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Reactions: Mourning Marshall Users respond with sorrow to Malcolm Marshall's deathPosted: Monday November 15, 1999 12:00 AM
CNNSI.com asked users to send us their reactions to the death of cricket player Malcolm Marshall. A sampling of the most interesting responses follows:
The first time I ever watched Malcolm Marshall bowl was in 1986 on TV. West Indies were playing India at Sharjah and Marshall was the opening bowler. I clearly remember, even though I was 11 years old, the fastest ball I have ever seen being bowled on a cricket field. Marshall bowled several comparatively "slow" overs and could not get Krish Srikanth out. He then produced a lightning bolt which Srikanth could not even bring his bat down on and bowled him. It was amazing bowling. I only saw him bowl live once, in 1989 in a one-day match between Indian and the West Indies at Delhi. Though he was a much slower bowler now, but his leg-cutters managed to get Srikanth out again. He was truly a great bowler and will be remembered forever.
I actually played soft ball cricket against Malcolm at the Queens Park Oval in Barbados. My scores were a "duck" and 1. At that time in the late 70's, Malcolm was very quick and he swung the ball both ways. For a number 4 batsman, I had a horrible time judging the swing and pace. I was shocked to learn of his death. Malcolm is a great roll model and I was proud to play against him in the late 70's. My praises are with his family. May he continue his cricket mastery in heaven. Rest In Peace, Malcolm.
Incredible thinker, competitive spirit, classy sportsman, wonderful representation of the 'Bajan' (Barbadian) spirit, Malcolm Marshall will be missed especially here at home! That he was a feared opponent yet welcomed visitor throughout the world speaks a lot to his character! West Indies cricket needs more like him if we are ever to regain our preeminent position in cricket!
Malcolm Marshall rose to prominence in the early 1980's. I believe it was during the tour of India right after the '83 world cup that he first reached the dizzying heights of success. The 34 wickets that he got in the 5 test series, on the placid and slow wickets of the subcontinent, was a testament to his speed and stamina. His hostile pace was the reason for the W. Indies' 5-0 white
wash of England the next summer. I remember Marshall bowling and batting in one of those test matches with a cast on his broken left hand. I will always remember him as a genuinely quick fast bowler whose rising deliveries put fear in the minds of batsmen the world over. Although a short man, he towered above his bulkier peers.
I recall Marshall as a young fast bowler on a dead Bourda track with the double swing action that he used for his bouncer in the early days. The Guyana opening batsman was still in the pickup as the ball whipped through and off the edge. I was convinced the man had not seen the ball!
He was always a real gent. Great player, great person. The work he did for Natal cricket could never be underestimated. May he rest in peace.
I was very sad to here of the death of Malcolm. I watched Malcolm many times. One of my best memories of Malcolm was watching him bowl downwind in a Test match in Wellington. I also can remember him being hit for 2 sixes by mark Greatbatch during the 91 World Cup in New Zealand. I didn't think any batman in the world could do that. I was very surprised to see this; I'm sure Malcolm was to. We will miss you. All the best to his family.
What a huge loss for the game! Malcolm Marshall had to be the best bowler I have ever seen. It was for sure when we play on the street somebody would call himself Marshall and try bowl with his action. I still remember one game when WI was playing India and opener Srikkanth hit him a four on his first ball a six on the second ball and was bowled in the third ball so badly that the stump broke. Cricket will surely miss a legend. My condolences to his wife and son.
The news of Malcolm Marshall's death left me stunned and devastated. I had no idea that he was so gravely ill. My favourite fast bowler of all time, dead at 41; I am still in shock. Marshall had it all, blistering speed, pinpoint accuracy and the ability to move the ball in the air or off the seam. To watch Marshall probe a batsman's weaknesses and methodically dismantle his defense was akin to seeing a great artist at work. For he did not simply dismiss batsmen, he deconstructed them. Two events stick in my mind, each one illustrative of a different facet of Marshall's abilities. The first was the vicious, and near lethal, bouncer he bowled at Mike Gatting during the Caribbean series of 1986. One could only appreciate the pace at which the ball was bowled as they extracted bone chips from Gatting's nose out of it. The second, also involving an English batsman, this time Graham Gooch, in a test in 1988. Gooch, in menacing form had begun to dominate the bowling (he might have already scored a century, I don't quite recall) when Marshall bowled three deliveries at him. The first two were dispatched for four and seemed to lull Gooch into a false sense of security, the third, bowled at a slightly slower pace, swung away late but straightened up after pitching and removed the middle and off stumps. Gooch walked off with a quizzical expression in his eyes. To this day it remains the finest delivery I have seen. Alas, Marshall is no more. But I am sure he will live on in the hearts of cricket lovers everywhere. I, for one, will never cease to miss him.
I was absolutely dumbfounded when I first saw the news on CNNSI. Malcolm has always been one of my most loved cricketers. He was always serious, dedicated and enthusiastic on the field. Marshall defined my growing-up years in the '80s in GUYANA. There were always controversy between my friends of who's the best (Garner, Holding, Croft etc.). I have two of Marshall's greatest performances etched forever in my memory #1. Helping the WI to win a test against England in '85 with a BROKEN hand (I think he took 5 weeks in the 2nd inn.) & #2. having Sunil Gavasker taking quick evasive action against a bouncer in India. I will forever remember (Tony Cosier, Reds, etc.) saying... Marshall from the northern end, mops his brow, coming up, passes the ump and bowls to. Malcolm, you'll be missed, good bye my friend and GOD BLESS!
I had a chance to watch Malcolm Marshall in one of the Tests he was playing for West Indies. This Test was being played at Motera Stadium, Ahmedabad. The batsman facing him was none other than Sunil Gavaskar. I could see Malcolm swinging the ball in both ways and at times Gavaskar ducked which was unusual of him. But Gavaskar did dispatch him to the boundaries in one particular over before lunch. On the other end, Navjot Siddhu was opening with Gavaskar and I saw that he was little nervous against Marshall. Ultimately, Siddhu became his victim and after lunch Gavaskar fell to Marshall. Because of his devastated spell, local newspapers covering this Test described Marshall's bowling as MARSHALL LAW as in MARTIAL LAW. It was truly his match. West Indies beat India in that test and it owed this match to Marshall. He was not only a QUICKY, but a fine all-rounder too. The cricket world lost one of the finest players of the game. He will be sorely missed. May God rest his soul in peace.
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