Dear Editor,
January 29, 2025 marked thirty-two years since West Indies pace bowler Curtly Ambrose bowled what many commentators described as the best spell ever bowled in a Test match. I watched it live on television and was flabbergasted. Editor, please permit me to reminisce on the magnificent performance and other aspects of the Test match and series. The match was played at the WACA ground Perth, Australia between the West Indies and Australia during the West Indies1992 /1993 tour of Australia.
Australia won the toss and elected to bat first. At lunch time they were comfortable at 59 for 2 batting on a pitch Ambrose described as, “ Ripe for fast bowling. It wasn’t green but it had some grass and moisture and was hard.” Ian Bishop dismissed both Justin Langer and Steve Waugh.
At the lunch break Ambrose’s spell was 0 for 18 off eight overs. He was annoyed with himself as he felt that he did not get it right with the pitch so conducive to fast bowling. Shortly after lunch he had the opportunity to redeem himself. Captain Richie Richardson gave him the ball and he demolished the Australia batting. In his book Sir Curtly Ambrose: Time To Talk written by Richard Sydenham this is how he described the demolition. “I got Mark Waugh caught behind in my fourth over after lunch with a ball he could not help to nibble at just outside off stump (that was 85 for 3)… I managed to have the stubborn and gutsy David Boon caught by Richie at wide third slip (90 for 4)… Then came the great Allan Border. But he was gone first ball, caught by the wicket keeper again (90 for 5)… Ian Healey went next, pushing outside off stump and well caught by Bria Lara at first slip. (100 for 6)… Merv Hughes tried to play a big shot and Keith Arthurton held a skyer at cover (102 for 7)…Martyn was caught by Phil Simmons at second slip while driving (104 for 8)…Debutant Joe Angel edged another on off stump to wicket keeper Junior Murray for a duck (100 for 9). “ Ambrose finished with 7 wickets for 1 run off 32 balls after lunch. Damien Martyn scored that significant single off Ambrose.
Australia were bowled out for 119 runs.
West Indies in their turn at the crease scored 322 for a lead of 203. When Australia batted a second time Ian Bishop took 6 for 40 and West Indies won by an innings inside three days. West Indies took the series two matches to one.
At the start of the tour very few gave the West Indies a chance against an extremely strong Australian team led by Allan Border. West Indies had a young team with a few Test rookies like Jimmy Adams, Anderson Cummins, David Williams, Kenny Benjamin, Junior Murray and Phil Simmons. Even the young and talented Brian Lara had played only two Tests up to that point. More about Lara later. There was no Greenidge, Marshall, Dujon or Richards. Even Richie Richardson was an inexperienced captain with one Test as captain under his belt.
The first Test at Brisbane was a draw. Keith Arthurton scored 157 not out. Australia won the second Test. In the second innings the young and emerging leg spinner Shane Warne spun the West Indies out with figures of 7 for 52 runs. The third Test was a draw. Brian Lara announced to the world that he had the appetite to score big hundreds. He scored an amazing 277 run out. Later he would score 375 and 400 not out in Test matches against England and 501 runs in a first class match in England. They were all world records. The latter two are still standing world records. West Indies won the fourth Test by one run. As alluded to above in the fifth and final Test the West Indies destroyed Australia within three days and took the series two games to one. It was a memorable series Down Under.
Yours faithfully,
Clinton Conway
Assistant Commissioner of Police
(Retired)
