Player Profiles: Barry Richards

Barry Richards

Barry Anderson Richards was one of South Africa’s most successful cricketers. He was able to play only four Test matches - all against Australia - before South Africa’s exclusion from the international scene in 1970. Even in that brief career, against a competitive Australian attack, Richards scored 508 runs at the high average of 72.57.
Richards’ contribution in that series was instrumental in the 4-0 win that South Africa inflicted on the side, captained by Bill Lawry. A particular highlight of the series was Richard’s 140, scored in conjunction with Graeme Pollock, who scored 274 runs in SA’s first innings.

Richards attended Clifton Preparatory School and the Durban High School and for many years played club cricket for DHS Old Boys’ Club. He played in the Natal Nuffield from 1961 to 1964 and South African schools between 1962-1964, scoring a century against the Western Province first class team.

Richards was a prolific scorer in county cricket for several years for Hampshire and established one of the most successful opening partnerships for that county, along with West Indian batsman Gordon Greenidge. In June 1973 he walked out to open Hampshire’s innings with Gordon Greenidge during a John Player League match against Sussex in Portsmouth with a bright orange bat as part of a marketing ploy. The MCC quickly banned the innovation.

He played for Natal for four seasons, scoring heavily in the Currie Cup - 1089 runs in (1971-72), 1064 runs in (1972-73), 898 runs in (1973-74) and 868 runs in (1975-76). Richards is the only player to have scored a 1000 runs in a Currie Cup season, each season consisting of only eight matches.

He did have the opportunity for international cricket in World Series Cricket in the winters of 1977-78 and 1978-79 in Australia playing 5 Supertests for the World XI scoring 554 runs in five matches. This included two centuries including 207 scored v WSC Australia on 27 January 1978 at Gloucester Park, Perth.
Richards was named South Africa’s Player of the Year in 1968. He also played for South Africa in six unofficial “Tests”, captaining the team twice. In 1984 he came out of retirement to play against the rebel West Indian touring team in South Africa.

For a number of seasons he commentated for the South African Broadcasting Corporation as well as South Africa’s MNet Supersport, before parting ways after a dispute. He has also commentated in the UK for Test Match Special, Channel 4 and Five.

Richards was chosen by Dickie Bird in his autobiography as a member of his Dream team, from all players he ever saw. Richards was also chosen by Sir Don Bradman as a member of his 20th century team as an opening batsman.

Richards returned to Western Australia in 1997 and presently resides in Perth, although he travels to South Africa on a regular basis.  He is a highly respected freelance commentator, enjoys writing on the game and is a sought-after and insightful corporate speaker.  He also consults internationally on many aspects of the game. Richards is a member of the prestigious World Cricket Committee of the MCC, was for nine years President of the International Players Association and has been President of his old county, Hampshire.