Curtly Ambrose, a pivotal figure in the West Indies cricketing golden era, was born today. His integral role in the formidable West Indian fast-bowling lineup defined an era of dominance. Renowned for his hostile pace and precision, Ambrose left an enduring legacy in both One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and Test matches. His career brimmed with iconic moments that showcased his extraordinary talent. In 2000, he bid farewell to the game, and in 2011, he received the prestigious Hall of Fame induction. Ambrose’s statistics and profound impact on cricket epitomize his greatness, embodying a silent yet colossal presence that reverberates through the annals of the sport.
The Test format is something that put the legendary West Indian bowler on the mark of the game. In the 98 Test matches that the former West Indies bowler played he went on to take 405 wickets at an average of just 20.99 along with an economy of 2.30. Let us look at the top 3 performances in Test cricket for Ambrose:
1. 11/84 vs Eng in 1994
In 1994, England toured the West Indies, and the wrath of the West Indies bowler was seen as he registered his career-best figures of 11/84. In the first innings, the legendary bowler registered a bowling figure of 5/60. But things were going to get worse for England as the duo of Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh wreaked havoc on England’s batting lineups. Ambrose registered a bowling figure of 6/24 and Walsh registered a bowling figure of 3/16. Courtesy of these brilliant bowling figures the English team was restricted to just 46 runs.
2. 10/120 vs. Aus in 1993
In the fourth Test match of the West Indies tour of Australia, it turned out to be a thrilling contest as West Indies won the match by just one run. In pitch which assisted the bowling and kept on slowing down as the time passed. In the first innings of the game, it was courtesy of Ambrose whose performance of 6/74 helped West Indies to score a first-innings lead of 39 runs.
But in the second innings the star West Indies bowler went on to register a brilliant bowling figure of 4/46 in his spell taking wickets at crucial junctures.
3. 10/127 vs Eng in 1990
One of the most lethal spells in Test match cricket was delivered by Ambrose in the 1990 tour of England to the Caribbean soils. After not being very effective as per his standards he took only 2 wickets but in the second innings the Antigua-born bowler completely decimated England as he registered the bowling figures of 8/45.