close
Live Cricket Score & News | Latest Articles & Match Updates | Cricket Photos & Videos | CricketCountry.com
English हिंदी
  • LIVE SCORES
  • NEWS
  • IND vs ENG
  • IND vs IRE
  • FEATURES
    • Facts and figures
    • Interviews
    • Moments in history
    • Humour
    • Serials
  • SERIES
  • PHOTOS
  • VIDEOS
  • Moments in History
  • Hangman
Follow us on
Home › Teams › West Indies › Players › Michael Holding

Michael Holding

Full Name
Michael Anthony Holding
Born
16-02-1954 Half Way Tree, Kingston, Jamaica
Current Age
68 years old
Major Teams
West Indies
Batting Style
Right-hand bat
Bowling Style
Right-arm fast
Michael Holding

Photos: Michael Holding

  • Michael ‘Whispering Death’ Holding blows away Tony ‘Grovel’ Greig’s England

    Michael ‘Whispering Death’ Holding blows away Tony ‘Grovel’ Greig’s England

  • Bloodbath at Sabina Park: When West Indian pacers ensured 5 Indian batsmen were ‘absent hurt’

    Bloodbath at Sabina Park: When West Indian pacers ensured 5 Indian batsmen were ‘absent hurt’

  • Michael Holding's pearls of wisdom

    Michael Holding's pearls of wisdom

Videos: Michael Holding

  • Michael Holding's Powerful Speech on Black Lives Matter Goes Viral | WATCH FULL VIDEO

    Michael Holding's Powerful Speech on Black Lives Matter Goes Viral | WATCH FULL VIDEO

  • VIDEO: Sammy, Gayle, Bravo and others celebrate ‘legend’ Usain Bolt’s gold win at Rio Olympics

    VIDEO: Sammy, Gayle, Bravo and others celebrate ‘legend’ Usain Bolt’s gold win at Rio Olympics

  • VIDEO: Sunil Gavaskar equals Don Bradman's record of 29 centuries

    VIDEO: Sunil Gavaskar equals Don Bradman's record of 29 centuries

  • Video: The ‘Big Three’ and the damaging consequences on world cricket

    Video: The ‘Big Three’ and the damaging consequences on world cricket

Michael Holding Biography

It was languid verse as he ran in and destructive pace as he let the ball go — a rhythmic lead-up to a wrecking finish.
 
Michael Holding turned around from far, far away, where the eyes had to squint to see. And then he ran in fluid, silent, long strides, with an action almost hypnotic in grace and athleticism. And as he waltzed into follow-through, the ball darted at rates seldom witnessed even in the heydays of pace bowling in the 1970s. His stealthy, extensive run up was soundless and serene. Umpires were seldom aware of his approach till the corner of their eyes caught him stretched in his delivery stride. Not for nothing was he was he called “Whispering Death“.
 
The plight of Brian Close and John Edrich at Old Trafford bears testimony to his hostility. Yet, Holding’s greatest feat was probably achieved two Test matches later at The Oval. On a parched, dry surface, docile and dead after a long summer of merciless drought, Holding reverted to the absolute fundamentals of fast bowling — full, straight and fast. Stumps flew, toes were crushed and batsman after batsman walked back. Nine times the woodwork rattled, three batsmen were trapped plumb — only two of his wickets involved a fielder. Holding finished the match with 14 wickets.
 
Holding was the instrument used to test the formula of speed that evolved in the formula of supreme pace. Along with Andy Roberts, Joel Garner and Colin Croft — and later, Malcolm Marshall — he formed an alliance of annihilation that the world had never witnessed outside the battlefield.
 
Land, soil and moisture had little to do with it. Holding and his mates blasted oppositions in Australia, England and India with the same relentless consistency as on the wickets of the Caribbean.
 
Well into the eighties the run-up remained long, and the pace scorching. The Australians, anticipating a repeat of the rout of 1976, were demolished at home in 1979. In 1981, Geoff Boycott faced what is largely believed to be the most hostile over ever bowled, fending and missing five express deliveries before losing his off-stump to the sixth.
 
And later, when his run up was shortened and the pace was cut down by a fraction, he toured India, bowled on the most placid of wickets, and finished with 30 wickets in six Tests at 22.10.
 
