Malcolm Marshall

Malcolm Denzil Marshall (April 18, 1958 - November 4, 1999) was a West Indian cricketer, one of the finest fast bowlers ever to have played Test cricket, despite being (unusually for an out-and-out quick, especially when compared to the likes of fellow West Indian quicks Joel Garner, Colin Croft, Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose) under six feet tall. His Test bowling average of 20.94 is the best of anyone who has taken 200 or more wickets.

At the peak of his powers

By 1984 Marshall was indisputably one of the finest bowlers in the world, and he demoralised England that summer, especially at Headingley, where he ran through the order in the second innings to finish with 7-53, despite having broken his thumb whilst fielding in the first innings. He also came out to bat at number 11 in West Indies' first innings despite his injury, allowing his team to gain a further psychological advantage as Larry Gomes completed an unbeaten century. In that series, too, he also ended Andy Lloyd's Test career after just half an hour after hitting him on the head.

Related Topics:
1984 - Headingley - Larry Gomes - Andy Lloyd

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In 1984/85 he had another outstanding series in New Zealand, although there were those who believed that the barrage of bouncers he sent down was intimidatory beyond what was acceptable, and that Marshall should have been admonished by the umpires. Nevertheless his repertoire consisted of much more than just the bouncer; in-swinging yorkers and leg-cutters came thick and (very) fast as well, and with the exception (perhaps surprisingly) of the 1986/87 New Zealanders, against whom he could only manage nine wickets at 32.11, no side seemed to have an answer to him.

Related Topics:
1984 - 85 - New Zealand - Umpires - 1986 - 87 - New Zealanders

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1988 saw his career-best Test performance of 7-22 at Old Trafford, but as it came against one of the poorest England sides in living memory perhaps neither this nor his extraordinary series total of 35 wickets at 12.65 could be considered his best in anything more than strict statistical terms. He was coming towards the end of his international career, moreover, and though he took 11 wickets in the match against India at Port-of-Spain the following winter, he played his last Test at The Oval in 1991. His final Test wicket - his 376th - was that of Graham Gooch.

Related Topics:
1988 - India - Port-of-Spain - The Oval - 1991 - Graham Gooch

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