What would you just feel when you’re playing against an opposition who has the most feared bowlers in the world coming up against you? Tall, lanky and fierce. When they would step on the field to bowl they would just think about one thing, either to hit the stumps or hit the batsmen playing against them. As Steve Smith, who apparently was a talented batsmen in that time recalls, ‘They went with the attitude that they had to get you before you could get them.’
West Indies has been the land of fast bowlers since a long time. In the 1970s and 1980s, they were the most feared by the other cricketers. These legendary bowlers were fast, fierce, and what you call as devastating.
Malcolm Marshall
Malcolm Marshall with 376 wickets in his kitty and a bowling average of around 20, was one of the most feared and finest bowlers of that era and probably even if he comes out of his death to bowl, he’ll be one of the finest. At 5.11 he wasn’t as tall as other West Indian bowlers, but yet was the most devastating as a bowler and could swing the ball both the ways. He ended Andy Lloyd’s entire career with a bouncer that hit his head even though he was wearing a helmet. So devastating was this West Indian legend that he could even take wickets with his non-bowling arm like the way he did in the series against England in 1984.
Wes Hall
Known for his speed, he was the 1st among the West Indian fast bowlers to make a mark. Playing in late 1950s he was tall and could bowl long fast over spell for long time. Playing 48 matches, he took 192 wickets, which is exactly 4 wickets per match. He was certainly the 1st fast bowler in the era which cannot be forgotten.
Joel Garner
Joel Garner who was called the Big bird, at 6”8 was the tallest bowler to ever play international cricket. What would you expect from him with a frame like that. One of the most fearsome bowlers, his devastating Yorkers was like a nuclear-weapon in his armour. Picking 259 wickets in test matches, he certainly was one of the best. Malcolm Marshall, fastest bowler who would just break your teeth in a whisker at one of the ends and Garner, tall and a Yorker specialist whose bouncers are very much handy to break all parts of your body, on the other end. I just pity the batsmen who had to face them.
Curtley Ambrose
A silent assassin, he believed to make his actions speak more. A tally of 405 wickets in the 98 matches he played, he was certainly one of the finest bowlers in West Indies. His partnership with Courtney Walsh was just a treat to watch. A predecessor to the big bird, at 6”7 he became another West Indian to just fear the batsmen with his frame. His Yorkers were extremely lethal, but his bouncers had absolutely no answers even by some of the greatest batsmen. His 7/1 against Australia is one of the best spells ever bowled by any bowler.
Michael Holding
Nicknamed as ‘Whispering Death’ by the umpires because of his quiet approach to the crease, Michael Holding was one of the finest bowlers for West Indies in the era of their domination. Tallying 249 wickets in the 60 matches that he played, he ruined some of the batsmen. Famous for the over that he bowled against Geoff Boycott, Boycott got baffled by the pace he bowled at. Along with Joel Garner, Malcolm Marshall and Andy Roberts they formed the most devastation four-pronged pace attack.
Courtney Walsh
With a record 519 wickets from 132 matches for West Indies, he was one of the best bowlers for West Indies. Though he wasn’t as fast as Garner, Holding or Malcolm, he certainly was the most consistent. He is arguably remembered for his opening bowling partnership with Curtly Ambrose. His famous instance of showing sportsmanship of not mankading the last man in Pakistan side which cost them the semi-final spot in 1987 world cup match will be remembered forever.
These were the best 6 fast bowlers West Indies ever had. There were certainly many more bowlers including Andy Roberts, Colin Craft and Patrick Patterson but they just couldn’t steal the limelight from them. Apart from them even Gary Sobers was a tremendous bowler but he even bowled leg-spin at times.
They were the main reason to why West Indies could dominate the world cricket for so many years. Their lethal and devastating deliveries would just be a treat to watch, right from the opposition players, except the person who faces them.
