KEY POINTS:
Last time you remember him he was probably peering out from beneath a wide-brimmed maroon sunhat, viciously hooking aggressive fast bowlers to the boundary on cricket grounds throughout the world.
Richard Benjamin Richardson is a household name in Antigua. Refreshingly, that name is still in the phonebook, alongside cricketing contemporaries such as Sir Vivian Richards and Andy Roberts, a practice which seemed to stop in New Zealand with Sir Edmund Hillary and his generation.
While cricket remains a core part of his life, the man known simply as "Richie" has embarked on a new career - reggae music. The 45-year-old spends much of his time these days on rhythmic guitar with the revived band Big Bad Dread and the Baldhead a name describing the hairstyles of two former members.
Richardson had been fond of their brand of calypso, so invited the lead singer (the one with the dreadlocks) to a party in 2001 where Richardson and fellow cricketer Curtly Ambrose joined him on stage. They've been members ever since.
"People thought we were just clowning around until they heard us and realised how serious we were," he says.
Initially they played calypso but their high profile meant they were better off opting for a reggae sound to appeal to the international market. Their calendar now alternates between live gigs and the recording studio.
"After three months we did our first gig, five months later we had a CD followed by two more with another to be released shortly. People want us to play in America, we've been to England the past three years and had requests as far away as Australia and South Africa - there's even a guy who wants us to play at his wedding in Central Europe mid-year, but I don't know if he's serious..."
But none from New Zealand, yet.
A fourth album, Fruits of life, is due for release next month. That compilation, not to mention the first three, Back in your face, Another level and Sweet thing could just as easily be descriptions of Richardson's batting in international cricket from 1983-1996.
Known as a fearless hooker, he says he wore a helmet only once in his career - in his final one-dayer, the World Cup semifinal against Australia where, as irony would have it, Glenn McGrath sconed him in the head.
But Richardson says that's as good an example as any that cricket is a mind game.
"To me it was about the challenge, a fast bowler bowls a bouncer, wanting to kill you and your way of getting the better is to hook him out of the ground.
"I liked aggression on the field and when bowlers attacked I responded.
"If you were a trundler, lackadaisically rolling your arm over, you could get me out easier. That's why I've done well against Australia, because they often had fast bowlers, played the game with passion and were always chirpy."
"Done well" is an understatement. Richardson, with nine test centuries, is second only to Sir Jack Hobbs on the all-time list against the men in baggy green caps.
But these days, particularly at the Cricket World Cup, the game leaves Richardson empty. He has been a critic of what he perceives as greed, blasting entities like the West Indies Players' Association and Board in the player/sponsor row and retainer fee fiasco respectively over the last couple of years.
He's blamed fast food for the lack of stars emerging and most recently had a crack at the West Indies players disbanding to go home midway through this World Cup.
However, Richardson's reserved some of his most stinging criticism for the International Cricket Council and what he sees as a bullying approach to the current event.
"To be honest, I'm disappointed. I've played at three World Cups and was looking forward to having fun at this one. But West Indians have been deprived of presenting the hospitality, entertainment, freedom and relaxation that is customary.
"There are too many rules. Governments and private companies have invested a lot in the infrastructure and they're not going to get a return because of ICC regulations such as pre-approving musical instruments and placing severe restrictions on food.
"Maybe the organisers shouldn't have said 'yes' to everything and negotiated harder. However, my impression is they were given a 'take it or you don't get it' ultimatum. A new stadium to replace the Antigua Recreation Ground is great, but to be forced to make it 20,000 capacity when less than 80,000 people live on the island is ridiculous."
Richardson admits people do travel to Antigua from outer islands to watch matches but this time of the year is the worst for hotel prices and flights, something confirmed by Lonely Planet and the Antiguan Tourism Ministry.
He says the tournament should have been held in the driest months of May and June - apparently something the West Indies Board asked for but had rejected.
"Antigua's a poor country that's contributed a lot to cricket over the years and I don't think we should be treated the same way as an England or Australia - our people are far more financially constrained."
So with frustrations like that Richardson's future lies with the rhythmic guitar for now as well as his seasonal contract with celebrity charity side Lashings in the UK where he's signed up for his 11th season flashing his bat.
