I'm no longer a cricket fan but my childhood memories of cricket in the 70's and 80's was that we were excited to have such great competitors come to play in Australia. They were great athletes and thrilling to watch.
This film tells the other side of the story - the systemic racial hatred aimed at them in the 1970's and 80's from UK, Australia and South Africa. Stevan Riley is English so he makes it look like it was mostly Australian and South African racism - but even India refused to play them at one stage.
They managed to rise above it and their achievements make them statesmen for the game. Their recollections are for the team achievements not the individual performances (and there is plenty to admire on both levels). Their impact went beyond sport. Viv Richards and his Four Men of the Apocalypse are my new heroes. They don't seem to make them like that anymore.
On a lightweight note, these men are aging wonderfully. I bet Lillee, Thomo etc don't look anywhere near as good these days.
This film tells the other side of the story - the systemic racial hatred aimed at them in the 1970's and 80's from UK, Australia and South Africa. Stevan Riley is English so he makes it look like it was mostly Australian and South African racism - but even India refused to play them at one stage.
They managed to rise above it and their achievements make them statesmen for the game. Their recollections are for the team achievements not the individual performances (and there is plenty to admire on both levels). Their impact went beyond sport. Viv Richards and his Four Men of the Apocalypse are my new heroes. They don't seem to make them like that anymore.
On a lightweight note, these men are aging wonderfully. I bet Lillee, Thomo etc don't look anywhere near as good these days.