Balfour Patrick Patterson (b. 15 September 1961) is a former fast bowler for the West Indian cricket team in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Born in Portland, Jamaica to Maurice and Emelda, Patterson attended Happy Grove High School and Wolmers High School for Boys, receiving his Jamaica School Certificate.
Patterson's father and grandfather played parish level cricket in Jamaica and Patterson showed ability from an early age. He burst onto the international scene in the absence of Michael Holding for the 1986 Sabina Park Test against England, and was instantly heralded as the fastest bowler in the international game. Broadly built, aggressive and ferociously quick, Patterson took seven wickets on debut. He kept his place and became a regular new ball bowler for the West Indies until unceremoniously dropped for disciplinary reasons after the 1992/3 tour to Australia, the last time the West Indies, or any team for that matter, has beaten the Australians in a home Test series.
Patterson was perhaps the fastest and most dangerous fast bowler the world has ever seen, prompting the legendary English opener Graham Gooch to opine that facing Patterson was the one time he feared for his life.
Evidence of Patterson's ferocious nature can be gauged from his performances on tour in India, traditionally a fast bowler's graveyard owing to its standard dry, flat wickets. In such conditions, Patterson returned figures of 5/24 in the first Test of the 1987/8 series, bowling India out in 30.3 overs, or little over one session of play on the first day.
In a Test Match in Melbourne, 1988-89 during Christmas, just before second last days play, Steve Waugh decided to bounce Patterson, a ploy that backfired somewhat spectacularly. At the end of the day's play, Patterson stormed into the Australian dressing room and threatened to kill all the opposition batsmen on the pitch on the fifth and final day of play. Australia were then dismissed for 114 chasing 400. Patterson finished with five wickets in the innings and nine wickets for the match. Ironically Curtly Ambrose was awarded the man of the match award for his 6 wickets and 44 runs in the match. Ambrose also took Steve Waugh's wicket both times.
Patterson's career strike rate of 51.9 is amongst the best of all time, although his 93 Test wickets came at a slightly high average of 30.9 owing to his excessively attacking nature and subsequent field settings, which always provided opportunity for runs as well as wickets.
His retirement marked a turning point in the balance of power in world cricket, as the West Indies were unable to fill the void left in their bowling attack in his absence.
Awards
Preceded by
Mike McCallum
Jamaica Sportsman of the Year
1991
Succeeded by
Winthrop Graham
v • d • e
West Indies squad – 1987 Cricket World Cup
1 Richards (c) • 2 Baptiste • 3 Benjamin • 4 Best • 5 Dujon (wk) • 6 Harper • 7 Haynes • 8 Hooper • 9 Logie • 10 Patterson • 11 Richardson • 12 Simmons • 13 Walsh
v • d • e
West Indies squad – 1992 Cricket World Cup
1 Richardson (c) • 2 Ambrose • 3 Arthurton • 4 Benjamin • 5 Cummins • 6 Harper • 7 Haynes • 8 Hooper • 9 Lara • 10 Logie • 11 Marshall • 12 Patterson • 13 Simmons • 14 Williams (wk)
References
^ a b Sproat, I. (1988) The Cricketers' Who's Who 1988 , Willow Books, London.
^ 1st TEST: India v West Indies at Delhi, 25-29 Nov 1987
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Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Patterson"
Categories: Jamaican cricketers | Lancashire cricketers | Tasmania cricketers | West Indian ODI cricketers | West Indian Test cricketers | West Indian cricketers
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