Curtly Ambrose, a former West Indian cricketer, took 26 five-wicket hauls at international level. [2] [3] In cricket, a five-wicket haul (also known as a "five–for" or "fifer" [4]) refers to a bowler taking five or more wickets in a single innings. This is regarded as a notable achievement, [5] and only 41 bowlers have taken 15 or more five-wicket hauls at international level in their cricketing careers. [3] Ambrose played 98 Tests and 176 One Day Internationals (ODIs), and took 405 and 225 wickets respectively. [2] A right-arm fast bowler who represented the West Indies from 1988 to 2000, he took 22 five-wicket hauls in Tests and 4 in ODIs. [6] [7] The cricket almanack Wisden noted his "smooth, leggy run-up, fast arm action and accuracy", apart from "lethal yorker[s]" and "nasty bouncer[s]", and named him one of their Cricketers of the Year in 1992. [8] Upon his induction into the International Cricket Council Cricket Hall of Fame in September 2011, ESPNcricinfo described Ambrose as "one of the finest bowlers of all time", [9] [10] and as of 2013 he is tenth overall among all-time combined five-wicket haul takers. [3]
Ambrose made his Test debut in 1988 against Pakistan at the Bourda, Georgetown, a match the West Indies lost by 9 wickets. [11] His first five-wicket haul came eight months later against Australia at the WACA Ground, Perth; West Indies won the match by 169 runs. [12] His career-best bowling figures for an innings were 8 wickets for 45 runs against England at the Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, in April 1990 where his match-winning performance earned him a man of the match award. [13] [14] Ambrose took his solitary pair of five-wicket hauls in a Test match—5 wickets for 60 runs and 6 wickets for 24 runs—against the same opponents at the Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, in March 1994, his best bowling performance in a Test match. [2] [15] Ambrose achieved his 22 five-wicket hauls at 12 different grounds, including 11 at 9 different venues outside the West Indies. [13] [16] He was most successful against Australia and England taking eight five-wicket hauls each. [13] He took ten or more wickets in a match on three occasions. [17]
Ambrose made his ODI debut against Pakistan at the Sabina Park, Kingston, in March 1988. [18] His first five-wicket haul in this format came later that year against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where he took 5 wickets for 17 runs in the match, his best performance in ODI matches. [19] Ambrose took three of his four one-day five-wicket hauls against Australia and one against Pakistan. [19] As of 2013, he is joint tenth—with Dale Steyn—overall among all-time combined five-wicket haul takers. [3]
Symbol | Meaning |
---|---|
Date | Date the match was held, or starting date of the match for Test matches |
Inn | The innings of the match in which the five-wicket haul was taken |
Overs | Number of overs bowled in that innings |
Runs | Runs conceded |
Wkts | Number of wickets taken |
Batsmen | The batsmen whose wickets were taken in the five-wicket haul |
Econ | Bowling economy rate (average runs per over) |
Result | The result for the West Indies team in that match |
* | One of two five-wicket hauls by Ambrose in a match |
† | Ambrose selected as " Man of the match" |
‡ | 10 wickets or more taken in the match |
Drawn | The match was drawn |
No. | Date | Ground | Against | Inn | Overs | Runs | Wkts | Econ | Batsmen | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 December 1988 | WACA Ground, Perth | Australia | 2 | 23.3 | 72 | 5 | 3.06 | Won [12] | |
2 | 5 April 1990†‡ | Kensington Oval, Bridgetown | England | 4 | 22.4 | 45 | 8 | 1.98 | Won [14] | |
3 | 6 December 1990 | Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore | Pakistan | 2 | 20 | 35 | 5 | 1.75 | Drawn [21] | |
4 | 6 June 1991 | Headingley, Leeds | England | 3 | 28 | 52 | 6 | 1.85 | Lost [22] | |
5 | 4 July 1991† | Trent Bridge, Nottingham | England | 1 | 34 | 74 | 5 | 2.17 | Won [23] | |
6 | 18 April 1992† [n 1] | Kensington Oval, Bridgetown | South Africa | 4 | 24.4 | 34 | 6 | 1.37 | Won [24] | |
7 | 27 November 1992 | The Gabba, Brisbane | Australia | 3 | 32 | 66 | 5 | 2.06 | Drawn [25] | |
8 | 23 January 1993†‡ | Adelaide Oval, Adelaide | Australia | 2 | 28.2 | 74 | 6 | 2.61 | Won [26] | |
9 | 30 January 1993† | WACA Ground, Perth | Australia | 1 | 18 | 25 | 7 | 1.38 | Won [27] | |
