Name:

Richards, Barry Anderson

Nickname:

Glue

Date of Birth:

21 Jul 1945

Gender:

Men

Place of Birth:

Durban, Natal Province, Union of South Africa

Career:

Test: 1970 - 1970
First Class: 1964 - 1982

Teams:

South Africa (Country)
SA (Regional)
Hampshire (Regional)

Barry Richards: Denied by History

Barry Richards: Brilliant career cut short by apartheid ban

Born : 21 July 1945 at Morningside, Durban.

Barry Richards was a gifted opening batsman with a superb technique.

Richards was caught close to the wicket in a tour match against Australia in 1966-67. He refused to walk and earned his nickname of "glue".

He made an immediate impact in his first Test series against Australia in 1970, scoring 2 centuries and averaging 72.57 but was denied any further opportunities at the highest level when South Africa were expelled from international cricket shortly after that. In that 4-0 win against the Aussies – South Africa’s first Test series since 1967 and their last until 1992 – Richards scored 508 runs at an average of 72, just behind Graeme Pollock, who amassed 517 at 73.

“I still look back on it very fondly,” said Richards. “I don’t think you realise at the time that it was going to be my last. You always felt that although there were a few storm clouds gathering, you knew that, you didn’t think you were going to be sitting out 21 years.”

He spent most of his career playing for Natal, Hampshire and, for one memorable season, South Australia. It was for South Australia that he scored a brilliant 356 against an Western Australia attack that featured Dennis Lillee at Perth in 1970. In that 1970/71 season for South Australia he scored 1538 runs at an average of 109.85.

Richards scored 28,258 first-class runs in first class cricket at an average of 54.74. He also posted 80 first-class centuries.

He was an early signatory for Packer's World XI in World Series cricket in Australia in the late 1970s. He enjoyed the tough competition and succeeded as a batsman.

In retirement, Richards has been involved with cricket in various roles, most notably as a TV commentator.

Source: CricketCrowd Staff Reporter