From 60 Tests, Holding ended up with 249 wickets at 23.68, boasting a strike rate of 50.9. A handy lower-order batsman with a penchant for huge sixes (24% of his Test runs came in sixes), he hit as many as six fifties in Test cricket.
 
For a fast bowler, he was often more than a useful fielder, capable of snapping up superb catches in the gully off his pace bowling mates. He never took ODIs too seriously, but managed to finish with 142 wickets at an average of 21.36 and a mind-boggling economy rate of 3.32.
 
He was the Rolls-Royce of fast bowlers.
 
Arunabha Sengupta

Michael Holding Batting & Fielding Averages

Career M In R NO HS Avg BF SR 100s 50s 4s 6s Ct St
Test 60 76 910 10 73 13.78 1167 77.97 0 6 62 25 22 0
ODIs 102 42 282 11 64 9.096 365 77.26 0 2 21 4 30 0
T20s 0 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
World Cup 11 5 36 0 20 7.200 47 76.59 0 0 1 -- 5 0

Michael Holding Bowling Averages

Career M B R W Avg EC SR 5WI 10WM BBI BBM
Test 60 12402 5898 249 23.68 2.853 49. 13 2 8/92 14/149
ODIs 102 5473 3034 142 21.36 3.326 38.54 1 0 5/17 5/26
T20s 0 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
World Cup 11 695 341 20 17.05 2.943 34.75 0 -- 4/33 5/26

Michael Holding Career statistics

Test Debut

Australia v West Indies at Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Brisbane, November 28, 1975

Last Test

New Zealand v West Indies at Basin Reserve, Wellington, February 20, 1987

ODI Debut

England v West Indies at North Marine Road, Scarborough, August 26, 1976

Last ODI

England v West Indies at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, January 30, 1987

News ON Michael Holding

Same Western Arrogance Like I Will Treat You How I Feel Like Treating You: Michael Holding on England Cancelling Pak Tour

Former West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding launched a scathing attack on the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) over the ...

Sachin Tendulkar Showers Praise on Michael Holding After Windies Legend Announces Retirement From Commentary: Your Voice Will be Missed by Millions Across Globe

The 67-year-old Holding has been part of the Sky Sports commentary team for over two decades now.

Michael Holding Announces Retirement from Commentary

The legendary Michael Holding, one of the fiercest pacers and one of the most respected voices in world cricket, has called time on his ...

Huge Transformation in Indian Team’s Fitness Levels: Michael Holding

"You see how athletic they are, how dynamic they are," Holding said.

Michael Holding Highlights Reasons For Change in Modern-Day Indian Cricket Team

Michael Holding believes fitness levels and change in pitches have led to the growth of Indian cricket.

Michael Holding on His Absence From IPL Commentary Panel, Says I Only Commentate on Cricket

Holding also talked about the downfall of the West Indies cricket team in the Test format. The 67-year-old said winning a T20 ...

More News on Michael Holding

Features ON Michael Holding

    World Cup Countdown: 1983 – India snap West Indies’ unbeaten World Cup run

    On June 10, 1983, India scripted a famous win that ended West Indies' unbeaten run in the tournament.

    Stephen Boock leaves Martin Crowe in splits at the crease

    Stephen Boock, a one-of-his-kind character, was up to his antics again despite playing the fiercest pace attack in the world. Abhishek ...

    The H’s: Supreme openers, masterly middle-order, brilliant bowlers

    The letter ‘H’ has been the hallmark of some of the supreme opening batsmen the game has ever seen.

    Nine reasons why I am a Michael Holding fan

    He was the 'Whispering Death' not for nothing. He was unassumably fast, and stunningly cool.

    Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, Joel Garner, Colin Croft, Malcolm Marshall play together for the only time

    Oh, how the batsmen dreaded that day!

    John Edrich, 39, and Brian Close, 45, show exemplary courage against frightening West Indies attack

    On came Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, and Wayne Daniel, unrestrained, brutal, ruthless, hostile; John Edrich and Brian Close resisted ...

