Cricket often has some strange and unexplained phenomenon, for example:
Some of the best
But that's just the beginning...
And I thought after the World T20 victory these guys were on the way back up.
Life is tough as a West Indies fan.
- How Ajit Agarkar can get a century at Lords.
- How Michael Yardy was allowed to play international cricket.
- Why somebody would pay Glenn "The Big Show" Maxwell one million bucks.
But there is one cricketing mystery that continuously trumps them all, one team that can truly define the term enigma in their consistently baffling pursuits on the cricket pitch. This is none other than the West Indies.
Rewind about 30 years and these guys used to be absolutely unstoppable. They practically invented swagger, power cricket and tasteful arrogance. Some stonewalled all day while, others bludgeoned bowlers for fun, and they had a seemingly never ending assembly line of fast bowlers and swashbucklers.
Until it well... ended.
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| © Getty |
Most teams around the world are right on top or consistently crap, but how many can slide from one to the other in the very same match? There is no doubt that the West Indies are the undisputed king of collapses. Lets take a look back and analyse the concept of "The Calypso Collapso".
Some of the best
- Limping like a lame horse to 112 all out in 43 overs in a World Cup quarter final.
- Failing to chase 166 against Kenya, making 93 instead. Again in a World Cup.
- Crashing to 8-31 against Zimbabwe chasing 138.
- This last month, a 70 all out and 3 butchered run chases to lose 5-0 to Australia B.
But that's just the beginning...
The Top 3 West Indies Hall of Shame
Chris Gayle claimed that he had 'unfinished business' leading into the match and responded by carting about everyone in sight including a 6-4-4 off none other than Glenn McGrath. The West Indies were flying at 10 an over when Nathan Bracken bowled the delivery of the tournament and sent Gayle back, and the rest of the lot stood around confused and clueless. And that includes Brian Lara who managed 2 off 18 deliveries.
Collapse = 58-8
Collapse = 58-8
Chasing a sizeable but gettable 279, Chanderpaul and Gayle went absolutely berserk and flayed 92 off 83 balls and 58 off 46 balls respectively. Australia were in a state of rare haplessness as in the strangest of situations Chanderpaul had romped to 50 when Gayle was on 9. It didn't last of course and Chanderpaul's departure left a pretty easy task of 106 required at four an over with 8 wickets in hand. They got 29.
Collapse = 29-9
Collapse = 29-9
And the biggest disgrace of all. They had Australia at 4-15 including Taylor, Ponting and both the Waughs, and even still Australia managed to somehow limp to 207. Chanderpaul and Lara were making light work of it until they fell and the inspired tactic of sending tail-enders Gibson and Harper backfired spectacularly. Richie Richardson stood alone at 49 not out and a World Cup final went begging. They never made the World Cup Semi Final even once since then.
Collapse = 37-8
Collapse = 37-8
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| Somebody call my shrink... again © Getty |
And I thought after the World T20 victory these guys were on the way back up.
Life is tough as a West Indies fan.
