ENGLAND v WEST INDIES 1976

At Lord's, August 28, 29. West Indies won by 36 runs. West Indies took a winning 2-0 lead in the series in a match which was finished just before tea on Sunday. However, England again found consolation in defeat in the performance of one of their young batsmen.

This time it was Randall, who successfully challenged the West Indies fast bowlers with a thrilling innings of 88 which included a six and ten 4's. He drove their fielders back to the boundary boards in a manner achieved by no other English batsman during the summer. It was due almost entirely to Randall that some 6,000 spectators had such lively Sunday afternoon entertainment after play had finished on Saturday evening with England 47 for four off 14 overs in reply to 221.

Roberts seemed to have made the result a foregone conclusion by fearsome fast bowling on the Saturday when he removed four batsmen for 13 runs on a damp pitch.

On Sunday Randall quickly lost Gooch and Greig before he found two staunch allies in Knott and Jackman. Knott made 22 of a partnership of 63, while Jackman scored 14 while 55 were put on for the eighth wicket. Randall manufactured strokes in adventurous style, hitting Roberts for 11 in one over and King for 12 in another. Not until he was ninth out, well caught at extra cover, did England surrender hopes of a surprise victory.

Many would have given Randall the man of the match award. Instead this went to Richards for yet another brilliant batting display after rain had delayed the start for 90 minutes, causing the match to be reduced to 50 overs. Further rain in mid afternoon and a storm at the tea interval made it impossible to finish in one day.

A start of 51 between Fredericks and Greenidge provided a fine launching platform for Richards, whose only real support came from Lloyd. Once the captain was out at 121 Richards played a lone hand in his usual, confident style, unmoved by Underwood cutting away the middle batting with a spell of three for 4 in 16 balls. Randall and Barlow were outstanding in the field but none of the bowlers looked capable of halting Richards until he hit Greig into Randall's safe hands at square leg in attempting his 11th four.