10 | 25 March 1994*†‡ | Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain | England | 2 | 29 | 60 | 5 | 2.06 | Won [15] | |
11 | 25 March 1994*†‡ | Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain | England | 4 | 10 | 24 | 6 | 2.40 | Won [15] | |
12 | 21 April 1995† | Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain | Australia | 1 | 16 | 45 | 5 | 2.81 | Won [28] | |
13 | 24 August 1995 | The Oval, London | England | 1 | 42 | 96 | 5 | 2.28 | Drawn [29] | |
14 | 27 April 1996 | Antigua Recreation Ground, St. John's | New Zealand | 2 | 32 | 68 | 5 | 2.12 | Drawn [30] | |
15 | 26 December 1996† | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne | Australia | 1 | 24.5 | 55 | 5 | 2.21 | Won [31] | |
16 | 1 February 1997† | WACA Ground, Perth | Australia | 1 | 18 | 43 | 5 | 2.38 | Won [32] | |
17 | 14 March 1997 | Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain | India | 2 | 41.4 | 87 | 5 | 2.08 | Drawn [33] | |
18 | 13 June 1997† | Antigua Recreation Ground, St. John's | Sri Lanka | 1 | 13.1 | 37 | 5 | 2.81 | Won [34] | |
19 | 5 February 1998† | Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain | England | 3 | 19.5 | 52 | 5 | 2.62 | Won [35] | |
20 | 13 February 1998 | Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain | England | 2 | 15.4 | 25 | 5 | 1.59 | Lost [36] | |
21 | 10 December 1998 | St George's Oval, Port Elizabeth | South Africa | 3 | 19 | 51 | 6 | 2.68 | Lost [37] | |
22 | 3 April 1999 | Antigua Recreation Ground, St. John's | Australia | 1 | 29.5 | 94 | 5 | 3.15 | Won [38] |
No. | Date | Ground | Against | Inn | Overs | Runs | Wkts | Econ | Batsmen | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 15 December 1988† | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne | Australia | 2 | 8.2 | 17 | 5 | 2.04 | Won [39] | |
2 | 14 January 1989 | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne | Australia | 1 | 10 | 26 | 5 | 2.60 | Lost [40] | |
3 | 21 October 1991† |
Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium,
Sharjah (neutral venue) |
Pakistan | 1 | 10 | 53 | 5 | 5.30 | Lost [41] | |
4 | 16 January 1993† | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | Australia | 2 | 9.3 | 32 | 5 | 3.36 | Won [42] |
... I'd rather take fifers (five wickets) for England ...
Curtly Ambrose, a former West Indian cricketer, took 26 five-wicket hauls at international level. [2] [3] In cricket, a five-wicket haul (also known as a "five–for" or "fifer" [4]) refers to a bowler taking five or more wickets in a single innings. This is regarded as a notable achievement, [5] and only 41 bowlers have taken 15 or more five-wicket hauls at international level in their cricketing careers. [3] Ambrose played 98 Tests and 176 One Day Internationals (ODIs), and took 405 and 225 wickets respectively. [2] A right-arm fast bowler who represented the West Indies from 1988 to 2000, he took 22 five-wicket hauls in Tests and 4 in ODIs. [6] [7] The cricket almanack Wisden noted his "smooth, leggy run-up, fast arm action and accuracy", apart from "lethal yorker[s]" and "nasty bouncer[s]", and named him one of their Cricketers of the Year in 1992. [8] Upon his induction into the International Cricket Council Cricket Hall of Fame in September 2011, ESPNcricinfo described Ambrose as "one of the finest bowlers of all time", [9] [10] and as of 2013 he is tenth overall among all-time combined five-wicket haul takers. [3]
Ambrose made his Test debut in 1988 against Pakistan at the Bourda, Georgetown, a match the West Indies lost by 9 wickets. [11] His first five-wicket haul came eight months later against Australia at the WACA Ground, Perth; West Indies won the match by 169 runs. [12] His career-best bowling figures for an innings were 8 wickets for 45 runs against England at the Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, in April 1990 where his match-winning performance earned him a man of the match award. [13] [14] Ambrose took his solitary pair of five-wicket hauls in a Test match—5 wickets for 60 runs and 6 wickets for 24 runs—against the same opponents at the Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, in March 1994, his best bowling performance in a Test match. [2] [15] Ambrose achieved his 22 five-wicket hauls at 12 different grounds, including 11 at 9 different venues outside the West Indies. [13] [16] He was most successful against Australia and England taking eight five-wicket hauls each. [13] He took ten or more wickets in a match on three occasions. [17]
