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The GREAT ANDY ROBERTS
It took an injury to Bernard Julien (who was about to make his own Test debut, by replacing the injured Boyce) to force the WI selectors to finally give him a chance. Even then, he was promptly dropped and had to make his name first in English County cricket, with lots of praise heaped on him by the English press, before the WI selectors showed confidence in him.
Roberts' class was immediately noted by the English in that single Test he played, and their recommendation got him into Hampshire.
We showed no confidence in our own, unless the Brits okayed it!
Dukesy bhai, looks like only you, me and a few Bajans still enjoy talking about cricket here. Everybody else obsessed with Trump.
In reply to Norm
Funny you should mention the slowness of the selectors in noting Roberts talents.I remember when the team for the English tour in 1973 was selected my club captain Leon Horatio said that they should have picked Andy Roberts and we did not agree because we felt that Boyce was a the man.Boyce did very well on that tour but Roberts signaled his intentions by hitting Steve Camacho in the face and effectively scared the isht out of him.Leon kept saying see I told you guys so.
Of course when I went to England in 1974 Andy was cleaning them up in County Cricket.Just before Clive was named captain.I remember him coming down to London and telling us an anecdote about Andy.He said Andy was breathing fire against Lancashire when he came in to bat and he managed to glide him down to fine leg and he was batting with Frank Hayes who immediately said two here to which Clive quickly shouted One.
In reply to Dukes
Hahahahaha! Clive was never stupid, man.
Andy and Clive apparently never got along well. It did not help that Clive allegedly got Andy dismissed for 90 odd, the best innings ever by Andy, in one of those Packer World Series Cricket matches in the Caribbean. Andy later allegedly said that Lloyd was scared of the Aussie bowling and should have retained the strike, instead of exposing him (Andy) to the bowling at that point.
In reply to googley
Man (writer with Indian name) seh Andy developed into a fast bowler AFTER his uneventful Test debut, in the Test in which Rowe made 302. Schuups.
In reply to Norm
I do not agree with you that Clive never got along with Andy.They were fine until the 1983 World Cup.Clive never got along with Greenidge who was a Royal pain in the ass.He was very close to Vanburn Holder and he was very disappointed with Bernard Julien who he felt, wasted his enormous talent.
In reply to Dukes
No problem. Always a learning experience with you and a few others who use that construct without malice.
Others have expressed similar opinions about Gordon Greenidge.
In reply to Dukes
What happened in the world cup to cause the divide between Lloyd and Roberts
In reply to methodic
SIMPLE.West Indies lost in the Final against India when they should have won easily.The bowlers blamed the batsmen and apparently(this is hearsay) Andy made a remark which was interpreted as saying that Lloyd should not have played because he was injured and things escalated from there to the point where Lloyd said he was retiring with immediate effect.He was persuaded to change his mind and this angered both Roberts and Viv who was already" measuring the drapes" of captaincy.Of course this was compounded by the emergence of Malcolm Marshall who was now the # 1 fast bowler as evidenced by his bowling the first over.Andy was relegated to first change.Andy was also dropped on the tour of India in late 1983.
In reply to Dukes
makes sense
In reply to Dukes
that was just pace , Dr. Dukes. Lucky man to see these greats in action.
In reply to Dukes
Dukesy bhai it had more to do with the loss in the finals, and less with personal ambitions methinks. Actually, the bacchanal started as soon as they returned to the dressing room. With only 184 to get, all man want fuh get batting. Both Viv and Lloyd wanted to promote themselves up the order. There was much confusion and disagreements with it, and when WI lost, things quickly went south with Lloyd chatting bout retiring immediately. Ah suh me hear it.
In reply to CricSham
I agree with you.However as a result of the loss, the blame game began and things were said which escalated into open warfare.
According to the late Bob Willis Roberts was the best fast bowler in the world 74-79..... and that includes Lillee.... I loved Andy Roberts and many people forget just how quick he was ... he was capable of exceptional speed and if my memory serves me correctly he was timed at 97mph ( in one of the many speed tests that proliferated in the late 70’s)...he cut through English county batting line ups in the mid 70’s like a hot knife through butter & was greatly feared at the time.
