Wes Hall

Photos: Wes Hall

Wes Hall Biography

His gigantic frame rushing along the turf, his footsteps shaking the ground, the famed crucifix dangling from his neck, glistening in the sun, the long, fearsome arms about to go into the final hurtling motion to send down another thunderbolt, Wes Hall was the first great West Indian fast bowler who combined the qualities of extreme pace, skill and durability .

From the pivotal tour of India and Pakistan in 1958-59 when he captured 46 wickets, Hall pulverised batsmen for the next decade with lightning speed combined with fascinating quality. He combined with lethal effect with Charlie Griffith, forming the first of many, many terrifying bowling combinations to come out of the Caribbean in the next three decades.

It was apt that his autobiography was named 'Pace Like Fire'.

Some of the feats performed by Hall have become legendary by being dipped in immense drama. He terrorised the Indian batsmen often enough, charged in to demolish sides of Pakistan, Australia and England, being instrumental in winning multiple rubbers through sheer pace. However, he is best remembered for two immortal series and, in particular, two of the most epic final overs witnessed in the history of Test cricket.

The first was the epochal series in Australia in 1960-61, when Hall captured 9 wickets in the Tied Test at Brisbane and bowled the spine-chilling last over, dismissing Richie Benaud with a bouncer bowled against the captain's instructions, somehow managing to drop a skier at square leg, and then restricting the Australian batsmen from getting the required runs. And then it was in England, at Lord's in 1963, when he broke the arm of Colin Cowdrey. And then he ran in for two terrifying deliveries, as the injured man stood at the non-striker's end, arm in plaster, with David Allen, his whole body shuddering from the impact, somehow keep the balls out with five runs to win and one wicket to fall.

His career tailed off towards the end, but he finished with 192 wickets in 48 Tests at 26.38, and can be considered the spiritual ancestor of the long line of West Indian fast bowling greats that followed from the 1970s to the 1990s.

Hall was also a fantastic personality who became extremely popular during his stint in Queensland. He later became a minister of the Christian Pentecostal Church, as also a Minister of Tourism and Sport in the Barbados government.

In 2012, Wes Hall was knighted for his services to the game.

Arunabha Sengupta

Wes Hall Batting & Fielding Averages

Career	M	In	R	NO	HS	Avg	BF	SR	100s	50s	4s	6s	Ct	St
Test	48	66	818	14	50*	15.73	512	159.7	0	2	32	--	11	0
ODIs	0	--	--	--		--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
T20s	0	--	--	--		--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
World Cup	0	--	--	--		--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--

Wes Hall Bowling Averages

Career	M	B	R	W	Avg	EC	SR	5WI	10WM	BBI	BBM
Test	48	9953	5066	192	26.38	3.054	51.	9	1	7/69	11/126
ODIs	0	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
T20s	0	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
World Cup	0	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--		--

Wes Hall Career statistics

News ON Wes Hall

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Dave Cameron hails Wes Hall as stalwart of ‘cricket and Caribbean life’

Dave Cameron praised Wes Hall as a stalwart of "cricket and Caribbean life".

Wes Hall honoured with place in ICC Hall of fame

Wes Hall picked 192 wickets in the 48 Tests he featured in.

WICB task force commences work to investigate India tour pull-out

West Indies cancelled their tour to India in October.

Wes Hall knighted in Queen’s Birthday honours

Wes Hall, the legendary West Indies fast bowler, who inspired successive generations of great Caribbean pace men, has been knighted ...

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Features ON Wes Hall

Ken Palmer faces Wes Hall and Roy Gilchrist without his box

Ken Palmer, the fighting young Somerset all-rounder, battled the pace of Wes Hall and Roy Gilchrist to score 23 in difficult conditions.

Why Alastair Cook’s batting rekindles memories of Bill Lawry

In Part Six of the series, we look at two cricketers who could easily be mistaken for siblings in the way they went about their ...

West Indies tour of Australia 1960-61: The first ever Tied Test

... and Joe Solomon threw down the stumps from square-leg to run out Ian Meckiff...

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Charlie Griffith was one of the most feared bowlers of all time, remembered, somewhat unfairly, for the man who ended Nari Contractor's ...

Wes Hall: Terror on the ground, religious off it

Wes Hall was one of the finest and fiercest fast bowlers Barbados and West Indies have produced, was born. He also bowled probably the ...

Wes Hall: 14 facts about the legendary fast bowler who played second innings in politics

On his birthday, take a look at 14 facts from the life of the fearsome fast bowler — Wes Hall, who was knighted for his contributions ...

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