The day Parker diced with Whispering Death
As West Indies begin their latest tour of New Zealand today, Tony Robson's memory drifts back to heady days when the Caribbean's cricketers ruled the planet.Since their acrimonious tour of New Zealand in 1979-80, West Indies have held a fascination
Jamie Alter
25-Feb-2013
As West Indies begin their latest tour of New Zealand today, Tony Robson's memory drifts back to heady days when the Caribbean's cricketers ruled the planet.Since their acrimonious tour of New Zealand in 1979-80, West Indies have held a fascination for those of his generation, writes Robson in the Dominion Post.
In the Otago Daily Times, former New Zealand batsman John Parker tells Alistair McMurran of his involvement in the infamous Michael-Holding-kicking-down-the-stumps incident at Carisbrook in 1980.
"I saw out of the corner of my other eye that Michael Holding was making tracks in my direction and was 10 inches away from me when he booted all the stumps out of the ground."
Holding, whose nickname was "Whispering Death", never said a word to Parker.
"But there were two other tests left and I knew I was going to get a very warm West Indian welcome in the next test at Christchurch."
Jamie Alter is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo