Fire in Babylon

I heard and read lots about late 70's and 80's West Indies cricket team but this documentary will rank high up in my list.Fire in Babylon is one of the best sport's documentary or film i have seen.I was and I am a big fan of West Indies cricket ,so for me this documentary - is a treasure.

The film  starts with the West Indies tour of Australia in 1975-76.Dennis Lilee and Jeff Thomson were at their menacing best.Windies were beaten very badly.Lots of players were got injured and they were nick named "Calypso Cricketers". The scoreboard looked pathetic as it stood 5-1 at the end of the series.Bruised and vexed they returned home.

1970's-80's West Indies team 

Search for leader

 The man who was much older than the rest of the team players was chosen as a captain to lead. He commanded great respect and love from players as well as the public. He was the great Clive Lloyd. He understood that to become a winning team they need fearsome bowlers who bowls fast and accurate same like Lilee and Thomson.He went around caribbean in search of the young talents.His effort paid off  as he formed the bowling line consists of  Michael Holding,Colin Croft ,Andy Roberts and Joel Garner.

Fearsome Four! Andy Roberts,
Holding, Collin Croft and Jeol Garner

The new looked team's first match was against India.They routed India and won the series hands down.After some other series , came the real test - series against the mighty Australia.What a performance by the windies, the rocked the Australians on their own field.This time it was the aussies who were injured and vexed.The series was won by the Windies 2-0.It was the starting of the Windies domination of world cricket for next 15 years.

The jewel in the crown for that Windies team was the series victory against their colonial power England.

There were lots of acquisition against Windies team that they were too fast!! They were called " terrorist"!! and so much more.They wanted to restrict the windies off the field. But the spirit of windies overcame all those obstacles.

The great Viv Richards in action..

Then the story of division in windies players whom played in South Africa.The great things happened in politics due to the victories of this great team.Blacks were allowed to sit inside the grounds and they started receiving equal salary.They brought the whole caribbean together and they gave joy to millions of people.People poured in where ever they played.That team not only won 2 consecutive world cup , they beat every testing playing country.

For 15 years they never lost any test series home or away.What an incredible record.Viv Richards carried on from Clive Lloyd and they were one of the best team ever world has seen in team sports.Hats off to director Stevan Riley for his wonderful work.