Malcolm Marshall facts for kids

Malcolm Denzil Marshall (born April 18, 1958 – died November 4, 1999) was an amazing cricketer from Barbados. He was mostly known as a super-fast bowler. Many people think he was one of the best and most successful fast bowlers in the history of Test cricket. Some even say he was the greatest West Indian fast bowler ever!

Marshall was special because he was a bit shorter than other fast bowlers of his time, standing at about 180 cm (5 feet 11 inches). But he could still bowl incredibly fast and deliver dangerous bouncers (balls that bounce high). He took more Test wickets than any other bowler in the 1980s, with 235 wickets in just five years.

He wasn't just a great bowler; he was also a good batsman. He scored ten half-centuries in Test matches and seven centuries in first-class games. He held the record for the most Test wickets for West Indies with 376 wickets until 1998. In 2009, Malcolm Marshall was honored by being added to the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.

Early Life and Cricket Beginnings

Malcolm Marshall was born in Bridgetown, Barbados. His father, Denzil Edghill, was also a cricketer. Sadly, his father died in a car accident when Malcolm was only one year old. His mother was Eleanor Welch. Malcolm had three half-brothers and three half-sisters. He grew up in the area of Saint Michael, Barbados.

His grandfather helped teach him how to play cricket. Malcolm started playing for the Banks Brewery team in 1976. He looked up to the famous West Indies cricketer Sir Garfield Sobers. Malcolm admired Sobers after watching him score a fantastic century against New Zealand in 1972.

Marshall played his first big cricket match for Barbados in February 1978. A few days later, he played his first first-class game. He took 6 wickets in that match! Because of this one good game, he was chosen to tour India in 1978-79. Many top West Indian players were not available then. Marshall heard about his selection on the radio and later said he didn't even know where India was!

Starting His International Career

Marshall played his first Test match against India on December 15, 1978. He quickly became known for his strong feelings against opposing players. Even though he didn't do much in the three Tests he played on that tour, he took 37 wickets in other first-class games.

This led to Hampshire, an English county team, signing him in 1979. He stayed with them until 1993. He was also part of the West Indies squad for the 1979 cricket World Cup, but he didn't play in any matches.

Marshall became very famous in 1980. In a Test match against England, he took three quick wickets, causing England to struggle. After 1980, he was out of the Test team for two years. But he had an amazing season with Hampshire in 1982, taking 134 wickets. This brought him back into the West Indies team, and he stayed there for the rest of his international career.

From 1982 to 1986, he took 21 or more wickets in seven Test series in a row. In the 1983-84 series against India, he took 33 wickets and scored 92 runs in one innings, his highest Test score. Marshall was even offered a lot of money to join a rebel West Indies team touring South Africa. But he said no, because South Africa was still facing international bans due to its apartheid policy.

At the Peak of His Game

Marshall was a key player during the 1984 tour of England. This series was called the "Blackwash" because the West Indies won all five matches, which was a rare achievement. Marshall took 24 wickets, showing he was one of the best bowlers in the world. He took five or more wickets in an innings three times in that series.

In the first match, Marshall's fast bowling ended the Test career of English player Andy Lloyd. A very fast ball from Marshall hit Lloyd near his eye, causing him to leave the game. Lloyd never played international cricket again.

In the third Test, Marshall broke his thumb in two places while trying to catch a ball. But he still came out to bat at number 11, with one arm in a cast! He even hit a boundary with one hand. This brave act helped his teammate Larry Gomes complete a century. Marshall then bowled with his broken thumb, taking 7 wickets for 53 runs. His captain, Clive Lloyd, said it was one of the bravest things he had ever seen.

Marshall was known for his dangerous bouncers. In 1986, a rising ball from him broke the nose of England batsman Mike Gatting. Marshall later found bone pieces from Gatting's nose stuck in the ball! But Marshall could also swing the ball both ways and had a great in-swinging yorker and a leg-cutter.

In 1988, he had his best Test performance, taking 7 wickets for only 22 runs. He finished that series with 35 wickets in five Tests. Marshall played his last Test match in 1991, taking the wicket of Graham Gooch as his 376th and final Test wicket.

Later Career and Coaching

Marshall's last games for the West Indies were in the 1992 cricket World Cup. He took two wickets in five matches during that tournament. He also played provincial cricket in South Africa. There, he helped guide a young bowler named Shaun Pollock, who later became a great player himself. Pollock often says Marshall was a big influence on his career.

Marshall won the 1992 Benson and Hedges Cup with Hampshire. He played his last county cricket season in 1993. He said goodbye to Hampshire fans in a special match, where the crowd gave him a huge cheer as he left the field. He took over 1,000 wickets for Hampshire during his time there.

In 1996, Marshall became a coach for both Hampshire and the West Indies team.

Illness, Death, and Lasting Memory

In 1999, during the 1999 Cricket World Cup, it was discovered that Marshall had colon cancer. He stopped coaching to get treatment, but sadly, it didn't work. He married his partner, Connie Roberta Earle, in September 1999. He then returned to his hometown, where he passed away on November 4, 1999, at the age of 41.

Many people around the world were very sad when he died. At his funeral, five West Indian captains carried his coffin. To remember him, the Malcolm Marshall Memorial Trophy was created. It is given to the bowler who takes the most wickets in each England versus West Indies Test series. There are also cricket games played in his memory in England.

The road leading to Hampshire's cricket ground, the Rose Bowl, is named Marshall Drive. This honors both Malcolm Marshall and another great West Indian player from Hampshire, Roy Marshall.