The 300 Club: Viv Richards
When Tom Abell raised his bat to acknowledge the adulation of the Taunton faithful against Surrey in September, he became only the eighth player to have scored a First Class triple hundred for Somerset.
Over the next few months, we will be taking a closer look at the other seven players who make up the exclusive membership of Somerset’s 300 Club.
The first Somerset player to make a triple century was Harold Gimblett in 1948, and the Club had to wait more than three decades for the next entrant into the 300 Club.
The date was June 1st, 1985, the venue was Taunton and the player in question was Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards.
At 11.44am on Saturday June 1st 1985, Viv Richards made his way down the steps of the Colin Atkinson Pavilion and strode out to face the Warwickshire attack.
By the time he returned to the pavilion four hours and 54 minutes later, he had scored 322, to set a new individual batting record for Somerset, beating the previous best of 310 set by Harold Gimblett against Sussex 37 years previously.
During the course of his innings, in which he faced 258 balls and hit 42 fours and eight sixes, Viv shared in three century partnerships. This included 122 for the second wicket with Nigel Popplewell (55), 174 for the third wicket with Richard Ollis (55), and 183 for the fourth with Vic Marks (65).
Vic Marks recalls: “I was captain in that game and I seem to remember that it was quite a lively pitch because Paul Bail got hit on the head early on, so when Viv went in to bat we were in effect 28 for two.
“The ball was zipping around and Gladstone Small was making it quite dangerous but Viv was playing like only he could and he got to his first century fairly quickly. By that time, Norman Gifford was bowling and having got his century Viv was trying to hit him out of the ground and looking like he could get out any moment.
“Gifford then took himself off and brought Gladstone Small back and suddenly Viv was relishing the challenge of facing a lively bowler again and he became much more focussed. He didn’t take so many risks and started to play beautifully. When I went in to join Viv, the score was 324 for four, by which time he must have been close to 200. He was playing freely as I recall and then having gone past 200, the runs were coming so fast that he probably didn’t realise that he could be in for making three hundred.
“After a while, I started to realise that he could get 300 and started thinking that I mustn’t run him out!
“It was an innings of phases. It started with a challenge when the ball was doing a little bit and he had to work to get to his hundred. Then there was a time when he was playing some horrible shots against Giff and it looked like he was going to get out. Then the quick bowlers came back and that got him focussed again.
“Viv was fun to bat with, although he didn’t say a lot when you were at the other end. The glorious thing about batting with Viv was that when he engaged with you, it wasn’t just about him. He would recognise that it was a partnership and you always felt you were in it together. You always sensed that when you were out there with Viv, he was right behind you as well, and in his own way encouraging you; providing you were doing your bit.”
Vic added: “Viv is the top batter as far as I am concerned and he was of course an awesome player and a joy to bat with. He loved the grand occasion and it seemed to relax him.”
Nigel Popplewell, who opened the innings, remembers: “We always enjoyed playing against Warwickshire because they were a good group of guys.
“In the first half hour of the game the ball was flying about and Paul Bail was carried off and then Nigel Felton was out next ball. Between then and lunch being taken, we were whacking it around because by then the score had moved on to 140 odd. Shortly after the break I was out for 55.
“When I batted with Viv early on he didn’t give the impression that he was going to make a triple century. The only bowler Warwickshire had who could make any inroads was Gladstone Small and he bowled well, which was good for Viv.
“Viv was good to bat with and it took the pressure off you. When he was in the mood, Viv just took sides apart in a controlled way and it was fantastic to be out there batting with him.
“Although Viv was a larger than life character and a fantastic batter you always treated him like a team mate.”
Richard Ollis, who came in with the score on 150 for two, said: “I didn’t get a hundred during my career for Somerset but that day I know I should have because I was batting really well and being out there with Viv at the other end seemed to make it a lot easier. I remember Norman Gifford bowling and Viv hit him for a straight six into the pavilion even though he didn’t quite middle it. Norman said something to Viv and the next ball he bowled him was hit right over the pavilion into the river.
“I was concentrating on my own innings, but being there with Viv was something special. He was someone very different to anyone else and I still think he’s the best player that I’ve ever seen. When he wanted to do it, there was nobody like him. If he had the bit between his teeth then that was it. Norman Gifford was tempting him and Viv just kept on smacking the ball out of the ground.
“To be at the other end to such a fantastic player was just lovely for me and I was lucky enough to bat with him quite a few times which was nice.
“He was good to me as young player and with him at the Club along with Ian Botham and Joel Garner it was a great time to be at Somerset.”
In reply to Somerset’s first innings total of 566 for five declared, the visitors made 442 for nine declared, Murray Turner claiming four for 74.
Batting for a second time, the hosts posted 226 for five declared. In their second innings Warwickshire had scored 181 for two before the game ended as a draw.
Viv’s 322 remained a Somerset record for 21 years.
