… The man who led a juggernaut

THAT mighty hitter and all-round cool dude Clive Lloyd was born on August 31, 1944. He bludgeoned 7 515 Test runs with that oversized bat of his, but will be remembered mainly as the man who restored West Indies to a position of dominance.

Captain in 74 of his 110 Tests (the first West Indian to win 100 Test caps), he led them to a record 26 without defeat, which included a “blackwash” of England in 1984.

In the one-day arena, he took West Indies to two World Cup titles (1975 & 1979) and to the final in 1983. His sparkling 102 in the 1975 final is one of the best innings in the tournament’s history.

He joined the Packer circus in-between, before returning to captain West Indies. Before bad knees took their toll, he was also one of the great cover fielders.