West Indian cricket team in England in 1976

The West Indian cricket team toured England in 1976, spending virtually the whole of the 1976 English cricket season in England. West Indies also played one match in Ireland in July.

Having drawn the 1973-74 series in the West Indies, England started the series in confident mood. England captain Tony Greig said that England would make West Indies "grovel". However, the international matches were dominated by the West Indies, captained by Clive Lloyd. England could do little to contain the batting of Gordon Greenidge and Viv Richards, nor defend against the penetrating pace bowling of Michael Holding and Andy Roberts. Richards scored 829 runs in four Tests, missing the 2nd Test due to illness. High points for England were centuries for Tony Greig and Alan Knott in the 4th Test, a double century by Dennis Amiss in the 5th Test, and the bowling of John Snow, Bob Willis and Derek Underwood.

The highlights of the tour were five Test matches and three One Day Internationals against the English cricket team. After the first two Tests were drawn, West Indies won the remaining three Tests to take the five-match Test series 3-0, to retain the Wisden Trophy. West Indies also won all 3 of the ODIs.

West Indies also played numerous matches against the first-class counties and other minor teams.

Test matches

First Test

After the traditional opening fixture against Lavinia, Duchess of Norfolk's XI, and warm-up matches against county sides, the 1st Test was played at Trent Bridge at the beginning of June.

England's Mike Brearley and West Indian Larry Gomes made their Test debuts. West Indies won the toss and batted through most of the first two days to score 494 all out. Viv Richards made the top score of 232, supported in a third wicket stand of 303 by Alvin Kallicharran, who made 97. However, having reached 408-2, the West Indies displayed some batting vulnerability, and the last 8 wickets fell for 86 runs, Derek Underwood taking 4-82.

England made a solid reply, scoring 332, including 106 for David Steele and 82 for Bob Woolmer, and Wayne Daniel taking 4-53. Richards hit a brisk 63 in the West Indies second innings of 176-5 declared. Facing a victory target of 339, England batted out the last day for a draw, with England opening batsman John Edrich undefeated on 76 at the close.

econd Test

The 2nd Test was played at Lord's two weeks later. Richards was unfit, and was replaced by bowler Raphick Jumadeen; Michael Holding played in place of Daniel. England also made two changes, with Barry Wood for Edrich and Pat Pocock for Mike Hendrick.

England won the toss and batted, scoring 250, with Roberts taking 5-60. West Indies opening batsman Gordon Greenidge scored 84 and captain Clive Lloyd 50, but Underwood took 5-39 and John Snow 4-68, to bowl West Indies out in 50.4 overs for only 182 on the second day. The third day was washed out, but England batted through the fourth day and were finally bowled out for 254 at the start of the fifth day, with Roberts taking his second 5-wicket haul in the match (5-63). Needing 323 to win, West Indies reached 241-6 by the close, with 138 to Roy Fredericks, and the match was drawn.

Third Test

After a gap of three weeks, the 3rd Test was played at Old Trafford in the second week of July. With the series still at 0-0 with three to play, West Indies won the toss and again chose to bat.

Three early wickets for debutant Mike Selvey and one for the returned Mike Hendrick saw the West Indies on the back foot at 26-4, but Greenidge (134) and debutant Collis King (32) recovered the position to a relatively respectable 211 all out. The West Indian first innings was put into perspective as Holding (5-17), Roberts (3-22), and Daniel (2-13) ripped through the England batting, dismissing them for 71 in 32.5 overs. Steele (20) was the only England batsman to reach double figures, and the only one to beat the extras.

West Indies dominated from the start of their second innings, with century stands for the first three wickets, between Fredericks (50) and Greenidge (101), Greenidge and Richards (135), Richards and Lloyd (43). West Indies declared on 411-5 near the end of the third day, leaving England to score 552 to win, or, more likely, to bat out two days to secure a draw. England survived for 63.5 overs. Rain interrupted play on the fourth day, but England were all out for 126 twenty balls into the last day. Edrich top scored on 24, but was unable to beat extras (25). West Indies won by 425 runs.

