FROM THE BOUNDARY - Viv explodes, talks his mind, and thank God for that!

THERE COMES a time in the life of every man when he has to take a stand - to at least speak his mind.

For Vivian Richards, the great West Indies batsman - one of the greatest the world has ever seen, that time, not for the first time and the way things are going, probably not for the last time, came on Tuesday morning -- on the last day of the fourth and final Test between the West Indies and England at Chester-le-Street.

There are those who do not agree with the 'Master Blaster' - those who disappointed and angry, believe that Richards went overboard in describing the manner in which Daren Powell was dismissed for the second time in the match.

In doing so, Richards used almost every adjective in the language to nail Powell. He said that he (Richards) did not understand what he (Powell) was thinking about when he attempted the shot with which he slit his own throat - and that of the West Indies; that he had no right representing the West Indies, at least not for a few series or years, and not until he demonstrated some common sense - some understanding of the game.

I am not one of those who disagree with Richards. In fact he could have tempered his words a bit it seemed he almost burst a blood vessel, Itotally agree with him.

Fighting tooth and nail

In the first innings, the West Indies, down 2-0 in the series, were 220 for seven with Chanderpaul on 94 and fighting tooth and nail when Powell, a pace bowler with a batting average today of 6.4, swung wildly at a short-pitched delivery and offered a simple catch to wicketkeeper Matt Prior running forward.

In the second innings, the West Indies, after England had led them by 113 runs, were 188 for seven in the second innings with Chanderpaul past 50 and fighting hard, they needed to bat for as long as possible in order to save the game, and things were looking somewhat promising, when Powell again swung wildly at a delivery pitched outside the off-stump and rising, attempted to pull it to the onside, and lofted a simple catch to Michael Vaughan walking in from mid-off.

Maybe Powell believes that he is a batsman. Maybe he believes that he is a top-order batsman. Maybe he believes that he is a better batsman than Chanderpaul, and may be that is why he attempted a shot that not even a great batsman would have considered much more attempted - and definitely not with the game in a similar situation.

I have always believed that when a batsman, regardless of how great he is, gets out in certain ways, and more than once or twice at that, he should be penalised. I have always believed that when a bowler, regardless of how great he is as a bowler gets out in certain ways more often than not, he should be penalised. I have always believed that with wickets so difficult to get whenever a fielder, a batsman or a bowler drops easy catches more often than not, he should be penalised; and like Richards, I believe that because of his madness with the bat, it should be some time before Powell returns to the West Indies team.

Because of his fielding, and particularly catching, the same should go for Corey Collymore.

WI cricket weak

West Indies cricket is weak enough without being embarrassed by players dropping simple catches and by batsmen, bowlers or not, playing strokes that would have been an embarrassment even at prep-school level.

Whether you like how he said what he said or not, Viv Richards was right. Whether you are a batsman or not, there are certain basic things that are expected in Test cricket from people who are paid to play the game.

Even though you may not be the greatest fielder who ever lived, there are certain balls which should not get by you and which, if in the air, should not drop out of your hands.

Viv Richards has been there, he knows that a player cannot perform all the time and that a team cannot win all the time. As one who trained, however, as one who practised, as one who was proud, and as one who performed, he is embarrassed at what is happening in West Indies cricket - and he has a right to be.

One day in the summer of 2000, after they were routed for 54 in the second Test at Lord's, the West Indies went to Old Trafford, they were dismissed for 157, batting first in a rain-interrupted Test match and, on the third day, on the Saturday at Old Trafford with England still batting in their first innings, the West Indies' fielding was abominable.

Shortly after tea, an attendant came into the press box and told me Mr. Richards was there to see me. I asked her where. She told me downstairs in the coffee room and I went down to see him.

Tears

Viv was sitting at a table alone, he was looking through the glass window, I went and sat beside him, I said 'Hello Viv', but he did not answer me.

After a few minutes, he turned around and I saw the tears welling in his eyes. He looked away, he dried his eyes, he turned to me again and then he said: "Tony Becca, I had to come and talk to you. I just cannot understand it. Is this what West Indies cricket has come to? Fine, some of them cannot bat, but they cannot even field or catch the ball. My God!"

I can imagine how he felt on Tuesday morning when, with Chanderpaul at the other end and a draw on everyone's minds, Powell, batting at number ninein the West Indies team, in a Test team, played that shot.