Curtly Ambrose: The Tall Terror Who Was One of Cricket's Greatest Fast Bowlers
Sir Curtly Ambrose took 405 Test wickets at an average of 20.99, using his 6 foot 7 inch frame to generate steeply-rising deliveries that made him virtually unplayable in his prime during the 1990s.
Sir Curtly Elconn Lynwall Ambrose is one of the finest fast bowlers in Test cricket history, taking 405 wickets at an average of 20.99 in 98 Tests. Born in All Saints, Antigua in 1963, Ambrose played from 1988 to 2000, forming one of cricket's greatest pace partnerships with Courtney Walsh. At 6 feet 7 inches (200 cm) tall, Ambrose generated exceptional bounce from a good-length delivery — the ball climbing steeply toward the batter's shoulder or chest from what seemed like a short-length position. His accuracy was immaculate — he bowled very few loose deliveries and built pressure over long spells that other batters found psychologically oppressive as well as technically difficult. Ambrose was famously monosyllabic off the field — he barely spoke to media, opponents or umpires — but his bowling spoke for him with extraordinary eloquence. His 7/1 in 32 balls against Australia in Trinidad in 1995 — the most devastating sustained bowling spell in Test history by runs conceded — is one of cricket's most extraordinary passages of play.
7/1 Spell Against Australia, 1995
In the Trinidad Test against Australia in 1995, Ambrose began a spell midway through the Australian second innings and delivered 32 balls that took 7 wickets for a single run — Australia collapsed from 3/8 to 46 all out, needing 256 to win. The spell has no parallel in Test cricket for its combination of pace, accuracy and destruction. Mark Taylor, Michael Slater, Steve Waugh and the rest of Australia's batting lineup were dismissed in rapid succession by deliveries they simply could not deal with.
Partnership with Walsh and West Indies Career
Ambrose played alongside Courtney Walsh throughout the 1990s, the two forming the most consistent West Indian bowling combination since the four-pace quartet of the 1980s. As the great generation of West Indian batters retired, Ambrose and Walsh carried the bowling attack. Ambrose retired in 2000, still at the top of his game, having avoided the decline that affects many bowlers who play past their peak. He was knighted in 2014.
Frequently asked questions
How many Test wickets did Curtly Ambrose take?
Ambrose took 405 Test wickets at an average of 20.99 in 98 Tests — one of the best bowling averages in Test history for a fast bowler with 200+ wickets. His average of 20.99 places him alongside Malcolm Marshall among the most economical fast bowlers in Test cricket history.
What was Curtly Ambrose's most famous bowling spell?
Ambrose's 7/1 in 32 balls against Australia at Trinidad in 1995 is his most celebrated spell. Australia collapsed from 3/8 to 46 all out, needing 256 to win. The spell is the most devastating sustained fast bowling performance in Test cricket history by runs conceded per wicket.
Why was Curtly Ambrose so difficult to face?
Ambrose's 6'7" height allowed him to release the ball from over two metres, generating steep bounce from good-length deliveries. The ball climbed toward the batter's upper body from what appeared to be a short-length position. Combined with his exceptional accuracy — he bowled very few loose balls — this made him extremely difficult to score from and psychologically oppressive to bat against.