When Indians took WI bowlers more on bodies than bat

Sabina Park (West Indies): No test playing batsman in the world who has played cricket in 1970s or 1980s could ever forget the whizzing sound of red cherry hurled at them by the fearsome pace battery comprised of Holding , Roberts , Garner, Julien ,Holder and lately Marshal but Indians must have their worst memories inscribed in their minds what they faced at Sabina Park in West Indies in April, 1976.

The West Indians led by Clive Lloyd had come to this match with a vengeance after having lost the previous match when Indian scored 406 runs in the fourth innings. The injury was too deep for the lions who spared nothing to make Indian surrender before them owing to their thunderous bowling display.

It was the match and the series which later proved complete dominance of WI but not before they annihilated Indians. It is said that no single Indian batsman was there in the match who did not receive the blue sign of leather on his body.

Micheal Holding, the silent hurricane, had claimed seven wickets in the match and of course, a couple of batsmen on hospital stretcher.

The deadly match diaries-

Opting to field first, the West Indians had rather respectable total of 306 runs from the rivals . They replied by giving 85 runs lead with 391 runs on the board in their first innings. Indians started the second innings with a handicap of two Indian Aunshuman Gaekwad and Brijesh Patel injured. Anshuman, in fact, had to spent two nights in the hospital after being hit on the ears while Brijesh was hit on the mouth and had got stitches.

India thought to continue in the absence of two big batsmen but things went worse when Gundappa Viswanath came up with a broken finger of his right hand. Witnessing the mayhem, Indian skipper Bishan Bedi had to declare the innings prematurely apprehending his tailenders bowlers could receive fingers injury.

This was the series of injuries for Indians as Surinder Amarnath, part of 17-player team, had to undergo appendix operation during the game. Needless to say, Indian lost the match to injuries and WI bowlers.

Golden era of Cricket started for West Indies-

With India surrendering against them, West Indies had won the match and grabbed the series by 2-1. The series win marked the beginning of their rule in the World Cricket.

West Indies, who played India after 5-1 humiliation in Australia, did not look back until 1980.

West Indies players have shown their oodles of prowess and had defeated many big teams in the forthcoming games.

Well, it could also be said here that the golden era in Cricket for West Indies begin against India and also finished against the same, when Kapil Dev led Indian Cricket team thumped them in the final encounter of 1983 World Cup.

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