Devon Malcolm facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Devon Malcolm

Personal information
Full name	Devon Eugene Malcolm
Born	(1963-02-22) 22 February 1963 (age 62) Kingston, Jamaica
Height	189 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right arm fast
Role	Bowler
International information
National side	England (1989–1997)
Test debut (cap 539)	10 August 1989 v Australia
Last Test	23 August 1997 v Australia
ODI debut (cap 107)	25 May 1990 v New Zealand
Last ODI	16 February 1994 v West Indies
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1984–1997	Derbyshire
1998–2000	Northamptonshire
2001–2003	Leicestershire
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA Matches 40 10 304 185 Runs scored 236 9 1,985 313 Batting average 6.05 3.00 7.84 5.21 100s/50s 0/0 0/0 0/2 0/0 Top score 29 4 51 42 Balls bowled 8,480 526 53,284 8,982 Wickets 128 16 1,054 249 Bowling average 37.09 25.25 30.33 27.61 5 wickets in innings 5 0 46 2 10 wickets in match 2 0 9 0 Best bowling 9/57 3/40 9/57 7/35 Catches/stumpings 7/– 1/– 45/– 21/–
Source: Cricinfo, 11 November 2009

Devon Eugene Malcolm (born 22 February 1963) is a former English cricketer who was born in Jamaica. He became famous for being one of the fastest bowlers in the world during his time. Malcolm played in 40 Test matches and 10 One Day Internationals for the England cricket team.

Malcolm was known for his incredible speed and power as a bowler. His best performance was taking nine wickets for 57 runs against South Africa, which is still one of the greatest bowling achievements in Test cricket history.

A graph showing the statistics of Malcolm's Test career bowling.

Even though he was a brilliant bowler, he wasn't a great batsman or fielder. But his struggles with batting made him even more popular with the fans. They would often cheer loudly when he came out to bat, usually as the last player (number eleven). He sometimes surprised everyone by hitting huge sixes.

The cricket writer Colin Bateman said, "Malcolm, incredibly wholehearted with an easy charm off the field, became a national hero." For his services to cricket, Malcolm was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2025 Birthday Honours.

Playing for English Clubs

Devon Malcolm was one of the few truly fast bowlers in England during the 1990s. He was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and moved to Sheffield, England, in 1979.

He started his professional career with Derbyshire in 1984 and played for them until 1997. During his time there, he helped the team win the Refuge Assurance League in 1990 and the Benson & Hedges Cup in 1993.

After leaving Derbyshire, Malcolm joined Northamptonshire in 1998. Two years later, he moved to Leicestershire, where he played until he retired from top-level cricket in 2003. Even near the end of his career, he was still one of the fastest bowlers in the country. At age 38, he won a challenge for the fastest delivery in a tournament, bowling at 89.5 mph (144 km/h).

International Career with Team England

Malcolm got his big break to play for England in 1989. Some regular players became unavailable, opening up a spot for him. He made his debut in a Test match against the Australia national cricket team.

Early Successes

On a tour of the West Indies in 1990, Malcolm made a huge impact. He helped England win their first Test match against the West Indies in 16 years. He was England's top wicket-taker on that tour. He continued his success against New Zealand, helping England win the series.

Despite England losing the Ashes series in Australia in 1990-91, Malcolm was praised for his effort and fast bowling. He was known for always giving his all, no matter the situation.

Ups and Downs

Malcolm's career had its challenges. He was sometimes inconsistent, meaning he could have a brilliant game followed by a not-so-good one. After a great performance against Pakistan in 1992, he struggled on a tour of India and Sri Lanka, where the pitches were not suited to his style of fast bowling. He was dropped from the team but was later recalled.

Australian cricket star Steve Waugh once said that the Australian team was always surprised when Malcolm wasn't chosen to play for England. Waugh explained that Malcolm's mix of very fast and less predictable bowling was difficult for batsmen to face.

"You Guys Are History"

One of Malcolm's most famous moments happened on 20 August 1994, against South Africa. While batting, Malcolm was hit on the helmet by a fast ball from bowler Fanie de Villiers. He was very angry and shouted at the South African players, "You guys are history."

When it was his turn to bowl, Malcolm unleashed his anger in a stunning display of fast, accurate bowling. He took an incredible nine wickets for just 57 runs. This performance destroyed the South African team's batting and remains one of the best bowling figures in Test cricket history.

Later Career and Challenges

Malcolm continued to play for England, helping them win a Test in Australia during the 1994-95 Ashes series. However, like many English players of his time, he never got to be on the winning side of a full Ashes series.

In 1995, Malcolm and another player, Phillip DeFreitas, took legal action against a magazine. An article had unfairly questioned if players born outside of England were truly committed to the English team. Malcolm won his case in court.

He also had disagreements with the team's manager, Ray Illingworth, and bowling coach. Malcolm played his last Test match for England in 1997 against Australia.

Life After Cricket

Today, Devon Malcolm runs a company called DEM Sports. The company sells cricket equipment to schools and clubs around the world.

He also works for the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) as a Black Communities Events Organiser. In April 2023, he was given the Freedom of the City of London, a special honour to celebrate his achievements in sports.