Bernard Julien - West Indies - Batsman

Bernard Julien was perfect Superstar material, had all the skills on the field and a commanding aura off it, which made him irresistable among the crowd. An aggressive batsman with the willow, he was versatile with the ball and could bowl anything between seam and spin, depending on the surface and the opposition at hand. Having plenty of skills doesn't always guarantee success on a consistent basis and his Test career was proof of that. Nevertheless, Julien enjoyed a reasonably good time for West Indies, finishing with 50 wickets and just under 900 runs with the bat. His best moment would surely be his first century at Lord's, a rollicking knock that saw him match the great Garry Sobers stroke-for-stroke in a destructive partnership.

Julien's best effort with the ball also came against England, a five-wicket haul at Bridgetown during the home series. Due to his ensembled skill set and attractive personality, he was a regular at various leagues in England, notably in the county circuit where he represented Kent with distinction. Julien's ODI career was brief but he did have the honor of playing in a victorious World Cup final in 1975. Like many established cricketers of the 1970s, his career also hit a roadblock after participating in the rebel tour of South Africa that was conducted in in 1982-83. Apart from his skills with bat and ball, Julien was a livewire on the field and could be positioned anywhere on the ground for his flexibility and adaptability.

Written by Hariprasad Sadanandan