It’s 40 years since Clive Lloyd’s all-conquering West Indies wrapped up their 5-0 thrashing of England with victory at The Oval. Richard Spiller looks back four decades
As jubilant West Indies supporters gathered in front of the pavilion at The Oval, celebrating their team’s 5-0 triumph, a famous banner labelled the series ‘BLACKWASH’.
Tuesday August 14 was the last scheduled day of the series, Clive Lloyd’s men only needing a short session of it to complete a smashing of England which saw them rated alongside Don Bradman’s Invincibles in 1948.
Few doubted they would retain the Wisden Trophy, the previous three tours of England – in 1973, 1976 and 1980 – having all been successful for the tourists.
They possessed a world-class side full of players around their peak, many having enjoyed spells in county cricket and so accustomed to conditions, and veteran Lloyd was determined that his final tour of England – where he had been resident for many years through a long link with Lancashire – should be a success. He could deploy a powerful four-pronged pace attack, spearheaded by Malcolm Marshall, which left a trail of battered and bruised opponents wherever they travelled.
West Indies were also up against a home side short of established players, that situation exacerbated by several being banned for a rebel tour of South Africa in 1982, the Test & County Cricket Board having taken the action to avoid a damaging split in the world game. Graham Gooch and John Emburey were most badly missed, although Geoffrey Boycott – even at 43 – might have stood up better than some of those tried. Peter Willey’s gutsy determination would have been invaluable.
David Gower was in his first season as England captain, given a desperately tough task which became all the harder when his predecessor Bob Willis – the spearhead of the attack for several seasons – dropped out of the side through ill health and then retired. Gower, in poor form himself after an early-season fitness scare, was even more dependent on Ian Botham, the great all-rounder no longer in his prime but still a considerable force as he had shown by taking eight wickets in an innings at the Lord’s Test.
West Indies won the first Test at Edgbaston by an innings and 180 runs, new England opener Andy Lloyd’s international career being ended barely before it had begun by a short-pitched delivery which smashed into his head. England had the better of things at Lord’s, thanks to Botham, for the first four days only for Gordon Greenidge’s spectacular double-century to wrench control from their grasp and storm to a nine-wicket victory.
That appeared to knock the stuffing out of England, easily beaten by eight wickets inside four days at Headingley. And when they tried to attack West Indies perceived weakness on a turning pitch at Old Trafford, Greenidge produced another double ton in a weighty 500 before the hosts were bowled out twice to lose by an innings, Roger Harper’s off-breaks earning him 6-57 to show that dimension was covered too.
Only Allan Lamb’s centuries in three successive Tests had given England much cheer, other than the occasional burst of Botham, another casualty coming when Paul Terry had his arm broken by Winston Davis.
Coming to The Oval was hardly encouraging for Gower’s men. It was known as West Indies’ second home. Harry Brind’s relaid square would produce fastest pitch of the series, surely ideal for a pace attack which would be led again by Marshall, fit again after breaking his arm at Headingley.
England’s selectors gave the team a new look, introducing paceman Jonathan Agnew – who had played some of his early cricket in Surrey’s second team before switching to Leicestershire – and Kent seamer Richard Ellison to the attack for their debuts and attempting to stiffen the upper order by bringing back Chris Tavare. Retaining his place after being recalled at Old Trafford, eight years after his last Test, was Surrey off-spinner Pat Pocock who at 37 would finally get an opportunity to play an international at his cricket home.
Botham had already announced he would be taking a break for the following winter – when England were touring India – and there were some suggestions he should be omitted from the side. Given he was on 297 Test wickets, on the verge of becoming only the third Englishman to reach 300 after Fred Trueman and Willis, it would have been highly unpopular.
And Botham enjoyed the pace and bounce from the pitch on the opening day, seeing Paul Allott bowl Desmond Haynes and then trapping Greenidge LBW before taking a superb reaction catch off Larry Gomes to give Ellison his first scalp.
Viv Richards, Botham’s close friend and Somerset colleague, was the 299th victim, hooking a bouncer to Allott at fine leg straight after lunch, before Jeffrey Dujon became number 300, edging a lifting delivery to Tavare at slip, the landmark achieved 20 years after Trueman had done so on the same ground.
Soon after, West Indies found themselves 70-6 but Lloyd, despite moments of discomfort, dug in for more than three hours and with the help principally of Eldine Baptiste (32), pushed his side up to 190 all out, their lowest score of the series, finishing unbeaten on 60 while Botham walked off with 5-72.
There was time for Joel Garner to castle Chris Broad, which meant Pocock – who had not bowled – was sent in to mind the shop. And he stuck around with typical bravery the next morning, taking up 42 balls and frequently having to avoid short deliveries, his mother watching from the Long Room likening it to London Blitz in the Second World War, before Marshall sent him back for the bravest of ducks.
Not surprisingly, the conditions which Botham enjoyed were even more suited to West Indies, Graeme Fowler’s 31 – having to retire hurt after being struck on the arm but returning later – proving the highest score as England were bowled out for 162. Marshall’s 5-35 underlined his superb control at high pace, described by Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack as “an almost brutal display of fast bowling”.
West Indies were 15-0 in their second innings by the close, Saturday morning seeing Agnew, who had looked nervous in the first innings, claiming his first Test victim by having Greenidge LBW for 34. But having watched his partner dominate the series and scored only 100 in the opening four matches, now Haynes took centre stage.
He was still there when play ended at 284-7, on 111no, aided by Lloyd’s 36no – after a traditional Oval farewell ovation, even though his retirement would come the next winter in Australia – and Dujon’s 49.
Haynes finally departed on Monday morning, following the rest day, for 125 over 439 minutes, bowled by Botham while Michael Holding swung gracefully for 30 before being last out at 346, Botham and Ellison collecting three wickets each while Pocock’s eight overs cost just 24.
It left England 10 hours to score 375 for the most unlikely of triumphs, soon losing Fowler for seven after a series bravely resisting the pacemen. Broad and Tavare (49) proved difficult to shift and had taken the total to 75 when Holding finally acceded to those who hoped to see him go off his long run again, the most graceful of athletes having shortened it for the past year.
Steaming in from the pavilion end, in the space of 17 deliveries he had Broad (39) caught in the slips, trapped Gower (7) LBW and then Lamb (1) was brilliantly caught by Haynes at short leg off the full face of the bat, the Barbadian sprinting round the outfield in celebration.
Botham was still there at the close on 32, his side not yet finished on 151-5 and hopes of a Headingley-like miracle just alive.
West Indies would not be thwarted the next morning, bowling out the home side for 202 to win by 172 runs, Holding’s 5-43 in the vanguard this time.
It was the first time England had lost every match of a five-Test series in this country and fifth in the history of the game at that stage. Under Gower, England recovered to claim a fine win in India and regain the Ashes the following summer, wrapping it up by thrashing Australia inside four days at The Oval only to suffer another 5-0 defeat in the Caribbean.