I certainly believe that this list will soon come up with new names and West Indies still has some fast bowlers including Fidel Edwards, Jerome Taylor and Kemar Roach, who are quite young and will improve with experience. But if the WICB just continues to behave like this, it would be extremely difficult to make it to the top.
West Indies has been the land of fast bowlers since a long time. In the 1970s and 1980s, they were the most feared by the other cricketers. These legendary bowlers were fast, fierce, and what you call as devastating.
Malcolm Marshall
Malcolm Marshall with 376 wickets in his kitty and a bowling average of around 20, was one of the most feared and finest bowlers of that era and probably even if he comes out of his death to bowl, he’ll be one of the finest. At 5.11 he wasn’t as tall as other West Indian bowlers, but yet was the most devastating as a bowler and could swing the ball both the ways. He ended Andy Lloyd’s entire career with a bouncer that hit his head even though he was wearing a helmet. So devastating was this West Indian legend that he could even take wickets with his non-bowling arm like the way he did in the series against England in 1984.
Wes Hall
Known for his speed, he was the 1st among the West Indian fast bowlers to make a mark. Playing in late 1950s he was tall and could bowl long fast over spell for long time. Playing 48 matches, he took 192 wickets, which is exactly 4 wickets per match. He was certainly the 1st fast bowler in the era which cannot be forgotten.
Joel Garner
Joel Garner who was called the Big bird, at 6”8 was the tallest bowler to ever play international cricket. What would you expect from him with a frame like that. One of the most fearsome bowlers, his devastating Yorkers was like a nuclear-weapon in his armour. Picking 259 wickets in test matches, he certainly was one of the best. Malcolm Marshall, fastest bowler who would just break your teeth in a whisker at one of the ends and Garner, tall and a Yorker specialist whose bouncers are very much handy to break all parts of your body, on the other end. I just pity the batsmen who had to face them.
Curtley Ambrose
A silent assassin, he believed to make his actions speak more. A tally of 405 wickets in the 98 matches he played, he was certainly one of the finest bowlers in West Indies. His partnership with Courtney Walsh was just a treat to watch. A predecessor to the big bird, at 6”7 he became another West Indian to just fear the batsmen with his frame. His Yorkers were extremely lethal, but his bouncers had absolutely no answers even by some of the greatest batsmen. His 7/1 against Australia is one of the best spells ever bowled by any bowler.
Michael Holding
Nicknamed as ‘Whispering Death’ by the umpires because of his quiet approach to the crease, Michael Holding was one of the finest bowlers for West Indies in the era of their domination. Tallying 249 wickets in the 60 matches that he played, he ruined some of the batsmen. Famous for the over that he bowled against Geoff Boycott, Boycott got baffled by the pace he bowled at. Along with Joel Garner, Malcolm Marshall and Andy Roberts they formed the most devastation four-pronged pace attack.
Courtney Walsh
With a record 519 wickets from 132 matches for West Indies, he was one of the best bowlers for West Indies. Though he wasn’t as fast as Garner, Holding or Malcolm, he certainly was the most consistent. He is arguably remembered for his opening bowling partnership with Curtly Ambrose. His famous instance of showing sportsmanship of not mankading the last man in Pakistan side which cost them the semi-final spot in 1987 world cup match will be remembered forever.
These were the best 6 fast bowlers West Indies ever had. There were certainly many more bowlers including Andy Roberts, Colin Craft and Patrick Patterson but they just couldn’t steal the limelight from them. Apart from them even Gary Sobers was a tremendous bowler but he even bowled leg-spin at times.
They were the main reason to why West Indies could dominate the world cricket for so many years. Their lethal and devastating deliveries would just be a treat to watch, right from the opposition players, except the person who faces them.
I certainly believe that this list will soon come up with new names and West Indies still has some fast bowlers including Fidel Edwards, Jerome Taylor and Kemar Roach, who are quite young and will improve with experience. But if the WICB just continues to behave like this, it would be extremely difficult to make it to the top.
