When the mighty WI ruled the world

New Delhi: Tony Greig's grovelling act during England's 1976 home series against the double world champions led by Clive Llyod, could have in many ways summed up the plight of the opposition who had quite often become accustomed to getting battered into submission, in an era where there was daylight between the West Indies and the rest of the world.

The England skipper was soon to discover that whatever chance the English had of putting it past the Windies went up in smoke and the best that Greig could do was go on all fours himself which was not exactly part of the plan. The West Indies went on to win the five match series 3-0 after the first two Tests failed to produce a result.

Those were the days when eeking out a draw against the Caribbean Kings was something to be proud of.

A lineup that boasted the likes of the legendary Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes at the top of the order, bolstered by Allvin Kalicharan, Lloyd and Vivian Richards in the middle and the fearsome foursome comprising of Malcolm Marshall, Andy Roberts, Joel Garner and Michael Holding which terrorised and tormented all and sundry.

Although the West Indies were a successful unit in the 70s, it was during the 80s that they truly took Test cricket to new heights. Even the most ardent of Aussie supporters would in their heart of hearts know that their side which dominated proceedings until recently would be edged out if comparisons were drawn in terms of the best ever team.

The 1983 World Cup defeat in the finals at Lord’s was avenged in grand fashion when the West Indians embarrassed India 3-0 in an away series later that year.

All that the home team could manage was a draw in the second and fourth Tests, the World Champions had been brought down to earth!

The 1984-86 was a golden period for the Windies which was marked by the annihilation of England in back to back series wins.

David Gower was the unenviable skipper of the side which suffered 5-0 whitewashes in home and away fixtures.

The West Indies also got the better of the Australians 3-0 in the 84’ home series which was followed by a 3-1 result when they travelled down under the same year.

A new crop of players had started emerging for the West Indians in the mid and late 80s. The batting lineup now boasted of Richie Richardson and Carl Hooper who became match winners for their team in the years that followed.

The pace attack was in the hands of the Patrick Patterson, Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose and the results were there to be seen.

England were once again humiliated by the West Indies, going down 0-5 at home in a six match series during the 1988 season.

The Windies then went on to beat Australia 3-1 in another away series in 1988-89, and then crushed the Indians 3-0 in the Caribbean.

But as the old cliché goes, all good things must come to an end, and so did the West Indian hegemony in the 90s when they lost to the Australians in their own den during the 1995 series.

The Aussies under the astute leadership of Mark Taylor retained the Frank Worell trophy for the first time since 1977 and in the process also ended West Indies' remarkable record of being unbeaten in a Test series since 1980.

The downward slide which started then continues even now and things have never been the same for the Calypso Kings from then on.