From Colin Croft.
SHAMAR JOSEPH
Shamar Joseph is just a naturally loose, brilliantly fit, properly nurtured with natural ‘country’ foods, and fabulously focussed, fast bowler.
WOW!! What a find!!
His determination, enthusiasm and energy could galvanize this young West Indies squad to unbelievable, at this time almost unimaginable, heights.
Already he is the obvious new leader of the pack, perhaps, aptly, for now at least, replacing the venerable Jason Holder, who was absent in Australia!
If Shamar Joseph always keeps his ear in the direction of voices coming from that brilliant servant to West Indies cricket, Kemar Roach, Shamar Joseph will learn so much about fast bowling.
Shamar Joseph is now an instant, special superstar!!
So many entities, friendly and very dangerous both, will now be vying for his services.
Only he can decide what he really wants from cricket.
If this guy continues well, without ‘natural’ injuries, people will be writing ballads, calypsoes and creative credits and plaudits, everywhere, for years to come about him.
Thirteen (13) wickets in only his first two Tests, compares very well indeed, and very closely, to my own sixteen (16) wickets, in my first two Test matches, v Pakistan in 1976/77, making Shamar Joseph easily the best fast bowling find of the last 25 years anywhere, perhaps even on par there with India’s own present fast bowling hero, Jasprit Bumrah!!
Starting the Australia v West Indies 2024 series, Shamar Joseph had only five previous First Class games under his belt, but Shamar Joseph has shown, like many in the past, that he is quite fearless.
That too compares well with me, Colin Croft, who had six such First Class games before my First Test, and Joseph’s experience is just behind the great Michael Holding, who had just four First Class games before his first Test, also v Australia in 1975/76, and on par with another great fast bowler, Joel Garner, who had five First Class games before his first Test match, with me, v Pakistan 1976/77.
If Shamar Joseph even comes close to being what Michael Holding, who had only four (4) wickets after his first two Tests, but ended up with 249 Test wickets from 60 Tests, and / or, Joel Garner, who had ten (10) wickets in his first two Tests, but ended up with 259 wickets from 58 Tests, were as fast bowlers, and cricket thinkers, then Shamar Joseph could eventually be considered a West Indian “Great” fast bowler too.
Only time will tell that!!
What a very special, tremendous talent this young man really is!!
He is a real, full throw-back to those heady days of always one of my BEST West Indies and World fast bowlers EVER, to me the real pioneer, and leader, even innovator, of ALL West Indies’ massive successful barrage of fast bowlers over the ages, (Sir) Wesley Winfield Hall.
I have been very, extremely, fortunate to witness Test cricket since seeing (Sir) Wes, (Sir) Charlie Griffith, (Sir) Gary Sobers, Rohan Kanhai and Lance Gibbs, demolish Australia at Bourda, Georgetown, in April 1965.
Since then, I have witnessed, mostly in person, more than 200 Test matches all over the world except in Bangladesh.
Shamar Joseph is enthusiasm and determination obviously, seriously, unbelievably, personified, very much like (Sir) Wes Hall.
Like my BEST West Indian fast bowler ever, (Sir) Curtly Ambrose, Shamar Joseph seems to be always, as the Japanese would say, “happy in his work”, on the field, even if (Sir) Curtly always looked more like Clint Eastwood exterminating some ‘vermin’, than perhaps Sean Connery blowing away the opposition with a smile.
Shamar Joseph could even be called, in time:
“Joseph…. Shamar Joseph”, like “Bond….. James Bond”.
What a thing!!
Shamar Joseph’s efforts in that 2nd innings of Test No 2, with that obvious injury to his toe, has made him into already a “Young Legend” in only his first Test series.
The last time that I saw such a young, raw brilliant fast bowler of equal talent, was with Ian Raphael Bishop, whom I first saw bowl in September 1989.
Had he not suffered serious injuries, Bishop would probably had been the Caribbean’s best fast bowler ever.
That, for Shamar Joseph, is the greatest worry of all.
With so many cricket games around, of all types and lengths, and his now obvious visibility, Shamar Joseph will have to really understand and decide what and where he wants to be in cricket.
Fortunately, with proper nutritionists, exercise therapists, physiotherapists etc., and so much technology around, even with some assistance from artificial intelligence ( AI), becoming fit and staying fit, while always difficult, is also a ‘team’ effort.
For now, Shamar Joseph deserves all of the accolades that he is being given, as “Man of the Match of Test No 2” and “Player of the Series – Australia v West Indies 2024”.
Luckily for Shamar Joseph and West Indies cricket, West Indies does not have another Test series until July 2024, when West Indies will play England at Lord’s, Trent Bridge and Edgbaston.
So Shamar Joseph will have some ample time to properly recuperate from his toe injury, and to properly enjoy being appreciated.
If fully fit, Shamar Joseph will be someone very special for West Indies cricket in the next ten years.
Much more to come from Shamar Joseph, we all hope.
Only time will tell!!
Colin Croft
