-- in fast bowling riches. He did not bowl in wicket for his 300th. England won the BY R W MATIDAS Australia's fust innings, when they were bun­ toss and elected to bat but Walsh had a N dled out for a paltry 76 by Marshall, Garner and long wait until tea on the second day, becoming West Indies highest wicket· Holding. In the second innings, Walsh claimed before claiming that important wicket. taker in Test matches, the veteran fast I two for 43, when West Indies won by an innings The victim was lower order batsman, bowling campaigner, Courtney Walsh, and 112 runs. Mike Watkinson. Batting at number eight has been rewarded for his relentless drive for During the 1988-89 five Test series "Down he edged a catch to wicket-keeper, perfection, when through commitment, he Under", Walsh in the opening Test at Brisbane Courtney Browne. Walsh then became bowled his heart out for the West Indies usu­ ended Australia's innings when he claimed Tony the tenth bowler and third West Indian ally performing the role of ''workhorse". This Dodemaide's wicket with his fust delivery of a after Lance Gibbs and Malcolm Marshall time around the workload is again expected new over. Then in the second innings took the to achieve 300 Test wickets. to be heavy. wickets of Mike Valetta and Graham Wood with When England toured the Caribbean Most fast bowlers possess a volatile tempera­ the fust and second deliveries of his opening earlier this year, Walsh became only the ment, which sometimes gets them into trouble. over. He became the third West Indies bowler fifth West Indian to turn out in 100 Test Walsh is not in that category. He is a highly pop­ after Wes Hall and Lance Gibbs to achieve a hat­ matches. He is the only fast bowler to ular player both on and offthe field and one c ­ � trick and the first in Test history to complete the join the illustrious group of batsmen not help admiring the level-headed manner m feat over two innings. - Vivian Richards (121), Desmond which he has taken adversity as well as adula­ For the fourth Test at Sydney, the determined Haynes (116), Clive Lloyd (110) and tion. "Cuddy" as he is familiarly called, is at his and at times luckless Walsh became the 12th Gordon Greenidge (108). There has best when the team needs him most and remains 100 West Indies bowler to claim test wickets. He been no more faithful servant to West a great example of professionalism and determi­ reached the landmark in his 29th Test when Indies cricket than Walsh. He missed nation to the younger players. wicket-keeper, Jeff Dujon, accepted the catch to a solitary Test, through injury, which Now nearly a month past his 36th birthday, dismiss centurion David Boon. forced him out of the Kensington Walsh entered the opening Test between South Walsh's omission from the West Indies team Oval match against India last year. Africa and West Indies on November 26, need­ for the fourth Test against England at Appointed Ambassador at large for ing a mere two wickets to overtake Malcolm Kensington Oval in 1990 must have been a frus­ his native, Jamaica, Walsh is also Marshall's highest ever West Indies Test tally of trating experience. Taking his place was the 32- recognised as a great ambassador for 376 wickets from 81 matches. With the West year old Barbadian pacer, Ezra Moseley, who m the West Indies, and CARICOM Indies occupying the crease on the opening day, 1983 had defied West Indies Cricket Board's should now see it fit to award him the Walsh did not take long to rewrite the record ban by journeying to the forbidden land of Order of the Caribbean Community. Sir books when South Africa batted on the second South Africa. Garfield Sobers is the only sportsman day. He had opener, Adam Bacher, snapped up However, Walsh was back in the fold for the to receive the prestigious award. by Test debutante wicket-keeper, Ridley Jacobs, fifth Test at the Antigua Recreation to equal the record. He then made it his own Ground, which the West Indies won with the fust delivery of his tenth over, when by an innings and 32 runs and with Jacques Kallis was brilliantly caught at second it the series by a 2-1 margin. slip by Stuart Williams before adding two more When Pakistan came to the victims to his collection, Darryl Cullinan and Caribbean in 1993, Walsh was Shaun Pollock. No one can deny that he thor­ again in the limelight when he oughly deserved the honour, while ending with trapped Basit Ali leg before wicket impressive figures of four for 66. Then m second in Pakistan's second innings of the innings with three increasing the total to 382 second Test at Kensington Oval to wickets in his 103rd Test. claim his 200th test wicket after Walsh is now fourth in line of highest Test nearly 10 years and 58 Tests. wicket-takers ever, behind Kapil Dev (India) After taking over the captaincy 434 from 131 tests, Richard Hadlee (New from Richie Richardson and with­ Zealand) 431 from 86 and Ian Botharn out the services of speed partner (England) 383 from 102. As regards the West Ambrose and established opener, Indies, Walsh seems like holding the record for Desmond ·Haynes, for the West a long time. His nearest rivals are veterans Indies three match tour of India in Curtly Ambrose with 346 from 81 and Ian 1994 did a marvellous job. By win­ Bishop 161 from 43. Lets hope thatWalsh's legs • ning the third Test, West Indies lev­ continue to carry the strain, and his appetite for elled the series one-all and main­ the game continues, so that this popular crick­ tained their 15-year-old unbeaten eter can move on to become only the third Test series record. bowler to reach the 400 wicket mark and then Going to New Zealand early in further progress to one of cricket's mightiest 1995, West Indies won the two Test summits, that of claiming the highest amount of _ rubber one-nil. At the end of the wickets at the Test level. second Test, West Indies triumphed While Walsh just keeps rolling along, like by an innings and 322 runs. Walsh "old man river", he is not only the oldest fast covered himself in glory with career bowler in Test cricket at present, but also the best innings figures of seven for 37 longest serving at the highest level. and for the match 13 wickets for 55 The road has never been easy for Walsh. runs which for the West Indies Although a member of West Indies touring party stands second to Michael Holding's to England in 1984, he never made his Test 14 for 149 against England at the debut. Another pace bowler, Winston Davis, on Oval in 1976. County assignment in England was drafted into When the sixth and fmal Test the team for the fourth Test when both Malcolm between the West Indies and Marshall and Milton Small were declared unfit. England got underway at the Oval Selected on tour of Australia for the 1984-85 in that country, in the summer of five Test series, Walsh made his debut in the 1995, Walsh needed just one more opening Test at Perth, while West Indies rejoiced • \ ' 0 [ P 1 dfec .fv t' IJ It ff .