Team manager and former batting terror, Richie Richardson talks to MiDu00a0DAY on West Indies' World Cup chances

Richie Richardson is long past the willow-wielding stage. Nowadays, he is more at home with a guitar around his neck as he teams up with former teammate Curtly Ambrose in a reggae band called Big Bad Dread and the Baldhead.

Former West Indies captain and current team manager Richie Richardson. PIC/GETTY IMAGES

But he has made a return to cricket through his appointment as manager of the West Indies team.

"As a former player and captain I gave my all for West Indies cricket on the field. We are at the cusp of a new era and it is now time for me to contribute off the field and aid in the building and resurgence of West Indies cricket," the 49-year-old former batting great said when he was appointed team manager.

Richardson led West Indies in two World Cups ufffd 1991-92 Down Under and 1996 in the sub-continent. In 1996, his team was shocked by minnows Kenya at Pune and though they recovered well to enter the semi-finals, WI committed harakiri against Australia. At 165 for two, they needed 43 runs in the last nine overs. Some splendid work by Shane Warne (4-36) saw the 1975 and 1979 champions ending up six runs short of the target.

Richardson announced his retirement after that loss. He believes the West Indies under Darren Sammy can give a good account of themselves in next month's World Cup.

Excerpts from an interview: