Full name Barry Anderson Richards

Born July 21, 1945, Morningside, Durban, Natal

Current age 63 years 350 days

Major teams South Africa, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Natal, South Australia, Transvaal

Batting style Right-hand bat

Bowling style Right-arm offbreak

Barry Richards played just four Tests - and the cricket world is poorer for it. They were all in 1969-70 against Australia, and Richards made the most of his limited time in the limelight. A talent of such enormous stature that he once batted (and did well) using only the leading edge in a Durban club match, Richards was forced by South Africa's sporting isolation to play elsewhere, thrilling spectators with his nimble, aggressive strokeplay for Hampshire, Natal and South Australia, and in Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket. There were many feats of remarkable batsmanship from one of the finest talents of the 20th century, including nine hundreds before lunch and 1000 runs in a season 15 times. But South Africans will never forget the Durban Test of 1969-70, when Richards and Graeme Pollock flayed the Australian attack to all parts of the Kingsmead ground. Neil Manthorp

Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1969

Mar 18, 2007

Ricky Ponting and Luuk van Troost at the toss along with Barry Richards

© Getty Images

May 10, 2004

Former South African batsman Barry Richards delivers a speech during a two-day seminar organised by the Pakistan Cricket Board in Lahore

© AFP

Oct 8, 2001

Barry Richards passing few tips to the Sri Lankan A team cricketers

© Cricinfo Ltd

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