Download or read book A History of West Indies Cricket written by Michael Manley and published by . This book was released on 1988 with total page 648 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A History of West Indies Cricket has been fully updated, telling the recent story of West Indian cricket in the nineties and at the start of the 21st century. The records sections have also been brought up to date. In 1975, the West Indies became the first winners of the cricket World Cup. Their style of cricket has always been ideal for this type of game; exhilarating, stroke-making batsmen; penetrative, wicket-taking bowlers and dynamic, athletic fielders. The epitome of the team was its captain, Clive Lloyd, a magnificent all-rounder. For 15 years between 1976 and 1991, the West Indies ruled the cricket world in imperious style, winning 62 Test matches and losing just 17. Batsmen of the calibre of Haynes, Greenidge, Richards, Lloyd and Richardson, and bowlers such as Holding, Roberts, Garner, Croft, Walsh and Ambrose, struck fear into the hearts and minds of opposing players. In 1994, Brian Lara announced himself in a way like no other. He set world records in both Test and First-class cricket in the same calendar year, taking 375 off the England attack, then flaying an injury-hit Durham county attack for 501 not out for Warwickshire.It was at this point that the old edition was published. The update will highlight the sad demise of West Indian cricket. The accessibility of cable television from the United States has shown youngsters in the Caribbean other sports, ones which offer untold wealth to even those of moderate professional standard. Football too has taken a hold, with Jamaica reaching the World Cup finals in 1998. The year 2000 was a watershed as it saw the Test careers of both Walsh and Ambrose close, thus severing the last links with the heyday of West Indian cricket. History has shown it will rise again.