    More Features on Michael Holding


Live Scorecard

  • Live
  • Up Next
  • Results
  • England vs India - 5th Test

    ENG 84/5 OVERS: 27.0

    IND 416 (84.5 Ovs)

    ENG trail by 332 runs

  • Sri Lanka vs Australia - 2nd Test

    08 Jul, 2022 10:00 IST | 04:30 GMT

    Galle International Stadium, Galle

  • Scotland vs Namibia - Match 1

    10 Jul, 2022 15:00 IST | 09:30 GMT

    Titwood, Glasgow

  • Namibia vs Nepal - Match 2

    11 Jul, 2022 15:00 IST | 09:30 GMT

    Cambusdoon New Ground, Ayrshire

  • Scotland vs Nepal - Match 3

    13 Jul, 2022 15:00 IST | 09:30 GMT

    Titwood, Glasgow

  • Scotland vs Namibia - Match 4

    14 Jul, 2022 15:00 IST | 09:30 GMT

    Titwood, Glasgow

More
  • Sri Lanka vs Australia - 1st Test

    Australia beat Sri Lanka by 10 wickets

  • India vs Ireland - 2nd T20I

    India beat Ireland by 4 runs

  • England vs New Zealand - 3rd Test

    England beat New Zealand by 7 wickets

  • India vs Ireland - 1st T20I

    India beat Ireland by 7 wickets

  • Zimbabwe vs Afghanistan - 5th T20I

    Match over

More

Latest News

England vs India 5th Test Day 2 Highlights: India On Top After Pacers Rattle England Top Order

England vs India 5th Test Day 2 Highlights: India On Top After Pacers Rattle England Top Order

Broad Trolled Mercilessly On Twitter After Conceding A Record 35 Runs In 1 Over vs IND In 5th Test

Broad Trolled Mercilessly On Twitter After Conceding A Record 35 Runs In 1 Over vs IND In 5th Test

Big News Coming From England On Rohit Sharma After Dinesh Karthik Was Appointed T20 Captain For Warm Up Games

Big News Coming From England On Rohit Sharma After Dinesh Karthik Was Appointed T20 Captain For Warm Up Games

Incredible: That's It. That's The Headline | Wimbledon Tennis News

Incredible: That's It. That's The Headline | Wimbledon Tennis News

Boom Boom Bumrah Breaks 46-Year Old Record With The Bat As Debutant Captain In Test Cricket

Boom Boom Bumrah Breaks 46-Year Old Record With The Bat As Debutant Captain In Test Cricket

VIDEO: Bumrah Records Highest Runs Ever In 1 Over In Test Cricket With A 4, 4, 6, 4, 4, 4, 6 Over Against Broad

VIDEO: Bumrah Records Highest Runs Ever In 1 Over In Test Cricket With A 4, 4, 6, 4, 4, 4, 6 Over Against Broad



हिन्दी खबरें

कमाल, बवाल, सवाल और अब बेमिसाल, हार्दिक पंड्या के करियर में आए कई पड़ाव

कमाल, बवाल, सवाल और अब बेमिसाल, हार्दिक पंड्या के करियर में आए कई पड़ाव

LIVE: IPL मीडिया अधिकार ई-ऑक्शन लाइव, जानें ताजा अपडेट

LIVE: IPL मीडिया अधिकार ई-ऑक्शन लाइव, जानें ताजा अपडेट

WI vs ENG, 3rd Test: 6 बल्लेबाज नहीं छू सके दहाई का आंकड़ा, इंग्लैंड महज 204 रन पर ऑलआउट

WI vs ENG, 3rd Test: 6 बल्लेबाज नहीं छू सके दहाई का आंकड़ा, इंग्लैंड महज 204 रन पर ऑलआउट

WWC 2022, ENGW vs PAKW: Danielle Wyatt की विस्फोटक पारी, इंग्लैंड ने पाकिस्तान को 9 विकेट से रौंदा

WWC 2022, ENGW vs PAKW: Danielle Wyatt की विस्फोटक पारी, इंग्लैंड ने पाकिस्तान को 9 विकेट से रौंदा

Women's ODI Player Rankings: Mithali Raj को बड़ा झटका, महिला वनडे रैंकिंग में Smriti Mandhana - Yastika Bhatia को फायदा

Women's ODI Player Rankings: Mithali Raj को बड़ा झटका, महिला वनडे रैंकिंग में Smriti Mandhana - Yastika Bhatia को फायदा

© 2022 India Dot Com Private Limited. All Rights Reserved.

About Us | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Contact Us