On Viv
Richards - His greatest influence:
I would be batting because obviously Gordon is out early, and Viv
would walk to the crease, we are playing against I mean quick bowlers,
and you are saying to yourself " you don't really want to upset quick
bowlers, do you"??? You know.
Viv would walk out to the crease, Leg !!! " Hold on man , what's wrong
with you, take your time man!!! And I say to myself that "I would do
that too but I am going to be off the mark first, you know". But Viv
is so confident as a person, he never used to worry about you know if
he is of the mark or whatever.
Viv Richards taught me that "when you go to the crease, you are in
total control of the situation, everything that's around you is
secondary, and Viv is through to the crease, not off the mark yet, you
look around realizing that, hooo! how dare you to bowl short at me so
I don't care anyway, you are here. Yes Dessie !!!!. Off the mark and
Viv is on his way, I saw that man, hook, cut, pull, some of the
quickest bowlers in the world.
When you talk about playing fast bowling, I think the person you got
to look at, you'll have to look at Viv. I don't believe that Viv is
used to play fast bowling, Viv used to demoralize fast bowling.
Viv had a sort of aura, where that Viv used to have this sort of body
language that'll say to you " Eey man! I am the king out here, how
dare you bowl short at me."
© Sharp Focus Ltd 1999