Alvin Kallicharran

Alvin Kallicharran

Australian AllRounder

Personal Information

Full Name Alvin Isaac Kallicharran
Date of Birth March 21, 1949
Nationality Australian
Height 5 ft 5 in (1.64 m)
Role Batsman/Left-handed, Right-arm off break Bowler
Family MV Nagamootoo (Nephew), DI Kallicharran (Brother), Rohan Kallicharan (Son)

Alvin Kallicharran: A Brief Biography

Alvin Kallicharran Biography


Alvin Kallicharran is a former West Indies cricketer, born on 21st March 1949 in Port Mourant, Berbice, British Guiana. He was a left-handed batsman and right-arm off-break bowler.


His 35 runs from 10 deliveries through 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 1, 4, 6, 0 and 4 against Australian pacing legend Dennis Lillee has become a cricket folk-lore.


Background


Alvin came into the domestic fray in 1966, captaining Guyana U-19 team. At 17, Kallicharran played his maiden first-class game for Guyana against Windwards in March 1967 in Shell Shield competition.


The incipient talent made into Warwickshire Second XI in 1971 in the county.


Debut


Alvin landed in the test cricket arena smashing unbeaten 100 in his debut against New Zealand at Georgetown in April 1972. In the second test, he pounced on his sensational debut with another ton (101) in Port of Spain.


His 26 off 68 deliveries ODI debut did not yield much success at Leeds in September 1973. However, he took West Indies over the line in the next match with unbeaten 53 at Oval.


Rise to Glory


Kallicharran commenced 1974 test season with a phenomenal 158 against England in Port of Spain in February and finished the five-match test series amassing 397 runs at 56.71.


Touring India in 1974-75, Kalicharan showed his authority over spin scoring 454 runs at 56.75 with a ton in Bengaluru and three half-centuries.


He dominated Indian and Australian bowling, accumulating 1148 runs at 53.76 with four tons during March 1978 to January 1980.


In ODIs, Kallicharran was at his impeccable best in the 1975 Prudential World Cup, scoring 197 runs in five matches at an average of 49.25, along with magnificent 78 against Australia.


He scored 301 runs at 50.17 in nine matches of the 1979-80 Benson and Hedges World Series Cup.


Captaincy


Post the Parker controversy, Kallicharran took the charge of a dilapidated West Indies test side against Australia in March 1978, winning only one test out of nine games since February 1979. He could not win in his solitary ODI as captain against Australia in April 1978 at St. Lucia.


Club Career


Kallicharran represented Warwickshire for 20 years. He scored 206 and took six for 32 in a minor county game against Oxfordshire in 1984.


In his three seasons (1981-82 to 1983-84), Alvin rallied Transvel to win the Benson and Hedges Floodlit Cup. He spent four seasons at Orange Free State since 1984-85. He also played for Queensland in 1977-78.


Retirement


West Indies Cricket Board imposed a lifetime ban on Kallicharran for his decision to lead the rebel side in South Africa tour in 1981, thus ending a glorious career abruptly.


He played his last test against Pakistan in Multan in December 1980-January 1981, while his last ODI was against England in February 1981 at Kingstown.


In 66 tests, he amassed 4399 runs at 44.43 with twelve tons.


After retiring from first-class cricket in 1990, he worked as mentor and coach of Warwickshire and later in 1999 he served as the Kenyan national coach. During 2011-2013 he worked in the United States and in 2014 he trained Trinidad & Tobago youth players.