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Wednesday, November 2, 2022

Who are the original foursome fast bowlers in test match cricket

 Who are the original foursome fast bowlers in test match cricket?

Beginning with Tommie Burton, Archie Cummerbatch and Float Woods, most West Indies teams, 1900-1979 had two or three fast bowlers. Rarely did the teams have four quick bowlers.

At Old Trafford. during July 22-25, 1939, Learie Constantine, George Hylton, Manny Martindale, and Floffie Williams formed what must be considered as the original West Indies foursome. Therefore, neither the Chappell brothers nor Clive Lloyd introduced the four pronged fast bowling attack in test cricket. 

On July 22, 1976 at Headingley, Leeds, Clive Lloyd finally inaugurated Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, Wayne Daniel and Vanburn Holder as the West Indies foursome fast bowlers. 



In two test matches against England Roberts, Holding, Daniel and Holder dismissed 37 of 40 batsmen while conceding 885 runs. Michael Holding was the dominant bowler. He claimed 18 wickets while he conceded 207 runs.

I cannot imagine Constantine, Hylton, Martindale were as fast as 90 MPH in July 1939. Williams was the youngest. He may have been the fastest in 1939.


Roberts, Holding, Croft and Garner were the fastest, most hostile and the best foursome fast bowlers ever. 

  1. Did four fast bowlers on a team predate Constantine, Hylton, Martindale, and Williams at Old Trafford in July 1939? 
  2. When did South Africa, England, Australia, and New Zealand play four quicks in test matches? 
  3. Has India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe ever played four fast bowlers in their test teams?


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