“Australia v West Indies at MCG – Being best for the Boxing Day Test!”

Dec 20, 2015 Sports

Colin E. H. Croft
Despite that 1st Test featuring West Indies and Australia, “Happy Christmas 2015 everyone.!” I am not being facetious, as, all things considered, situations could have been much worse generally.

Deryck Murray (newsday.co.tt)

Even though parts of the Caribbean have suggested that they are in recession, while other parts are still replenishing and retooling after recent political general elections, may every wish you have for yourself and loved ones come through for the holidays. Enjoy the festive season but be safe!
So, WI, having been hammered in Test No. 1 at Hobart, must regroup next Friday; Christmas night Caribbean time – Boxing Day in Australia. The hosts will be looking to solidify strangle-holds on the visitors at legendary Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Expect no favors from the rampant Aussies. WI must know that they have to come better than just good; they must be ‘great’; to address strong adverse feelings already suggested in especially the Australian press that WI should go home in gross embarrassment, being not fit for purpose.
This is as apt a time for WI cricketers now on tour to show what they really are made of, to dig very deep indeed, to find that absolute stony resolve, that “do or die” attitude. The Aussies will not let up, so this will be survival of the hardest WI cricketers now Down Under!
Head Coach Phil Simmons, manager (Sir) Richie Richardson, selector-on-tour Courtney Walsh and his fast bowling partner extraordinaire, bowling consultant (Sir) Curtly Ambrose, must read both the riot act for the poor display in Tasmania, while also referring heavily on their own, and WI’s histories at MCG, to revive WI’s present fortunes. But, revive them they must!
The Wanderers cricket ground, home of Gauteng cricket in Johannesburg, South Africa, is known as “The Bull-ring”. However, nowhere in the cricket world, not even including Eden Gardens cricket ground in Kolkata, in India, which seated 100,000 plus before renovation for 2011’s ICC Cricket World Cup reduced capacity to 65,000, could any cricket arena more take on characteristics of a coliseum, a place where just plain survival is foremost, than MCG.
New Zealand’s leading film star, Russell Crowe, of ‘Gladiator’ fame, who lives in Australia; a cricket enthusiast too; would not be out of place in his excellent make-up for that film at MCG.
When we played there in 1970’s and 1980’s, one got the impression that all nearly 100,000 patrons were out for human blood, with Australian fast bowlers as lions looking to devour any cricketing prey around. That WI survived and won there in those series says something very special!
None of us would ever forget the rhythmic chants of the gathered populace, with Dennis Lillee in his bowling pomp, approaching the crease, all 25 or so steps, accompanied with “kill, kill, kill, kill”, per step, follow by a loud crescendo at culmination and delivery, of “who-ah, how-zah?”
Also in the past, any Test match at MCG featuring West Indies and Australia, indeed, most countries v Australia, took on such a hue and occasion that everyone really dressed up; Sunday or holiday best; “to go to the cricket”. A Boxing Day Test at MCG was one of the sporting events of any Australian high society season, the biggest home Test match featuring Australia that season.
Having attended a Super-Bowl in Miami, Olympics in London and Atlanta, UK Football Associations Cup final at Wembley Stadium, and world-championship boxing events, also victoriously playing in ICC CWC 1979 at Lords, I can attest that nowhere in sports could compare to MCG when full, maybe with exceptions of Maracana soccer stadium in Rio de Janeiro, and Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. Just being at MCG brings belly butterflies!
The last inspirational words for Test No. 2, Australia v WI 2015, at MCG, must go to then WI vice-captain, Deryck Murray, as he purposely spoke at our long team meeting, especially to us fast bowlers – Michael Holding, (Sir) Andy Roberts, Joel Garner and Colin Croft – for Test No. 2, Australia v WI, 1979/80, after Test No. 1 at Brisbane had been a hard draw.
Murray and WI had been similarly battered in WI’s 1975/6 tour to Australia, WI losing that Test series 5-1. Going into 1975’s MCG Boxing Day Test 1-1 after two Tests, WI lost that 3rd Test by eight wickets despite captain Clive Lloyd’s 102, but courtesy of Australia’s Ian Redpath’s 102, debutant Gary Cosier’s 109 and Lillee’s 7-126 match-figures.
“Gentlemen,” said DLM quietly in 1979/80, “especially you four fast bowlers, nothing that you have done in cricket so far could be more important than this game. I do not care how you do it, but we must win this 2nd Test at MCG to try to redress some terrible history here. There is a lot that these Australians have to get back from 1975/6. Give it to them full force!”
We did. Destroying Australia for 156 and 259, having made 397, Dessie Haynes and Gordon Greenidge got the needed 19 runs to win; 22-0. No-one on either team had a century and no other WI bowler except us four fast bowlers bowled! What inspiration that was and is! Enjoy!
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