West Indies cricket legend Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards, popularly known as ‘Viv’ is regarded as one of the greatest batsmen of all time. Nicknamed the ‘Master Blaster’, he was voted on of the five cricketers of the century by a 100 member panel in 2000, along with Sir Don Bradman, Sir Garfield Sobers, Sir Jack Hobbs and Shane Warne.

Wisden chose Sir Viv as the greatest One Day International (ODI) batsman of all time and the third greatest test batsman, afar ‘the Don’ and Sachin Tendulkar.

Considered by many to be the best every batsman against genuine fast bowling, he played his entire 17 year career without a helmet. In 121 Test matches he scored 8,540 runs at an average of 50.23 with 24 centuries and a top score of 29.1 against England at The Oval in 1976,

Sir Viv gave “swagger” new meaning in cricket, he was the most destructive batsman of his era. Apart from having the privilege to see the Master Blaster apply his trade live on a few occasions and signing my sketch, my only other connection with the great man is that I taught his niece at a London school a couple of years ago.