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Ricardo Powell

Ricardo Powell Photo © CricInfo Ltd 1999

Not since the days of Vivian Richards and Gordon Greenidge in the mid seventies has a young West Indian batsman caught the fancy of the cricket loving public as Ricardo Powell. His inimitable brand of dazzling batsmanship, as seen in Singapore and Toronto, has seen the 20-year-old Jamaican steal a march over his more illustrious teammate and captain Brian Lara. Only a player of really special ability can put the world record holder in the shade and Powell is obviously a player who combines natural talent with immense skill.

If there is one aspect of Powell's batting that attracts considerable attention, it is the awesome power with which he strikes the ball. Of course he has timing and technique. No one can run up the kind of record he can boast of recently without these two basic qualities. But more than anything else, it is his vigorous style of batting that strikes terror in the hearts of bowlers and the fielding captain but thrills the spectators. Even the best of fieldsmen are unable to stop the ball when Powell hits it. The ball just races across the field like a blur and the next thing one sees is that it has hit the fence just beyond the boundary ropes. He simply annihilates the bowler and destroys his spirit. Not too many batsmen are able to instil fear in the bowlers but Powell is certainly one of them. Bowlers, quite often, just don't know where to pitch the ball or what to bowl next - proof that they have been demoralised.

His ability to hit sixes freely makes Powell such an exciting batsman to watch. He loves to hit the ball hard and high and there is no better sight on a cricket field when Powell is on song.