Sir Richard Benjamin Richardson,KCNGCM (born 12 January 1962) is a former West Indies international cricketer and a former captain of the West Indian cricket team. He was a flamboyant batsman and superb player of fast bowling. He was named,in 1992,one of Wisden's Cricketers of the Year. Richardson was famous for his wide-brimmed maroon hat which he wore against even the fastest bowlers,though in his later career,he started wearing a helmet instead.[1][2]
Richardson,who skippered the Leeward Islands,also featured for Yorkshire and Northern Transvaal in his career.[3][4] Richardson assumed the role,in January 2011,of West Indies' manager for an eventual five year period. Since then he has continually worked as an ICC match referee.[5][6]
After his second season he was called up by the West Indies to tour India in the 1983–84 season. Richardson joined a successful West Indies Test team captained by Clive Lloyd batting in the middle order. His first tour started inauspiciously when Richardson lost his luggage and was left with few clothes. Veteran fast bowler Andy Roberts felt that Richardson was not getting enough practice as in the nets even bowlers were given a chance to bat ahead of him and by the time Richardson had an opportunity the main bowlers had finished. Roberts went out of his way to bowl at Richardson during the tour to make sure he had some preparation.[7]
On 24 November 1983,Richardson debuted in the fourth match of the six-Test series,at which point the West Indies had a 2–0 lead,replacing Gus Logie who had bagged a pair in the previous Test. In his first innings Richardson too failed to score a run when was the victim of a poor umpiring decision. He was given out leg before wicket off the bowling of off-spinner Shivlal Yadav though he had hit the ball. He was more successful in the second innings,making 26 before he was bowled,and the match ended in a draw.[8]
1985 World Championship of Cricket
Australia hosted the World Championship of Cricket in February and March 1985 to commemorate the founding of Victoria. During the group stages the West Indies faced Sri Lanka at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on a pitch with uneven bounce. Though the West Indies won the match,a delivery from Ashantha de Mel reared and hit Richardson in the face;with Larry Gomes,he was one of two West Indian batsmen to retire hurt during the game.[9]
Captaincy
Late in 1991,West Indies captain Viv Richards informed the West Indies Cricket Board of his intention to relinquish the Test captaincy and retire after the 1992 World Cup. Though Richards had publicly picked Desmond Haynes as his successor,the board chose Richardson to take over the captaincy and Richards was dropped from the team. Richardson supported the board dropping his predecessor,which led to ill-feeling towards him in Antigua,the home of both men.[10] The West Indies never lost a series under Richards' leadership,[11] so there was a great deal of pressure on Richardson. Under his captaincy,Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh led the bowling attack and Brian Lara emerged as a world-class batsman.[12] In the 4 years of his captaincy,the West Indies only lost one series –versus Australia in 1995 which was the West Indies' first series defeat since 1980.
Coming into the 1996 World Cup Richardson was under pressure as captain,and the tournament would prove to be his last in international cricket. In the group stages the West Indies suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Kenya,prompting the Caribbean media to call for Richardson's resignation. Despite the setback,the team progressed to the semi-final where they lost to Australia;it was his last match for the West Indies.[14]
Reflecting on his decision to retire years later,Richardson remarked "I resigned and retired because I was suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome,I was burnt out and it was a struggle to continue playing cricket. Every day was stressful,everybody wanted a piece of you and I had no time for myself. I was training harder and trying hard on the field but I couldn't do what I wanted to do. I felt like I was selling myself and my fans short. They wanted me to continue,but if I had I would have got ill so it was time to move on."[12]
After his retirement from international cricket,Richardson became the first high-profile signing by the English all-star club cricket team Lashings World XI,also going on to captain the side. In 2006 he smashed a double hundred with included four sixes of a hapless Robert Saunders over. Since 2001 he has also played bass guitar in reggae band Big Bad Dread and The Baldhead,alongside Curtly Ambrose and the band has released several albums.[12]
Richardson was appointed to the Elite Panel of Match Referees by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on 21 September 2015.[5]
Political career
Cheryl Mary Clare Hurst announced on 21 August 2024 that she would be stepping down from the Senate of Antigua and Barbuda for personal reasons.[20] Hurst is scheduled to be replaced by Richardson,who was also originally scheduled to be appointed as Minister of Sports,taking the portfolio from Daryll Matthew.[21] However,due to commitments with the International Cricket Council,it was decided that Richardson would serve as the Commissioner of Sports instead on 2 September 2024.[22] On 30 September 2024,a public tribute to Richardson was published by Hon. Daryll Matthew.[23]
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