warrioryohannan
U19 Cricketer
Dennis Lillee stopped bowling bouncers at the West Indies batsmen when he feared retaliation, claims Sir Viv Richards.
The two stars of the late 1970s have entered an unseemly war of words, with Lillee claiming Richards is suffering from memory failure.
Richards was quoted by rediff.com as saying Lillee had lost his aggression after West Indies rolled out a crop of electrifying pacemen, including Michael Holding and Joel Garner.
Now chairman of selectors, Richards said Lillee lost his impact when he had to play against a team capable of returning fire.
"Lillee realised what would be coming at him," Richards said. "You could see it in Lillee. He was all huff and puff, but he wasn't quite the same later on."
Lillee said Richards' comments were laughable.
"Viv must have a short memory or a very selective memory. If Viv actually made that comment, he must have forgotten a fair bit.
"None of them frightened me, and I certainly did not back off."
Lillee, 53, dismissed Richards nine times in Tests, more than any other bowler. Additionally, Lillee snared Richards seven times while snapping up 45 wickets in 10 World Series Cricket Tests against the West Indies between 1977 and 1979.
The two stars of the late 1970s have entered an unseemly war of words, with Lillee claiming Richards is suffering from memory failure.
Richards was quoted by rediff.com as saying Lillee had lost his aggression after West Indies rolled out a crop of electrifying pacemen, including Michael Holding and Joel Garner.
Now chairman of selectors, Richards said Lillee lost his impact when he had to play against a team capable of returning fire.
"Lillee realised what would be coming at him," Richards said. "You could see it in Lillee. He was all huff and puff, but he wasn't quite the same later on."
Lillee said Richards' comments were laughable.
"Viv must have a short memory or a very selective memory. If Viv actually made that comment, he must have forgotten a fair bit.
"None of them frightened me, and I certainly did not back off."
Lillee, 53, dismissed Richards nine times in Tests, more than any other bowler. Additionally, Lillee snared Richards seven times while snapping up 45 wickets in 10 World Series Cricket Tests against the West Indies between 1977 and 1979.
