The rise of the West Indies

The West Indies had got their International Cricket status in 1928. The West Indies just like India was spin dominated country with some great batsmen in their side. Leg-spinner Wilfred Ferguson in 1948 became the first bowler for the West Indies who took more than 10 wickets in a Test match.The same year, pacer Hines Johnson broke that record. In 1950, West Indies defeated England 3-1 in a Test series in England. Although, their success was just sporadic but things changed when the whites dominated West Indies team turned into a black-dominated side. Under the leadership of Frank Worrell & Gary Sobers in the 1960s, they achieved greater heights of success. Not just International Cricket were in awe to see them play but even the county Cricket's attraction was the dominance of the West Indies players. Gary Sobers was the first ever Cricketer who hit 6 consecutive sixes in an over. 

The West Indies team between the late 70s and the early 90s was a powerhouse of World Cricket. This side under the leadership of Clive Lloyd was filled with match winners like Sir Vivian Richards, Gordon Greenidge & Desmond Haynes along with Lloyd himself made a really destructive batting order well supported by a wicket-keeper in Jeffrey Dujon. 

The major strength of this side was their 4-men pace attack in Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, Malcolm Marshall & Joel Garner. This was a cruel bowling attack for any side to face in that era, infact in the entire history of Cricket. They not only had express pace but the tall stature of their body made it possible for them to extract that extra bounce from the surface. These men broke hands, shoulders, nose and skulls of the batsmen who faced them with a lack of judgement. The accuracy in their bowling was really breathtaking!!! They were so good for their opposition that the Indian Captain Bishen Singh Bedi once called off the innings to protect his batsman from getting injured from that express pace and sharp bounce of the West Indies bowlers.

The 4-man pace attack's legacy was taken forward by 2 equally good fast bowling prospects in Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose from mid 90s to early 2000s.