Fourth Test

Now 1-0 down, England needed to win the 4th Test, which began two weeks later, to recover the Wisden Trophy. England's Chris Balderstone and Peter Willey both made their Test debuts.

Batting first, Greenidge (115) and Fredericks (109) both hit quick centuries in an opening stand of 192. Richards (66) and Lawrence Rowe (50) both added half-centuries, and West Indies were bowled out for 450 early on the second day, Snow taking 4-77 and Bob Willis 3-71. England were soon in trouble at 80-4, but captain Tony Greig and wicket-keeper Alan Knott added 152 for the sixth wicket, each making 116 in a sixth-wicket stand of 152. England were bowled out for 387, only 63 behind. West Indies lost quick wickets, and Willis took 5-42 to wrap up the tail. West Indies were bowled out for 196 in 51.3 overs. Set a target of 260 to win, Roberts (3-41), Holding (3-44) and Daniel (3-60) bowled England out for 204 in 56 overs. Greig was unbeaten on 76 , to add to his first-innings century, but West Indies won by 55 runs.

Fifth Test

England had lost the series, but could recover some pride by winning the 5th Test played on a very dry pitch at the Oval in mid-August.

West Indies batted for most of the first two days to score a monumental 687-8. Richards reached 291, his second double century of the series. Nine of England's 11 players were given a bowl, save only the recalled Dennis Amiss and wicket-keeper Knott. The opening fast bowlers, Willis and Selvey, were quickly consigned to the outfield, bowling only 15 overs each; Underwood bowled 60.5 overs, with 27 from debutant spinner Geoff Miller and another 34 and 17 overs added by the occasional spin bowling of captain Greig and Chris Balderstone respectively. England replied with a creditable 435, including 203 for Amiss and 50 for Knott. Holding dominated the bowling, taking 8-92. Despite taking a first-innings lead of 252, West Indies declined to enforce the follow-on. Instead, Greenidge (86*) and Fredericks (85*) scored quick runs, adding 182 in a 32-over unbroken opening partnership, and West Indies declared on 182 for no wicket late on the fourth day, leaving England a target of 435 for victory. Holding took 6-57, giving him a match total of 14-149, as England were bowled out for 203. Knott top scorer on 57, his second half-century of the match. West Indies won the match by 231 runs, and the Test series 3-0.

ODIs

In the 1st ODI, West Indies won the toss and put England in to bat, with ODi debuts for England's Graham Barlow, Ian Botham, Graham Gooch, John Lever and David Steele, and West Indies' Michael Holding and Collis King. Hostile bowling by Roberts (4-32) and Holding (2-38) restricted England to 202-8, Barlow top scoring on 80 not out. England were unable to stop Richards in the West Indian reply. He scored an unbeaten 119 off 133 balls to win the match with 14 overs to spare. He was an easy choice for the man of the match award.

England put West Indies in at the 2nd ODI, reduced to 50 overs due to rain. Richards again scored heavily, with 97 off 96 balls, but West Indies were unable to bat out their overs, scoring 221 all out off 47.5 overs, with the spinners taking most of th wickets. Despite a combative 88 from ODI debutant Derek Randall, the West Indian bowling, particularly Roberts (4-27), again dominated. Further weather interruptions pushed the match into the reserve day, when West Indies won by 36 runs. Richards was again man of the match.

Play was impossible on 30 August, but the match began on the reserve day, limited this time to only 32 overs. England again put West Indies in to bat, and Fredericks and Richards were quickly out, Richards for a duck. However, runs from Greenidge (42), Lloyd (79) and Rowe (45) saw West Indies to 223 for 9. After a good start, with an opening partnership of 54 between Wood and Amiss, England were bowled out for 173 in 31.4 overs, with Vanburn Holder taking 5-50, and West Indies won by 50 runs. Lloyd was man of the match.

References

* [http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/153475.html Wisden match reports]
* [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Seasons/ENG/1976_ENG_West_Indies_in_England_1976.html Tour archive] from CricketArchive
* [http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1970S/1976/WI_IN_ENG/ Tour archive] from Cricinfo
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/sport/2000/england_v_west_indies/771340.stm The 1976 series] , BBC, 19 June 2000