Guyanese batting star Alvin Kallicharran balances on one leg as he hooks pace bowler Michael Holding to the square boundary in one of his many fours at Sabina Park on January 21, 1974. - File
Howard Campbell, Gleaner Writer
FEW PLAYERS in the annals of international cricket can match the dashing strokeplay of Alvin Kallicharran. The Guyanese left-hander's record in one-day internationals (ODIs) may be modest compared to his Test dossier, but the diminutive 'Kalli' played one of the most spectacular innings in World Cup history.
That innings of 78 came in the preliminary-round match against Australia in June 1975 at the Kennington Oval in London. Kallicharran flayed an attack that included express fast bowlers Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson and swing expert, Max Walker.
Lillee, one of the most feared bowlers of the time, bore the brunt of Kallicharran's aggression, conceding 66 runs from his 10 overs. He eventually claimed Kallicharran's wicket, but the Windies cantered to a seven-wicket win.
Kallicharran belted 14 fours and one six from only 83 deliveries. His onslaught is rated by analysts as one of the great World Cup knocks.
It was to be his highest score in 31 ODIs for the West Indies. He played the first of these against England at Leeds in 1973; the last was against the same opponents eight years later at Kingstown in St. Vincent.
He played in both the 1975 and 1979 World Cup finals, both won by the West Indies.
Kallicharran was one of several gifted Guyanese strokeplayers who earned their stripes on the easy Bourda pitch. He followed in the footsteps of Rohan Kanhai, Basil Butcher, Roy Fredericks and Clive Lloyd, making his Test debut against New Zealand at Bourda in 1972.
He scored an even 100 in his first appearance, and went on to plunder thousands of runs for Guyana, the West Indies and Warwickshire in the English County Championship. When Kallicharran threw in his lot with Lawrence Rowe's 'rebel' West Indian team to South Africa in 1983, his international career was all but over.
In 66 Test appearances, Kallicharran scored 4,399 runs at an average of 44.43. He tallied 826 runs in ODIs (average 34.41).
