Viv Jokes

"Man, it don't matter where you come in to bat, the score is still zero."

Viv Richards to Sunil Gavaskar at Madras 1983.

Gavaskar had decided to come in at no 4 for that test. But Malcolm Marshall got Anshuman Gaekwad and Dilip Vengsarkar for ducks, Gavaskar had to walk in at 0/2. Gavaskar made 236*

Viv Richards is probably the only batsman to be out for a duck three times in a match. This incident is narrated in his own biography. Richards was a huge star in Antigua and the entire island had come to St. John's Park to see play a Red Stripe game.

Antigua batted first and the crowd politely applauded the openers' efforts while waiting for one of them to make a mistake. Soon enough one did and the entire crowd exploded when their favourite son stepped out to bat.

First ball, Richards nicked a catch to the keeper. The umpire had no difficulty in deciding and a disappointed Richards made his way slowly back to the dressing room. But he didn't reach it. The crowd, stunned by their holiday entertainment being nipped in the bud like this, went wild and pressurized the umpire into revoking his decision.

Reluctantly, Richards came back. Not for long, though. Soon he was dismissed again and the crowd, perhaps a little ashamed at their behaviour, let it go more...