Walsh aims for glory (30 May 1999)

30 May 1999

Walsh aims for glory

Tony Cozier in Manchester

In an environment he has come to know and love, Courtney Walsh is gradually erasing unsettling memories of World Cups past.

But the great fast bowler won't be satisfied until he stands on the balcony at Lord's on June 20 with the rest of the West Indies team while captain Brian Lara receives the Cup at the end of the 1999 tournament.

Combining his natural skill with the experience of 14 seasons of English county cricket for Gloucestershire, Walsh has so effectively utilised the favourable high-seamed white ball and early season pitches that he is, by some distance, the best bowler nearing the completion of the first round.

In the four matches to date, he has capitalised on first use of the pitch each time to concede an average 2.24 runs an over from his 37 and taken his nine wickets at 9.22 apiece.

With his form and the equally telling support of his long-time partner in pace, Curtly Ambrose (economy rate 2.10), backed up by Merv Dillon, Reon King, Hendy Bryan and Phil Simmons, the West Indies have bowled out Bangladesh for 182, New Zealand for 156 and poor Scotland for 68.

Only Pakistan batted through their full 50 overs for a winning 229 for eight in the opening match when the West Indies unwisely limited themselves to three fast bowlers. Even then, Walsh had figures of 10-3-28-3.

It is all very different to Walsh's upsetting experiences in previous World Cups and to his own doubts last year about his future in the abbreviated form of the game that he described as "for young people".

In the 1987 tournament in India and Pakistan, he and his fellow Jamaican Patrick Patterson were left to spearhead the attack following the retirement of Joel Garner and Michael Holding earlier in the year and the unavailabily of Malcolm Marshall, who was resting.

In 1992 in Australia and New Zealand, he was omitted from the 15, presumably because the selectors felt his weak throwing arm was too much of a liability.

In 1996, he was bowled first ball in the last over when the West Indies needed four to reach the final.

His debut in 1987 was a nightmare.

The West Indies seemed to have the opening match wrapped up with England 209 for eight chasing 244. Alan Lamb and No. 10 Neil Foster knocked the runs off, Walsh conceding 65 runs off 9.3 overs, 22 off his last 1.3.

A week later, at the Gaddafi Stadium in Karachi, Walsh again had the responsibility of the last over off which Pakistan required 16 with the last pair together.

He could have won the match as No. 11 Salim Jaffer backed up well out of his crease but, in a sporting gesture that typified his attitude to the game: he simply warned the erring batsman.

Abdul Qadir then proceeded to win the match by hoisting Walsh back overhead for six, a defeat that virtually put the West Indies out at the first round stage.

He had to wait nine years before he had a chance to make amends. It was 1996, the hosts were again India and Pakistan, this time along with Sri Lanka, and it was to prove a traumatic time for West Indies cricket.

There was the humiliation of the loss to Kenya in Pune that precipitated the dismissal of Andy Roberts as coach and the resignation of Richie Richardson as captain.

But there was also the remarkable recovery that brought victories over Australia in the first round and favoured South Africa in the quarter-final.

It was a prelude to more World Cup frustration for Walsh. His bowling stint in the semifinal through, with Australia confined to 208 for eight, he was contentedly watching the batsmen heading for victory that would carry the West Indies through to the final when there was that stunning collapse.

Seven wickets fell for 37 and suddenly Walsh found himself walking into the floodlit night with four balls remaining and four runs to advance to the final. The task was too much for a cricketer never known for his batting.

Damien Fleming's yorker hit his off-stump first ball and he trudged off, his dream of a World Cup medal shattered.

When he voluntarily opted out of the home series against England last series and was omitted from subsequent One-Day tournaments in Bangladesh and South Africa, he might have felt the chance was gone.

Thankfully, selectors are not always stupid. They recognised Walsh's value in English conditions and did not hesitate to recall him.

Now, the opportunity is there again and Walsh is desperate not to let it slip. At the age of 36, it is unlikely to come his way again.

Source :: The Barbados Nation (https://www.nationnews.com/)