Barry Richards (cricketer)

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Barry Richards South Africa (SAF)
Batting style	Right-hand bat
Bowling type	Right-arm offbreak
	Tests	First-class
Matches	4	339
Runs scored	508	28,358
Batting average	72.57	54.74
100s/50s	2/2	80/152
Top score	140	356
Balls bowled	72	6,126
Wickets	1	77
Bowling average	26.00	37.48
5 wickets in innings	0	1
10 wickets in match	0	0
Best bowling	1/12	7/63
Catches/stumpings	3/0	367/0
Test debut: January 22, 1970 Last Test: March 10, 1970 Source: [1]

Barry Richards (born July 21, 1945 in Durban) was one of South Africa's finest ever cricketers and arguably the greatest opening batsman produced by his country. His technique was near perfect and his strokeplay, fluid and graceful. He was able to play only four Test matches before South Africa's exclusion from the international scene in 1970. Even in that brief career, against an Australian attack that was more than competitive, Richards scored 508 runs at the extraordinary average of 72.57. Richards' contribution in that series was instrumental in the 4-0 win that South Africa inflicted on a strong Australian side under Bill Lawry.

He was a prolific scorer in county cricket for several years, where he plied his trade for Hampshire and established one of the most successful opening partnerships for that county, alongwith the great West Indian batsman Gordon Greenidge. The high point of Richards' first-class career probably came in the 1970-71 season and was indicative of his enormous talent. As an overseas player for South Australia against Western Australia, he scored 325 runs in a single day off an attack that boasted the likes of Dennis Lillee, Graham McKenzie, the Englishman Tony Lock and Tony Mann.