·J1���reat

· cricketer, a finegentle�an

COURTNEY Walsh, the and records of other fast bowlers 'down the years, at champion bowler out of and Excelsior those of such greats as , Trueman, High, is the toast of . and said: I want to be like them. Based on his latest accomplishment, he will be Walsh has not only followed in their footsteps: for a long time - probably as long as the game is he has also stepped ahead. He has done what they played. have done and better- so much so that today, right Last year against , at his beloved around the world, there are sure to ·be young boys , Walsh took his 435th to who are inspired by his deeds and saying they become the world record holder for the highest want to be i.i.kc him. number of in . The greatness of Walsh, however, On Tuesday when he removed goes beyond his performance with for the ball, and in serenading him, in zero at Queen's Park Oval, he became joining the toast in celebration of his the first bowler to take 500 wickets in latest accomplishment, we should Test cricket. cou le with it a toast to one of crick­ Without a doubt, both deeds are E et's finest gentlemen. fantastic, and although ony, the world As a young man striving for a place record, can be erased, the. other, the first to 500, cannot. In fact, in raising in the sun, Walsh was polite, during the bar so high, even if the record of his climb to greatness, he remained in most wickets is broken, it will take a polite and he was humble, and his long, long time - so long it will proba­ greatness, he is still polite and hum­ bly never be broken. ble. Lest it be for,(Totten, when, for As great as Walsh is, as much as example, Fred Tr �man retired with there is to brag about, there is not an the then world re..::ord, the number ounce of arrogance in him, as much was 1. 307, when ance Gibbs retired it as he has achieved he has never for­ was 309, ' gotten his roots, and his loyalty is retired, it j}, and when Kapil beyond question. Dev retired, t.'. lS 434. He has never said no to the West Even .J' Walsh does not take another Indies, he has never said no to wicket before he retires, the lead his predecessor is a frightening 70. Jamaica, and most importantly, he has never said In other words, when the big Jamaican fast · no to his club - to Melbourne. · bowler leaves the field for the last time, the bar Walsh's loyalty is such that there have been will be so high, that he could be forgiven if he times when he has come home one day and is on tumed to the likes of Shane W ame and Muttiah the field the following day representing Muralitharan and say to the two master spin Melbourne, and times when he has left the field bowlers: "there it is, clear it if you can". for the airport. a As boy at Melbourne, Walsh probably looked Cricket has been good to - no at the great and said, I want to be question about that. Courtney Walsh, however, like him, and later on he probably looked at the has also been good for cricket.