Vivian Richards turns 72: A look at key accomplishments, stats of West Indies legend
Legendary West Indies batter Vivian Richards turned 72 on Thursday. On occasion of his birthday, let us look into the key accomplishments and statistics of Windies batting great.
Test career From 1974-1991, Richards represented Windies in 121 Tests, scoring 8.540 runs at an average of 50.23. He scored 24 centuries and 45 fifties in 182 innings, with his best score being 291. He is the third-highest run-scorer in Tests for West Indies.
ODI career Richards is one of those batters who revolutionised ODI cricket, hitting all the high-risk shots and aggressive runs when the world was still getting used to the shorter format. In 187 ODIs, he scored 6,721 runs at an average of 47.00, with 11 centuries and 45 fifties in 167 innings. His best score was 189* and his strike rate was 90.20. He is the fifth-highest run-getter for the Windies.
3.Winner of two World Cup titles Viv was a member of the West Indies teams who won the 1975 and 1979 Cricket World Cup titles. Though he did not do well in the 1975 WC, he scored 217 runs in the 1979 WC in four matches, including 138 against England in the final.
First batter with a Test century with 150+ SR Scoring a 58-ball 110* against England in 1986, with seven fours and seven sixes, Richards not only had the fastest Test century of that time in 56 balls, but also the first Test ton with a 150-plus SR, batting at an SR of 189.65.
First-ever player to score century, take five wickets in an ODI During an ODI against New Zealand in 1987, Richards became the first-ever cricketer to score a century (119) and take a five-wicket haul (5/41) in an ODI.
First-ever to complete a unique double Richards was also the first-ever player to complete a double of 1,000 runs and 50 wickets in ODI history. With 32 Test wickets and 118 ODI wickets as well, Richards was a true all-rounder.
ICC Hall of Famer Richards was inducted in the ICC Hall of Fame in 2009.