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Wonderful Walsh West Indies on verge of Test victory
Posted: Tuesday March 28, 2000 02:15 PM
KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) -- West Indies fast bowler Courtney Walsh became the top wicket-taker in Test cricket history Monday, taking his 435th wicket to eclipse Indian Kapil Dev's 6-year-old record and push his team towards victory against Zimbabwe. Before 7,000 cheering Jamaican countrymen, the 37-year-old Walsh broke the record at 5:12 p.m. (2212 GMT) by ending the visitors' innings at 102 in the second Cable and Wireless Test in Kingston. The home team, chasing 72 for vicory, was eight without loss at the close. "It is very, very special," an emotional Walsh said after the day's play. "It means a lot to get it in front of my hometown fans." The long-serving Walsh, who started his career back in 1984 against Australia at Perth, passed the mark with the wicket of Henry Olonga, caught left-handed at short leg by Wavell Hinds.
Teammates swarmed Walsh, one of the first to reach him being his longtime pace partner, Curtly Ambrose. Ambrose, an Antiguan, passed a milestone himself Monday by besting the late Malcolm Marshall (376) to become second behind Walsh among West Indians. As teammates and spectators cheered, Walsh stooped down to kiss the pitch on his beloved home ground. He has taken 42 wickets at Kingston's Sabina Park in his 10 Tests here. He left the field to the applause of the crowd and was embraced by his mother, Joan Wollaston, and his 13-year-old son, Courtney Jr. After the day's play, Walsh jogged a victory lap around the field, delighting the crowd by signing autographs and receiving high-fives. During a short ceremony on the field, Kapil Dev congratulated Walsh by telephone from Sharjah, where he is coaching the Indian team. Jamaican Prime Minister P.J. Patterson and Minster of Sports Portia Simpson also praised Walsh. Walsh, in his 114th Test, had sliced through the Zimbabwean top order with the new ball, removing both openers, Trevor Gripper and Grant Flower, just after lunch. He took two for 46 in the first innings before his three for 21 off 15.5 overs sent into cricketing history. Earlier, the West Indies stretched its overnight 295 for seven to 339 all out, a lead of 31 on first innings. The team was spurred by captain Jimmy Adams' sixth Test century, which he achieved with last man Reon King at the wicket. Adams' unbeaten 101 was the slowest-ever century by a West Indies batsman, taking 496 minutes, 366 deliveries and including six boundaries. Trinidadian left-hander Larry Gomes had previously held the record, his century against Australia at Perth in 1984-85 taking 425 minutes. The 32-year-old Adams and fellow Jamaican Franklyn Rose extended their record-breaking eighth-wicket partnership to 147 before being separated. Rose's contribution was 69, spanning 231 minutes and 180 deliveries, and including 12 fours.
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