By IANS,
Kingston (Jamaica): Fast bowling legend Courtney Walsh feels that the West Indies cricket team lacks confidence and consistency.
Walsh, however, said there is potential in West Indies cricket and hoped that it will soon be back on its path to glory.
“Most changes are for good but in the West Indies team consistency is not there, confidence is not there. There is potential and some are very good fast bowlers. We are working and I am sure we would be back soon,” said Walsh, during the naming of a stand after him at the Sabina Park here Monday.
The 48-year-old Walsh, who retired from international cricket in 2001, feels that he could have carried on a bit longer. Walsh finished with 519 wickets in 132 Tests. He is the fifth greatest wicket-taker after Glenn McGrath (563 wickets), Anil Kumble (619), Shane Warne (708) and Muttiah Muralitharan (800).
“I left a little early. West Indies were touring Zimbabwe and I thought it was time to move on, give the youngsters a break. But those youngsters didn’t come through and so I could have carried on a little longer,” he said.
On his famed bowling partner Curtly Ambrose, Walsh said: “We never competed against each other; we complemented each other. Our styles were different. We tried to do what the team required. I never sledged for it was important to maintain the spirit of the game. For me the ball did the talking.”
Walsh said that fellow Jamaican Michael Holding was his bowling idol.
“I watched him as a kid and later we together played for the same club, Jamaica and, of course, West Indies.”
Walsh said India’s Sachin Tendulkar will always be the best batsman he has ever bowled against.
“For me, Sachin has been the number one Indian batsman. Sometimes he has challenged me and at other times I have done so and we were very competitive. When we catch up, there is respect from both sides,” said Walsh.