England v West Indies 1984
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A magnificent innings by Richards, which he himself considered to be one of the best he had ever played, dwarfed all else. Almost single-handed he won the match for West Indies after they had been in deep trouble. Having won the toss and chosen to bat, they were 102 for seven in the 26th over, on a pitch which was of little help to the faster bowlers but allowed Miller generous turn with his offbreaks. Haynes was run out by Botham, off his own bowling, in the second over of the match, and after that only Baptiste and Holding stayed for long with Richards. In a memorable display Richards received 170 balls and hit 21 fours and five sixes, one of these, a straight drive, going out of the ground at the Warwick Road end. In 14 overs for the last wicket Richards and Holding added 106, Richards's share being 93. He batted with daring and immense power, giving only one technical chance, a leg-side stumping off Miller when he was 44. Needing 273 to win, England's batsmen mounted no challenge, though Lamb showed a return to form after a disappointing winter tour.
Man of the Match: I. V. A. Richards. Attendance: 21,274; receipts: £120,000.
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