West Indies has a habit of producing players to take the world by a storm, especially in T20Is. You just know, that if a player has come into their side on certain reputation, he is bound to come good at some points. But it’s just a rarity when it comes to Tests. And latest pace sensation from the Caribbean Shamar Joseph is in that list for sure.
In his debut Test, he picked up five wickets against Australia, and then in the second just blew away the opposition, picking seven wickets, while defending 216, handing West Indies their first win there in 27 years. To go with that, Joseph has two fifers in as many Tests, at a strike-rate of 20.5.
A Nobody Before AUS Test Series
One only wonders, what did the West Indies selectors saw in Joseph. Prior to the AUS series, where he marked his debut, he had played only five first-class matches, bagging only 21 wickets. Not that he had any incredible showing in LIST A or T20s as well, where he has no experience at all. But at the end of the day, the ploy just worked.
Perhaps, that is what Joseph is all about. Throw anything at him, and he’ll come out on top. His journey to international cricket is just that.
Hailing from a place in Guyana, Baracara, that reportedly has a population of 350, Joseph had no access to internet, mobile phones or even secondary school, forget proper playing facilities. In fact, as per various accounts, he only used to bowl with lemons, limes and guavas. Later in life, he also took up jobs as a laborer and a security guard.
Steve Smith as First Test Wicket, to Increasing WI Hopes
But look at Shamar Joseph now. The fighter that he is proving to be, he made Steve Smith his first Test scalp, that too on his very first delivery in international cricket. In that match he bagged a fifer too. Then, come the second, despite facing the risk of a toe fracture, due to a Mitchell Starc yorker, he could not bat again. But he fought again. He picked up the ball next day, and picked up 7/68, to hand West Indies one of their most memorable wins in recent times.
This makes Shamar Joesph, kind of, special. While two Tests is a very short time to judge a player’s talent and ability, but given the fighting spirit he has shown, he’s here to stay, and maybe improve West Indies’ fortunes in cricket overall.
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