10 Facts about Ian Bishop – The big Trinidadian fast bowler

10 Facts about Ian Bishop – The big Trinidadian fast bowler: Ian Bishop was one of the most promising fast bowlers to have played for the West Indies. Ian Bishop bowled at a menacing pace, was accurate and had a potent outswinger along with brutal short deliveries which troubled batsmen. Ian Bishop had a straight hustling run up and an orthodox side-on action which produced the kind of pace that fans love watching. Ian Bishop was an acclaimed fastest bowler in Test cricket during his prime. Unfortunately serious back problems had a final say in one of the most gifted fast-bowling careers.

1. Birth:

Ian Bishop was born on 24th October, 1967 in Belmont, Port-of-Spain, the capital of Trinidad and Tobago.

2. Early impressions:

Bish, as Ian Bishop has been familiarly called, attended Belmont RC School and Belmont Secondary Intermediate School. Ian Bishop was also enrolled in the Harvard Coaching School, the nursery that also spawned Brian Lara, and demonstrated an orthodoxy with both bat and ball that drew positive comments. Ian Bishop was a part of the West Indies U-23 team from 1987-1988. He was picked for West Indies Board President’s XI, thereby being on the selectors’ radar for international cricket.

3. ODI debut:

Ian Bishop made his ODI debut v England, at Headingley, Leeds on 21st May 1988 in the 2nd of the 3 match series. In the 55-over match, Ian Bishop bowled an impressive spell of 2/32 from 11 overs. His spell of 2/33 in the final ODI was equally impressive; although it couldn’t prevent the Windies from losing the series 3-0.

4. Test debut:

Ian Bishop made his Test debut v India, in the 1st Test of the 4-match series at Bourda in Georgetown, Guyana on 25th March 1989. Ian Bishop bowled 9 overs conceding 15 runs without any wickets in the drawn Test; the match was abandoned due to rain.

In the second Test at, Barbados Ian Bishop proved his credentials by picking up 7 wickets in the match. His spell of 6/87 from 25 overs in India’s first innings showcased his fast bowling skills. Windies eventually won the match by 8 wickets. His 16 wickets helped the home side win the series by 3-0.

5. The 1990 tour of Pakistan:

Ian Bishop was capable of taking wickets on any type of surface, something Ian Bishop proved on the 1990 tour of Pakistan. On the flat, spin-friendly wickets of the sub-continent, he was penetrative enough to claim 16 wickets at an average of 18.87. Due to his exceptional performances he was named Man of the Series.

6. Injuries:

The first of two serious back injuries struck him down in 1991 at the age of just 23, robbing him eight series of West Indies cricket. It was stress fractures of the vertebrae. Ian Bishop’s intensive rehabilitation and adjustments to his bowling action got him back strongly late in 1992.

Ian Bishop continued to prove himself as a wicket-taker taking a career best of 6/40 against the Aussies in the Perth Test in 1993. Although he enjoyed excellent series in England and Australia in 1993, the second injury had set him back cutting down his pace.

Also Read – Top 10 Best bowling figures in ODIs

7. Memorable ODI performances:

Ian Bishop was part of 1996 West Indies World Cup squad that got to the semi-final stage where he took 6 wickets in the tournament. His career best in ODIs was 5/25 v Pakistan at the Gabba in Brisbane in 1993. This was a match in the Benson & Hedges World Series and Pakistan were bundled out for just 71 runs courtesy Bish, who bowled a hostile spell.

Ian Bishop played 84 ODIs, took 118 wickets at an economy rate of 4.33 runs per over. He played his final ODI against Pakistan in Lahore on 4th November 1997 picking up 1 wicket.

8. Test Record:

Ian Bishop played 43 Test matches, amassing 632 runs and taking 161 wickets at an average of 24.27 runs. Ian Bishop played his final Test match v England at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown – Barbados – March 12th, 1998 picking up 2 wickets.

9. Career highlights:

Ian Bishop claimed 50 wickets in his first 11 Test matches and achieved 100 Test wickets in only 21 matches. His career best in First Class cricket is a knock of 111 for T&T v Barbados 1997. Ian Bishop is among 50 players and administrators honored by the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) for their contribution to the development of the sport over the last 50 years at a gala function at the Crown Plaza Hotel on 29th September 2012. Ian Bishop has been inducted into T&T’s Sports Hall of Fame. He was declared one of T&T’s 50 Sporting Legends as part of the country’s 50th Independence anniversary celebrations.

10. Broadcasting career:

After retiring from cricket, Ian Bishop has carved a successful career in broadcasting the game and has toured the globe as a cricket commentator. Ian Bishop is quite vocal about the languishing state of West Indian cricket. In between commentating on cricket, he also completed MBA.