The Australian cricket team toured the West Indies in the 1983–84 season to play a five-match Test series against the West Indies.
The West Indies won the series 3–0 with two matches drawn, and therefore retained the Sir Frank Worrell Trophy.
Wisden said that Australia "were outplayed in every department of the game, sometimes embarrassingly so."Wisden – The Australians in the West Indies, 1983–84. The West Indies did not lose a single second innings wicket in any of the five Tests and were only once dismissed for fewer than 300. Australia made more than 300 only once.
The series was enormously successful for Allan Border who was top scorer in half his ten Test innings and scored more than twice as many as anyone else in the team. It also saw the establishment of Wayne Phillips as Australia's first-choice wicketkeeper after Roger Woolley initially looked like taking the job. However veteran Australian players such as Geoff Lawson, Rodney Hogg, Kim Hughes and David Hookes performed poorly.
Australian squad Australia had just defeated Pakistan 2–0 at home during the 1983–84 season. However this was the first tour the team had undertaken since the retirement of Greg Chappell, Dennis Lillee and Rod Marsh.
The original squad selected were as follows: Batsmen – Kim Hughes (captain), Allan Border (vice-captain), Greg Ritchie, Steve Smith, Kepler Wessels, Graham Yallop, David Hookes, Wayne Phillips (also backup wicketkeeper) Fastbowlers – Terry Alderman, Geoff Lawson, Rodney Hogg, Carl Rackemann, John Maguire Spinners – Tom Hogan, Greg Matthews Wicketkeepers – Roger Woolley Support team – Col Egar (manager), Geoff Dymock (assistant manager), Errol Allcot Selectors – Hughes, Border, Dymock
The selection of the side was generally uncontroversial – all the players had been in good form over the Australian summer, and those that did not play test cricket had played one day games for Australia. Smith toured Sri Lanka while Ritchie had played three tests in Pakistan.
Western Australian all rounder Ken MacLeay had been thought a possible tourist but his form had fallen away during the summer. Spinner Murray Bennett was considered unlucky to not be picked, having been in the Australian squad against Pakistan that summer. Jeff Thomson was overlooked despite an excellent domestic season.
Former test bowler turned journalist Bill O'Reilly thought Bob Holland, then Australia's leading leg spinner, should have been taken because of the success of leg spinners on West Indian wickets. Holland had a better domestic record than Matthews that summer but was not as skilled with the bat. (The bowling of Bennett and Holland would later deliver Australia a rare test victory over the West Indies the subsequent Australian summer.)
Ian Chappell thought Australia's selectors should have gambled on a leg spinner, Peter Sleep, instead of Tom Hogan.
David Hookes had not played for the Australian test side for a while but was in the one day team and had toured the West Indies before, and his experience was thought to be useful considering the retirements of Chappell, Lillee and Marsh.
Roger Woolley, the first choice wicketkeeper, was the first Tasmanian based player to be picked for Australia since Laurie Nash in 1931. Rod Marsh had been Australia's wicketkeeper since the 1970–71 summer, so Woolley had the chance to establish himself in that role long term. His main rival for the position had been New South Wales' Steve Rixon. Australian selectors had indicated their preference for Woolley by sending him on the tour to Sri Lanka in 1983, and he had scored 532 first class runs at an average of 44.5 that summer.Peter McFarline, 'Selectors Stick to Form', The Age Jan 20, 1984 p 22 accessed July 1, 2012 Woolley: For the next three months I've a job to do as a batsman keeper. That's all I'm thinking about for the time being.... I was worried about Queenslander Ray Phillips this season – he had taken a lot of catches and I hadn't. Strangely, we were not getting wickets that way and my tally, along with the other Tasmanian fieldmen, was down. But 1 felt the Sri Lankan tour has brought me along and my batting was improving with the responsibility of being Sheffield Shield captain. The "comeback story" of the Australian squad was bowler Terry Alderman, who had damaged his shoulder in November 1982 while tackling a spectator who had charged on to the ground.
Replacements Graham Yallop had injured his knee during a one-day international in Australia in 1984 and it was unsure if he would be able to tour so Dean Jones was placed on standby. Rod McCurdy was announced as a backup if any bowlers were injured. Steve Smith and Greg Ritchie injured themselves during the one-day finals and David Boon and Graeme Wood were placed on standby for them.Mike Coward, "Injured Smith May Get Week's Grace", The Age, 13 February 1984 p21, accessed 22 July 2012 Both Smith and Ritchie recovered to fly out with the squad.
Yallop never made the tour and Jones took his place. Kepler Wessels was injured in the West Indies and Graeme Wood flew out to take his place. McCurdy did not tour.
Pre Tour Contractual Dispute The tour was marked by a contractual dispute between the players and the Australian Cricket Board. The ACB were worried about players going on "rebel" cricket tours to South Africa. This was resolved after some amendments to the contract.
