About Malcolm Marshall
Malcolm Denzil Marshall (18 April 1958 – 4 November 1999) was a Barbadian international cricketer who played for the West Indies cricket team from 1978 to 1992 in Tests and One Day Internationals. Marshall is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time. He is often acknowledged as the greatest West Indian fast bowler of all time, and one of the most complete fast bowlers in the history of cricket. His Test bowling average of 20.94 is the second best of anyone who has taken 200 or more wickets. Marshall achieved his bowling success despite being notably shorter than other contemporary fast bowlers. He generated pace and threat from his bowling action and use of the bouncer. He also statistically went on to become the most successful Test match bowler of the 1980s, taking 235 wickets at an average of 18.47 in a period of five years. Marshall was a part of the West Indies team that won the 1979 Cricket World Cup, as well as the team that reached the 1983 Cricket World Cup Final. Marshall was also a capable lower middle-order batsman with ten Test fifties and seven first-class centuries. He ended his career as the all-time highest wicket taker for the West Indies in Test cricket with 376 wickets, a record which he held up until November 1998 before Courtney Walsh surpassed his milestone. In 2009, Marshall was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. To mark 150 years of the Cricketers' Almanack, Wisden named him in an all-time Test World XI. Marshall was a part of the West Indies team that won the 1979 Cricket World Cup as well as the team which reached the 1983 Cricket World Cup Final, but lost to India by 43 runs. Marshall was also a very dangerous lower middle-order batsman with ten Test fifties and seven first-class centuries. He ended his career as the all-time highest wicket taker for West Indies in Test cricket with 376 wickets, a record which he held up until November 1998 before Courtney Walsh surpassed his milestone. Primarily a fast bowler, Marshall is widely regarded as one of the greatest and one of the most accomplished fast bowlers of the modern era in Test cricket.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.