The Independent Voice of West Indies Cricket

Colin Croft terrifying 8 for 29 against Pakistan

Slipfeeler 3/9/25, 1:17:05 AM
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debut: 12/22/15
8,089 runs

Who remembered the terrifying display from Colin Croft, whose 8 for 29 against Pakistan in Trinidad are the best figures by a West Indian quick bowler, and were the best by any genuinely fast bowler until Devon Malcolm demolished South Africa with 9 for 57 at The Oval in 1994. Croft's performance is even more impressive given that this was only his second Test....
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hubert 3/9/25, 1:52:22 PM
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debut: 11/14/02
19,556 runs

In reply to Slipfeeler

Was glued to the Radio then..Was only his 2nd Test match too.He and Big Bird had
debuted in First Test ,replacing Wayne Daniel and Mikey Holding who were
injured and unavailable.
Brerzerk 3/9/25, 7:55:44 PM
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debut: 3/16/21
12,194 runs

In reply to hubert

That was what proved and sealed Big Cat’s decision review”4-Prang”big grin. Mindis running’76 yes, Andy, Mikey, Wayne m, Vanburn England’76 yes. But ‘Craft n Birdy’ sealed the deal
Slipfeeler 3/9/25, 8:03:39 PM
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debut: 12/22/15
8,089 runs

Colin Croft was a force to reckon with, we need to make WI Great Again by returning to the days of WI fearsome foursome.
imusic 3/9/25, 11:17:30 PM
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debut: 11/13/02
79,820 runs

In reply to hubert

I was there LIVE and direct to witness.

That 8 for 29 was not only historic……but the best piece of fast bowling I had ever witnessed LIVE st the time.

That match was also notable to me for another thing…

Majid Khan played the most remarkable shot I had ever seen. An effortless flick for 6 over the fine leg boundary off of the same Colin Croft. Majid was silky smooth with his button down sleeves and floppy white hat.

What a player.

But this is about Croft. Menacing, unorthodox, quick, uncomfortable.

This is a man who was the only “Rebel” that managed to emerge from the wreckage of that tour relatively untouched and with his reputation maybe even enhanced.

Given that, Remarkable guy. Remarkable player. Grateful he played for us.
Brerzerk 3/10/25, 6:15:35 PM
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debut: 3/16/21
12,194 runs

In reply to imusic

Majid oozed class, and that is why I will mention another great here A.M.E. Robert's! At Sabina the series was tied 1-1 wheen Pakistan started chasing a gettable 4th innings total. Majjid pulled an elegant 4, shortly thereafter Andy's faster bouncer struck him a fearful blow just below the heart
But for Wasim Rajah that "lick" seemed to.have taken some of the confident assurance of Pakistan's chase and they went on to lose
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imusic 3/10/25, 7:28:45 PM
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debut: 11/13/02
79,820 runs

In reply to Brerzerk

Andy was kinda “evil” (said jokingly) cool

I remember the year after, we played Australia at home. The Aussies were without their Packer players. That was the series when Thommo had that incredible afternoon spell in Bim that had WI batsmen running and Dessie Haynes hiding at the non strikers end. Man flat out refused to run so he could avoid facing Thomson. big grin

Anyway…..they played at QPO and Andy bowled Peter Toohey a bouncer that was dispatched to the boundary.

Very next ball, another bouncer, only much faster, and Toohey’s face just squirted blood. It was absolute gore.
CowLasher 3/10/25, 8:43:44 PM
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debut: 3/24/04
1,994 runs

My memory of Croft goes back to high school. In 1970 I was a ten-year old in First form at Central High School and Croft was the head boy at the location on Smyth St. I remember always seeing him walking around with the principal Rudy Luck, who was a short Chinese man. The contrast in physical appearance between the two could not be more striking.
(Central had two other school buildings; one on Durban St at a cricket ground; and the other at the school's main ground in Thomas Lands next door to Critchlow Labor College. At that time Chetram Singh was the games master and Sam Mohamed was the groundsman before he left to go to GCC/Bourda where he became famous). Anyway, the first time I saw Croft bowl people were saying that he was going to play for West Indies; two years later he was in the Guyana side.

I was also at Bourda when he played against the Bob Simpson-led Australia side in a tour match vs Guyana; he was extremely quick against the Aussies and if my memory is correct he injured either Graham Yallop or Bruce Yardley with a bouncer.
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Brerzerk 3/10/25, 9:23:08 PM
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debut: 3/16/21
12,194 runs

In reply to CowLasher

Thanks nice recall
Emir 3/10/25, 10:12:28 PM
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debut: 8/9/14
18,740 runs

In reply to Brerzerk

That 1976/1977 Pak tour was one hell of a series, they don't make them like that anynore.
tc1 3/11/25, 1:19:58 AM
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debut: 6/12/04
18,253 runs

In reply to imusic

Were you born during this time? I thought you was born in the T20 era.
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Castled 3/11/25, 2:12:39 AM
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debut: 8/21/22
1,233 runs

In reply to tc1

lol
tc1 3/11/25, 3:10:33 AM
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debut: 6/12/04
18,253 runs

In reply to Castled

lol
allan 3/11/25, 3:15:01 PM
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debut: 2/9/03
11,151 runs

In reply to Slipfeeler

post a proper link pls