The Caymanian Compass - Wednesday, March 29th, 2000
Lord of The Wickets - Courtney Walsh takes his 435th wicket to become the most successful bowler in Test cricket history
By Craig Cozier
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 5:12pm (2212 GMT) by ending the visitor's innings at 102 in the second Cable and Wireless Test in Kingston. The home team, chasing 72 for victory, 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 the record in front of my hometown fans."
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. Team mates 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 team mates 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, PJ Patterson and Minister 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 WI stretched its overnight 295 for seven to 339 all out, a lead of 31 on first innings.