Champion Walsh: A True Sportsman too!

Author: Jobi Varghese   Date: November 19, 2004

Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan are ruling the roost. Glenn McGrath is certain to reach there. Anil Kumble is a strong contender to achieve the feat. But, Courtney Walsh got there first!

Courtney Andrew Walsh, the lanky West Indian speedster, reached the zenith of test cricket in March 2001, when he became the first ever bowler to claim 500 wickets in Test cricket. A prodigious performer who really had to fight it out hard, Walsh weathered all adversities and emerged victorious while many of his colleagues vanished. Despite facing severe competition from fellow pacemen and never enjoying any favour from the selectors, Walsh proved his mettle and was as menacing all through his career as he was at the time of his debut. A real champion for sure!

"I enjoy competing against the opposition, and I enjoy trying to do a good job for my team," Walsh said after his accomplishment. More than just being the first bowler to reach the magical figure, he is the only fast bowler up until now to have achieved the feat. With several great West Indian pacemen around, Walsh started his test cricket career as a support bowler in 1984 and went on to pull of this amazing feat that was once thought of as impossible, especially for a fast bowler.

Despite his phenomenal success, Walsh's career was not without any letdown. He had to constantly keep fighting to maintain his place in the team. Only through strict discipline and unremitting practice did he establish himself as one of the lead bowlers in the golden era of West Indian cricket.

Besides his statistical accomplishments, Walsh is also very much remembered for his great sportsmanship at a time when many players seem to discard the spirit of the game. Who could forget his gentle gesture at the crunch moment of a decisive match against Pakistan in the 1987 world cup? This incident shows that Walsh did not want his team to win a match by hook or by crook. He would never cast a dirty look at either his opposition or the umpire, nor would he ever resort to sledging. Ranked the best of gentleman cricketers, Courtney Walsh also represented the hopes and aspirations of the Caribbean islanders, who swapped their tribulations with their team's cricketing success.

By the time he called it quits in the year 2001, Walsh had 519 test wickets against his name. Although both Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan surpassed Walsh's tally in 2004, he will be remembered for achieving the almost impossible target first.

No doubt, Walsh is more than just another famous 'W' in West Indian cricket.

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