By Neto Baptiste
Former fast bowling great, Sir Curtly Ambrose, believes that subpar patches continue to thwart the development of genuine fast bowlers in the region.
Speaking recently on the Good Morning Jojo sports show, the former West Indies player said the region was once known for producing feared fast bowlers like Sir Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, Malcolm Marshall, Courtney Walsh and himself but believes that docile surfaces have, over a period of time, played a major role in discouraging the development of fast bowlers.
“Even when I left the scene and Courtney Walsh left the scene and so on, we had a couple of guys who came in and could bowl really fast like a Fidel Edwards and a Kemar Roach before injuries, so we had a few guys but what I believe is the main problem is the pitches we are playing on,” he said.
“The pitches have gotten so slow and low that when you look at every team now in the region, they may have one or two fast bowlers to take off the shine so to speak and then spinners bowl for the rest of the day so the fast bowling stock has dwindled tremendously because of the surfaces.
“They are not good for fast bowling and it’s very discouraging,” he added.
The Antiguan, who claimed 405 wickets in 98 Tests and another 225 in 176 One Day International (ODI) matches, said the often dormant pitches in the Caribbean have also negatively impacted the ability of regional batsmen today to flourish on bouncy pitches.
“When we go overseas and we get a pitch that’s a little bit lively we are all at sea because we are not accustomed to the ball bouncing chest and neck height and all that stuff so that is why, and I don’t like to compare, but going back to the great West Indies teams of the past, cricket in the region was a cutthroat kind of thing so every pitch in the Caribbean was quick and bouncy and if you can’t play it properly then you’re in trouble, so that’s why these guys were such great fast bowlers and great batsmen so when you go overseas it’s nothing new to them,” Sir Curtly said.
Sir Curtly, one of four former international cricketers knighted by the government, also enjoyed a successful First Class career, claiming 941 wickets in 239 matches.
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