Ambrose made his ODI debut against Pakistan at the Sabina Park, Kingston, in March 1988. [18] His first five-wicket haul in this format came later that year against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where he took 5 wickets for 17 runs in the match, his best performance in ODI matches. [19] Ambrose took three of his four one-day five-wicket hauls against Australia and one against Pakistan. [19] As of 2013, he is joint tenth—with Dale Steyn—overall among all-time combined five-wicket haul takers. [3]
Symbol | Meaning |
---|---|
Date | Date the match was held, or starting date of the match for Test matches |
Inn | The innings of the match in which the five-wicket haul was taken |
Overs | Number of overs bowled in that innings |
Runs | Runs conceded |
Wkts | Number of wickets taken |
Batsmen | The batsmen whose wickets were taken in the five-wicket haul |
Econ | Bowling economy rate (average runs per over) |
Result | The result for the West Indies team in that match |
* | One of two five-wicket hauls by Ambrose in a match |
† | Ambrose selected as " Man of the match" |
‡ | 10 wickets or more taken in the match |
Drawn | The match was drawn |
No. | Date | Ground | Against | Inn | Overs | Runs | Wkts | Econ | Batsmen | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 December 1988 | WACA Ground, Perth | Australia | 2 | 23.3 | 72 | 5 | 3.06 | Won [12] | |
2 | 5 April 1990†‡ | Kensington Oval, Bridgetown | England | 4 | 22.4 | 45 | 8 | 1.98 | Won [14] | |
3 | 6 December 1990 | Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore | Pakistan | 2 | 20 | 35 | 5 | 1.75 | Drawn [21] | |
4 | 6 June 1991 | Headingley, Leeds | England | 3 | 28 | 52 | 6 | 1.85 | Lost [22] | |
5 | 4 July 1991† | Trent Bridge, Nottingham | England | 1 | 34 | 74 | 5 | 2.17 | Won [23] | |
6 | 18 April 1992† [n 1] | Kensington Oval, Bridgetown | South Africa | 4 | 24.4 | 34 | 6 | 1.37 | Won [24] | |
7 | 27 November 1992 | The Gabba, Brisbane | Australia | 3 | 32 | 66 | 5 | 2.06 | Drawn [25] | |
8 | 23 January 1993†‡ | Adelaide Oval, Adelaide | Australia | 2 | 28.2 | 74 | 6 | 2.61 | Won [26] | |
9 | 30 January 1993† | WACA Ground, Perth | Australia | 1 | 18 | 25 | 7 | 1.38 | Won [27] | |
10 | 25 March 1994*†‡ | Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain | England | 2 | 29 | 60 | 5 | 2.06 | Won [15] | |
11 | 25 March 1994*†‡ | Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain | England | 4 | 10 | 24 | 6 | 2.40 | Won [15] | |
12 | 21 April 1995† | Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain | Australia | 1 | 16 | 45 | 5 | 2.81 | Won [28] | |
13 | 24 August 1995 | The Oval, London | England | 1 | 42 | 96 | 5 | 2.28 | Drawn [29] | |
14 | 27 April 1996 | Antigua Recreation Ground, St. John's | New Zealand | 2 | 32 | 68 | 5 | 2.12 | Drawn [30] | |
15 | 26 December 1996† | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne | Australia | 1 | 24.5 | 55 | 5 | 2.21 | Won [31] | |
16 | 1 February 1997† | WACA Ground, Perth | Australia | 1 | 18 | 43 | 5 | 2.38 | Won [32] | |
17 | 14 March 1997 | Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain | India | 2 | 41.4 | 87 | 5 | 2.08 | Drawn [33] | |
18 | 13 June 1997† | Antigua Recreation Ground, St. John's | Sri Lanka | 1 | 13.1 | 37 | 5 | 2.81 | Won [34] | |
19 | 5 February 1998† | Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain | England | 3 | 19.5 | 52 | 5 | 2.62 | Won [35] | |
20 | 13 February 1998 | Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain | England | 2 | 15.4 | 25 | 5 | 1.59 | Lost [36] | |
21 | 10 December 1998 | St George's Oval, Port Elizabeth | South Africa | 3 | 19 | 51 | 6 | 2.68 | Lost [37] | |
22 | 3 April 1999 | Antigua Recreation Ground, St. John's | Australia | 1 | 29.5 | 94 | 5 | 3.15 | Won [38] |
No. | Date | Ground | Against | Inn | Overs | Runs | Wkts | Econ | Batsmen | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 15 December 1988† | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne | Australia | 2 | 8.2 | 17 | 5 | 2.04 | Won [39] | |
2 | 14 January 1989 | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne | Australia | 1 | 10 | 26 | 5 | 2.60 | Lost [40] | |
3 | 21 October 1991† |
Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium,
Sharjah (neutral venue) |
Pakistan | 1 | 10 | 53 | 5 | 5.30 | Lost [41] | |
4 | 16 January 1993† | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | Australia | 2 | 9.3 | 32 | 5 | 3.36 | Won [42] |
... I'd rather take fifers (five wickets) for England ...