England were outclassed in the 1976 home series by the touring West Indian team as they lost the 5-match Test series by 3-0 margin. After the first two Test matches ended in a draw, the visiting side drew first blood with a huge 425-run win in the 3rd game at Old Trafford in Manchester. They showed no mercy on the home team and shamed them by 55 runs and 231 runs respectively in the last two games to clinch the series.
The Test series was followed by a 3-match ODI series that began on August 26th at the Scarborough. England’s troubles against Windies’ pace-attack continued in the ODIs as they were reduced to 23/3. Graham Barlow rescued the hosts by constructing a 49-run 4th wicket stand with Dennis Amiss (34) and a 64-run partnership with Graham Gooch (32) for the following wicket.
ONE OF THE BEST THROWS EVER
Barlow kept riding on his luck as he was dropped at deep square leg when on 19 and Bernard Julien failed to hold on to the return catch off his own bowling when Barlow was on 38. He moved on to 71 and was set to bat out England’s innings until he responded to Alan Knott’s call for a single who glanced it towards the fine-leg region. Michael Holding, who collected the ball, threw it with immense force to knock down the stumps at the wicketkeeper’s end.
Barlow was well inside the crease when Holding’s throw rattled the stumps and no fielder was there as cover to collect the ball. At the point, Knott called Barlow to accumulate overthrows as the pair tried to steal the second run. In the interim, the ball that had hit the stumps at keeper’s end, deflected with still some momentum and went on to hit the stumps at the bowler’s end. Both the batsmen were at mid-pitch when the stumps at non-striker’s end were dislodged.
Observing that the bails were down at the far end, Windies skipper Clive Lloyd appealed for a run out dismissal. The umpires Arthur Jepson and David Constant had a long conversation to decide the fate after such an unusual occurrence. They ruled both the batsmen not out as both were well in the crease when Holding’s throw hit the stumps at striker’s end and did not consider the dislocation at the other end.
SAME STORY FOR ENGLAND
Barlow remained unbeaten on 80 off 139 balls which included eight boundaries as England finished on 202/8 in the restricted 55 overs.
The Caribbean team chased down the target in just 41 overs as Sir Vivian Richards scored an unbeaten 133-ball 119 with the help of 20 fours and a six. England remained unbeaten against England on the tour as they clean swept the 3-match ODI series winning the last two games while defending totals. – ct
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