Cricket enthusiasts derive great pleasure in comparing the players of today and the players of the past. Sometimes there is no room for comparison. The players of the past had their own set of challenges to face. During the 1970’s and the 1980’s there were no protective helmets and other advanced protective gear. Cricketing greats such as Sunil Gavaskar, Geoff boycott, Vivian Richards etc have played some fiery pace bowling from the likes of Walsh, Marshall and Garner. West Indian team at that time had a devastating bowling attack .Once as Mohinder Amarnath was facing Ian bishop on a bouncy Jamaican wicket, the ball pitched on the wicket and the next impact of the ball was on the sight screen behind. Imagine the likes of Gavaskar and Amarnath playing such fiery bowling without wearing a helmet. During that time, there were no speed guns to record the speeds at which these pace bowlers of the past bowled. But one can safely say that some of the West Indian pace bowlers would have clocked more than 100 miles per hour. No wonder that the West Indian cricket team dominated the cricketing world during the 1970’s and the early 80’s. Their fiery bowling was well complemented by some magnificent batting too.
Gutsy players of the past
Feb7