In reply to Dukes
Nice!
In reply to googley
I think I’m right in saying that the delivery that Imran describes as the ‘fastest ball he ever faced’ was actually hooked for 6 by him...he also said that he didn’t actually ever see the ball... in sheer panic he flap hooked at where he thought the ball might be and miraculously middled it...he was honest and said that he was very lucky and admitted he felt fear after this delivery.
Listening to the radio in the wee hours of the morning. 2nd test at Perth and Andy on fire cleaning up Australia in the second innings for a glorious victory. One of my test highlights 
In reply to Oilah
With the series 1-1, WI fans were feeling good about the pre-series hype. Roberts, however, started breaking down in that second Test, and completely broke down in the third - and the series was lost.
The WI batsmen were okay in patches, without good enough performances in clusters. Whatever they made, the Aus batsmen made almost twice as much, because Roberts had broken down. The others: Keith Boyce, Vanburn Holder and Julien were just not good enough without Roberts.
In reply to Norm
When I saw Andy against England in 1974. He was okish, promising, but nothing to write home about. When I saw him the next year after the Indian tour I was like ..WTF...how in the hell he became terrifyingly fast in one year...
In reply to Norm
Yes there were some great knocks by our batsmen but just not enough. Lloyd had a good series, Viv started to get hot at the very end and no one will forget Freddo in the 2nd test. Apart from the second test we could never dominate that great attack of Lillee, Thommo, Walker and Gilmour. Our bowling was no match for a very strong Australian batting line-up and Greg Chappell near kill we. Andy was broken, Holder Boyce Julien were too 'medium pace' and Holding was green as grass. I still love this series because it was the first that I followed with unwavering support...de cricket bug had bitten me and I just couldn't put down de radio. This was also the germination of the greatest test teams in the world.
In reply to Norm
I always say WI became world conquerors when a fit Andy Roberts got help from Holding Daniel and Holder in 1976 and Garner and Croft in 1977
In reply to analyst-kid
We became the #1 team in the world then. However we did not become truly dominant til 1983 when Marshall came of age.
In 1976 we struggled at home with India, got some much needed helped from the umpires and the pitch
In 1976 in England we looked pretty dominant
In 1977 we struggled at home against Pakistan
In 1979 in Australia we looked dominant
In 1980 we lost to New Zealand and struggled against England
In 1981 we struggled in Australia
Somewhere in between there we struggled in Pakistan....'
However between 1983-1988 we were truly dominant IMHO
Well, my British-Guyneez-Jewmaycan cousin was always impressed with Andy! That's all I got to say.
In reply to Norm
The others also included a very young Michael Holding
As great as Lillee was at the time, and he was a great bowler, the main difference between the 2 teams was Jeff Thomson. He put the fear of GOD into the majority of WI players. And they had the broken bones to show it.
It was reported that Thommo used to deliberately overstep in that series thereby reducing the 22 yards and fuck with the batsmen’s heads (literally)
In reply to imusic
It was reported that Thommo used to deliberately overstep in that series thereby reducing the 22 yards and fuck with the batsmen’s heads (literally)
Agreed...Thommo was a BIG difference. Have this very clear memory of listening to the radio with my brothers...1st test our second innings. Rowe and Kalli batting and Thommo catspradle Rowe stumps with a no ball. The next three deliveries were all driven for boundaries. Wish I could see the actual scorebook to verify the details of this incident
Rowe and Kalli both went on to hit tons...we needed a lot more of that in that series.
In reply to Oilah
I recall the bowled by a no ball, but cant remember the next 3 balls for 4
Andy probably has the record for knocking down
the most batsmen.
In reply to Baje
I don't think we did struggle, remember by the time the Sabina test, they rested Roberts for the upcoming tour and used Holding and Daniels.
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