Andy Roberts: West Indies cricketer and fast bowling pioneer
Full name: Anderson Montgomery Everton Roberts
Born: January 29, 1951 at Urlings Village, Antigua
Major teams: West Indies, Combined Islands, Leeward Islands, Hampshire. Leicestershire, New South Wales
Playing role: Fast bowler, lower-order batsman
Other: Coach, selector
Many cricket commentators and spin bowlers joke that fast bowling more brawn than brain – more brute force than finesse. However, a certain West Indian pace bowler contradicted that stereotype. Antiguan Anderson (Andy) Roberts epitomized the 'thinking' fast bowler; those who saw him in action considered him a strategist and tactician on the field of play.
Roberts began his First-class career as a teenager (aged 19), for the Combined Islands team in the Caribbean's 1969/70 domestic season. In 1974, he graduated to international cricket, making his Test debut against England at Bridgetown, Barbados.
Andy Roberts was the pioneer of the West Indies' fearsome foursome, making his debut two years before West Indies captain Clive Lloyd decided to use a pace-quartet. He was an instant success in that role as spearhead of the regional side’s pace attack, and was the fastest to 100 Test wickets. His bowling records show that he was an effective bowler.
However, his batting was decent, as he scored three Test 50s. In addition, his batting helped the West Indies win a critical World Cup match against Pakistan. While Roberts never lay claim to being an all-rounder, he was not a rabbit with the bat either. All of his batting averages were above 10 and he also scored 10 First-class 50s.
Andy Robert's bowling records
Match-type
| Matches
| Wickets
| Average
| Strike rate
| Economy
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tests
| 47
| 202
| 25.61
| 55.1
| 2.78
|
ODIs
| 56
| 87
| 20.35
| 35.8
| 3.40
|
First-class
| 228
| 889
| 21.01
| 48.0
| 2.62
|
List A
| 195
| 274
| 18.58
| 35.9
| 3.10
|
Source: Cricinfo
Roberts was also credited for creating and using several variations that helped him to out-fox batsmen. He even mastered a deceptive slower delivery that was difficult to detect because he bowled it without altering the pace of his arm. Roberts’ bouncer was as lethal as it was effective, and he even mastered the slow bouncer.
Even though he lost speed as his career progressed, his mind kept him in the game. Despite intense competition for fast bowling spots in the West Indies at the time, he managed to play international until age 32. One year later, he ended his First-class career.
Roberts remained involved in Caribbean cricket as a coach, West Indies manager and West Indies selector. He is also a straightforward and outspoken commentator on issues regarding cricket in the region. Roberts participated in many fast bowling camps around the region in the hope of reviving the West Indies pace tradition. There are glimpses of hope, but the Caribbean side could use another Andy Roberts soon.
Andy Roberts against England
Related hubs
- Cricket: Best fast bowlers of all time
Pace, determination, fitness and aggressions are just some of the attributes that spawned some of cricket's fastest and meanest bowlers. - Curtly Ambrose: The mean West Indian bowling machine
Curtley Ambrose is one of the fast bowling legends of the game, not just for his impressive statistics, but the way he instilled fear in opposing batsmen. - Courtney Walsh: West Indies fast bowler and cricket legend
If there ever was a cricketer, who lent credence to the notion that cricket is a gentleman's game, it was Courtney Walsh. The tall and gentle giant was a true servant of cricket during his First-class career between 1981 and 2001. - Cricket controversies: Colin Croft vs Fred Goodall
The 1980/81 West Indies tour of New Zealand is regarded as the most acrimonious tours of all. The contention was the incompetent officiating by the home umpires - particularly one Fred Goodall.
