Harsh Thakor writes

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sp;  This grandson of Victor Richardson bid farewell to test Cricket i the 1983-84 series against Pakistan with asuperb 182 at Sydney in the final test.It was fitting that he retired in that manner after taking the Pakistan attack to the sword in charasterictic style.His batting contained the same elegance as he showed all through his career.The adulation he received from the Crowds was like Julius Ceasar bidding farewell to his subjects for the last time.In that same tset match stalwarts like Lillee and Rod Marsh also bid farewell.Fittingly he also made ahundred on his test debut at Perth in 1969-70 verus Austrlai scoring 108 runs.He thus joined the select band of batsman who scored centuries on debut and in their final tests.

Greg’s batting had a charasterictic English style which had elegance personified in total contrast to brother Ian who had a charasterictic ruggedness and arrogance about his batting.One feature of his career was their  back to back centuries at Wellington when Ian and Greg became the first brother combination to score 2centuries apiece in a test match.(Greg scored 247not out and 133 not out while Ian scpored 145 and 121)Often it was Ian who inspired Greg.It was a sight to behold watching the two brothers batting at the crease  who were temperamentally so different.           &nbs
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          Where would Greg rank overall as abatsman?To me he is just a hare’s breadth below Viv Richards,Sachin Tendulkar  or Brian Lara and is among the 10 best batsman of all time.
Staistically Greg averaged 53.86 scoring 7110 runs in 151 innings in 87 tests.I rate him 2 nd best amongst Australian batsman  behind only Bradman as though Ian Chappell was better in acrisis or on bad wickets or similarly Allan Border was more prolific they could not dominate an attack like Greg Chappell or win as many matches.14 out of his 24 centuries in test matches were maych-winning affairs  and Greg had a phenomenal average of 70 in test matches won by Australia.(better than Viv Richards,Tendulakr or Lara in modern times .)Ricky Ponting or Matthew Hayden  may match Greg Chappell’s ability to dominate or been  greater match-winners staistically  but to me have  not faced the same calibre of bolwing and had the advantage of playing for a champion team.Greg Chappel has faced the greatest bolwers of any era.(Andy Roberts,Imran Khan Etc).)Greg Chappells scores in Packer CRicket  in the 1977-79 period and in the 1972 Rest of the World versus Australia series in Australia  have  been excluded from the record books .Otherwise he would have a higher ranking amongst the all -time great batsman..In Packer Cricket he averaged over 45+against the likes of Andy Roberts,Holding and Imran Khan including a .classic 246 not out verus Rest of the World and 174 versus West Indies.He tore the bowilng like a sword piercing flesh when scoring 246 not out ,(which won the match against aChampion team)reminding one of a  bomber destroying an enemy base. Against rest of the World  at home in 1972.he averaged over 100 including scores of 115 and 197 not out .Greg’s best Innings wsa possibly his 131 at Lords i 1972 against England when his style and composure reminded one of the great batsman of the Golden age,mastering the moving ball..He scored prolifically against the Calypso paceman like in his debut series as skipper (when he scored a record  for adebut series as skipper) scoring 702 runs at 117 including aclassic 182 not out at Sydney.He also scored 621 runs at a 69 run average in the Packer Series in the WEst Indies.Greg alos showed he was amaster on the sub-continent with aclassical 235 at Faislabad against Pakistan in 1980.
Technically Greg was the best Australain batsman after Sir Don.Greg had a unique composure with an impregnable defence.In the post-war era there has not been a more correct Australian batsman.He had extraordinary judgement  whether he should defend with a perfectly straight bat ar launch ablistering attack,including majestic drives,cuts and flicks on either side of the wicket.In the Arc region he batted like a surgeon performing an a operationand he was the best ever player of the flicked drive through mid wicket..When in full flow he was reminiscent of an emperor dicating his knights but scored his runs with the precision of asurgeon performing an operation.He was a perfect model for a schoolboy batsman.Few batsman ever have combined such technical  correctness with the ability to destroy bowilng.In Greg’s only weakness was his vulnerability against the bouncing ball which was exposed on fast tracks against the WEst Indian paceman,particularyly in 1979-80 He often top edged bouncers attempting the hook shot and his predominatly Front foot Technique got him into trouble.
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Greg also exhibited great will power after a string of failures against West Indies at home in 1981-82 and he contemplated retirement.Howevere he returned like a Muhammad Ali scoring 176 in New Zealand in 1982and went on to play 3 relatively succesful Australian INternational seasons.(4Centuries against England and Pakistan )
As askipper brother Ian was vastly better and Greg could never motivate his team to the same extent as Ian and was not as sound a tactician..Ian virtually handed over an empire to Greg in the 1975-76 series against West Indies(Austrlai triumphed 5-1)The base of Austrlalia’s great rise was built by none other than Ian Chappellwhich paved the way for Greg leading Austrlia to a 5-1 triumph in his debut series as skipper. after making Australia a world beating side.Greg was an outstanding slip fielder taking 122 catches.Greg was amore than useful medium pace bowler who often made crucial breakthroughs..
Greg Chappell played some great one day International knocks and sometimes he was unbowlabe in the shorter version.He averaged around 36 with some useful match-winning hundreds and fifties displaing classical improvisation.
.Howevere his career had blemishes like when he made brother Trevor Chappel bowl an underarm ball when opponents New Zealand required 6 of the last ball against New Zealand in 1980-81.It was one of the game’s most unsporting incidents.He also morally justified Dennis Lillee’s assault on Javed Mianda at Perth in 1981-82.Although very cool and graceful thes 2 incidents spoke against his sportsmanship.
After retiring Greg became asuccesful commentator and at present is the coach of the Indian team..His memories  will remain forever till the game exists.Few batsman have displayed such feline grace while batting.It is really sad that he never played in India where many acricket school boy modelled his batting style on Greg..He was an ornament to the game.

By Harsh Thakor



 

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