman who wanted to hurt you with extreme prejudice."It is now that West Indians are feeling the deep hurt.
Viv Richards' one-man war vs England at Old Trafford in 1984 would be forever etched in the journals of world cricket history.
Reza Abasali
El Socorro