Walsh, Courtney Andrew

West Indian cricketer. A tall right-arm fast bowler from Jamaica, he was the first bowler to take 500 Test wickets. Renowned for his determination and durability, he captained the West Indies 1996–97. He retired in April 2001.

Career highlights


Test cricket (1984–2001)
appearances: 132; overs: 5,003.1; wickets: 519; runs: 12,688; average: 24.44; best: 7–37 (v. New Zealand 1994); batting: runs: 936; average: 7.54; catches: 29

One-day internationals (1985–2001)
appearances: 205; overs: 1,803.4; wickets: 227; runs: 6,918; average: 30.47; best: 5–1 (v. Sri Lanka 1986); batting: runs: 321; average: 6.97; catches: 27

All first-class cricket (1981–2001)
appearances: 429; overs: 14,240; wickets: 1,807; runs: 39,233; average: 21.71; best: 9–72 (v. Zimbabwe 2000); batting: runs: 4,530; average: 11.32; catches: 117

Awards


Wisden Cricketer of the Year
1987

He played for Jamaica from 1981 (taking a record 36 wickets in the Red Stripe Cup in 1992), and for Gloucestershire from 1984. On 28 March 2000, playing against Zimbabwe on his home ground of Sabina Park, Jamaica, he surpassed Kapil Dev's career total of 434 Test wickets to become the highest wicket taker in Test history. In 2000 he won the inaugural Malcolm Marshall Memorial Trophy for taking the highest number of wickets in the series against England.