debut: 7/11/03
4,568 runs
[i]England Captain Tony Grieg had waved a red flag in front of a raging bull with a promise, before hostilities began, to make the Caribbean side grovel. The West Indies bowlers in general, and Holding in particular, seemed to go up a gear whenever Grieg was batting. Amiss actually voiced his displeasure of batting with his captain: “Before he came in they were bowling at a nice pace of about 85 mph, but when Tony [Greig] came to the wicket it went up to about 90 and three bouncers an over. I’ve never been as pleased to see an England captain bowled.” Holding yorked Grieg twice at The Oval and seemed to celebrate more than he did for any other player. To Grieg’s credit, however, he went on his hands and knees before the West Indies players and appeared to, himself, grovel at the end of the series.
Holding’s smooth, silent approach to the wicket and the high pace he produced earned him the nickname Whispering Death. I cannot know for sure, but it is doubtful that any other bowler could have so elegantly wrought the demise of England’s entire batting unit on such a friendly batting surface. As RC Robertson Glasgow wrote of Bradman: “Poetry and murder lived in him together.” Eddrick might well be right: Holding’s performance was probably the best ever.[/i]
Jamaica Observer
Holding’s smooth, silent approach to the wicket and the high pace he produced earned him the nickname Whispering Death. I cannot know for sure, but it is doubtful that any other bowler could have so elegantly wrought the demise of England’s entire batting unit on such a friendly batting surface. As RC Robertson Glasgow wrote of Bradman: “Poetry and murder lived in him together.” Eddrick might well be right: Holding’s performance was probably the best ever.[/i]
Jamaica Observer