Criticism of Kim Hughes There was also the issue of Ian Chappell's constant criticisms of Kim Hughes' captaincy. Hughes had been given the captaincy over Rod Marsh, whom many – particularly Chappell – thought was the superior candidate. At a testimonial dinner for Marsh in February 1984, Chappell, paraphrasing a country and western song, claimed that "Hughes got the goldmine, Marsh the shaft". This resulted in Hughes refusing to participate in pre-game interviews with Chappell at the end of the 1983–84 Australian summer. Hughes: It was a terribly embarrassing thing in front of a full roll-up of the team. It was more so when 30 or 40 more people came up to me after the dinner and said they disagreed with Ian Chappell's remarks and said that in their opinion I had been doing a good job. I've always said that if you don't have anything good to say about a person you don't say anything at all. I don't have to put up with people who make remarks about me... I have conducted myself, in my belief, beyond reproach. I might be a 'nice guy' but I was certainly embarrassed with my team there at the testimonial and I won't put up with it. If Channel Nine wants Ian Chappell to handle their interviews that's their business, but I won't be any part of it. Peter McFarline wrote "a good tour as batsman and captain in the next 90 days should silence his detractors for some time to come." Dean Jones later recalled: It was an awful time to play for Australia. Greg Chappell, Rod Marsh and Dennis Lillee had just retired from Test cricket and South African cricket officials, like Dr Ali Bacher, were lingering around trying to induce players to play in South Africa on an unauthorised tour. I was the first player to reject Bacher's $200,000 tax-free offer and my teammates hated me for it. Players had their own agendas. Our team culture was pathetic and most players were very selfish.Dean Jones, "George Bailey's baggy green cap presentation a contrast to 1984", November 23, 2013, Sydney Morning Herald, accessed 26 March 2014
Hughes was upbeat at the beginning of the tour: We are not going to win Tests against their pace attack by just playing shots – we must physically defend our wickets right from one to 11. The experienced ones know the need – and newcomers like Steve Smith and Dean Jones have learned quickly. You only have to recall Dean Jones, without a helmet, advancing down the wicket to confront Michael Holding to see the spirit in the side... A big factor is that I think we are a fitter line-up than the Windies after their Australian tour. And how much longer can Clive Lloyd keep going too?... We go as underdogs – I think that's an advantage... We haven't won a series overseas since 1975 and this is a tough challenge for us. But there is no doubting the cricket ability in the squad – but we must cope with conditions arising out of living away from home. They know they have to consider a total of 350 to 400 runs every time we go to the crease.
Early games Australia vs Leeward Islands, Warner Park, Basseterre, St Kitts The first tour game was against Leeward Islands.Leeward Islands v Australians at St Kitts, 18–21 Feb 1984 accessed 26 March 2014 It was held on the island of St Kitts, where Australia had not played since 1965. The team flew from Sydney via San Francisco, New York, and Antigua before arriving in St Kitts - a 46 hour trip. They arrived 30 hours before play was to start. David Hookes was selected despite having not played cricket for a month. Viv Richards and Andy Roberts were left out of the Leeward Islands team but Richie Richardson and Eldine Baptiste were selected. Australia rested fast bowlers Rodney Hogg and Geoff Lawson and Greg Matthews was 12th man with Tom Hogan the spinner.
Australia won the toss, elected to bat and scored 7-429, with good innings from Wessels (126 retired hurt), Hughes (61), Border (74) and Hookes (66), Eldine Baptiste taking 4-95. Hughes and Wessels put on 125 runs in 95 minutes and Border and Hookes 134 in 75 minutes. A local called Johnny Gomez acted as 12th man dressed in a tuxedo and hat wheeling a silver drinks tray on to the ground. Greg Ritchie and Wayne Phillips, who were rooming together, arrived 75 minutes late for the second day's play.
Australia dismissed Leeward Islands for 305 (Julien 123, Baptiste 57) with Rackemann taking 6-105 off 35 overs, and Alderman 3-52. Rackemann was hit in the groin taking a catch off Julien and collapsed to the ground in pain, but Hughes insisted he keep bowlind and he did. Tom Hogan did not bowl particularly well and it was thought Greg Matthews would keep his spot for the first test. Australia declared at 7-250, Wessells making 86 (he and Phillips put on 114 for the opening partnership although Phillips only scored 23 and did not bat well.
Australia dismissed Leeward for 170, with Rackemann, Alderman and Maguire taking three wickets each. Hughes called it "a tremendous start" to the tour. McFarline said "Hogan bowled without penetration and too full while Woolley's work, especially on the leg side, was sloppy. But he has not kept to these bowlers for some time and will need some time to adjust."
Phillips and Ritchie were fined by their teammates and presented with a T shirt which said "missing in action... St Kitts 1984".
Australia vs Guyana The Australians then flew six hours to Guyana to play a tour game against the local side, a one day international, and a test match. There was some apprehension that protests might be made over the presence of Wessels, South African born and raised, as the Guyanese government had objected to the presence of Robin Jackman, a South African connected player who toured with the English side in 1981. However Wessels was allowed into the country.
Kim Hughes missed this game due to a torn hamstring strain so Allan Border captained the side and Dean Jones replaced Hughes. Steve Smith, who had been rested for the first tour game, replaced Wessels. Guyana picked two spinners, Roger Harper and Clyde Butts, as did Australia (Hogan, Matthews).Guyana v Australians at Georgetown, 24–27 Feb 1984 accessed 26 March 2014 Australia batted first and scored 6-467 before declaring; all Australia's batters made runs except Wayne Phillips (1): Smith (105), Ritchie (64 off 69 balls), Border (113), Hookes (61) and Jones (58)."Another Innings in the 400s", The Sydney Morning Herald 26 February 1984, accessed 27 March 2014 Guyana declared at 8-417 (Andy Jackman 125, Mohamed 68, Hogg 5-144, Hogan 2-66). Roger Woolley dropped Jackman when the batter was on 2.