13 Interesting facts about Sir Curtly Ambrose - A silent Assasin

13 Interesting facts about Sir Curtly Ambrose – A silent Assasin: With an imposing frame standing at a towering 6ft 7inches, Curtly Ambrose was a terrifying sight for any batsman, even from 22 yards away. The right-arm fast bowler is not just one of the greatest from the land of the Caribbean but also a celebrated icon on the world stage. He soared to dizzying heights, breaking numerous records to become one of the leading wicket-takers of all time. A giant of the game in every sense, Ambrose was the most lethal pace bowler of his generation. On his 52^nd birthday let us have a look at some interesting facts about the West Indian great:

1. Mother’s advice

Basketball will never know what it let slip. Ambrose was pretty much into Basketball but listened to his mother’s advice and said no to a lucrative basketball deal in USA to search a career in cricket.

2. The starting days

Ambrose started off his career playing first-class cricket for the Leeward Islands in 1985/86. After this stint, he was given a scholarship to play club cricket in England.

3. The ODI breakthrough

He made an impact in ODI cricket during the 1987/88 series against Pakistan. In 3 games, he picked up 10 wickets at an average of 10.35, including two consecutive four wicket hauls.

4. The Benson – Hedges Cup

In the Benson and Hedges series in 1988/89 he picked up 21 wickets, including his best haul of 5/17 against Australia at the MCG.

5. The Qualities

Ambrose wasn’t the greatest swing bowler but more than made up with unswerving accuracy. His height gave him the ability to get the ball to rise steeply off a good length, besides bowling bouncers at will.

Also Read: Watch: Curtly Ambrose wrecks Australian batting order with a spell of 7/1

6. Loved playing against England

Ambrose seemed to be on top of his game whenever he played England and in 34 Tests against them, he picked 164 wickets.

7. What a spell

At the WACA in 1993 with Allan Border desperate to crown his rebuilding of Australia by defeating the team that had tormented them for a generation, Ambrose destroyed Australia’s first innings with a match-winning spell of 7 for 1 in 32 balls.

8. Not his cup of tea

Barring a one-off Test 50 to his name, the Antiguan was a disaster with a bat in his hand. He averaged a paltry 12 in Test matches and 10 in the ODIs.

9. Test Career in Numbers

In Tests, Ambrose had 98 caps, took 405 wickets at an average of 20.99 and bowled 1001 maiden overs (27 percent – nearly 2 out of every 7 overs he bowled).

10. Worth a look

He was just the fifth player in history and only the second from the West Indies to break the 400-wicket barrier in Tests. He has the best economy (2.30) from amongst all players to have picked up more than 400 wickets.

11. The Walsh – Ambrose combination

He shared a distinct record with fellow fast-bowler Courtney Walsh as the duo picked up 421 wickets between them in just 49 Tests together.

12. YES!!

The phrase, “Curtly talk to no man” came about when he refused to give an interview to a journalist in 1991.

13. The Honours

He was chosen as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1992. He was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2011 The legendary quick was knighted during the first ODI between West Indies and England in February 2014 at Antigua.