Alzarri Joseph’s progression from former U19 quickie to now
becoming the spearhead of the West Indies bowling attack
and definitively now deserving of a “world class” description
has justified the expectations of many Caribbean cricket
fans. Joseph was the most successful bowler in the West Indies’ most
failed 2022 T20 World Cup Campaign, capturing 6 wickets in the
three matches the team played.
Joseph’s overall statistics in each of cricket’s three formats have
also become increasingly impressive. In Tests to date he’s taken
62 wickets at an average pf 34.93 and at a 3.42 economy
rate. His ODI stats are 87 wickets at a 27.67 average and
5.21 economy rate. 16 wickets at a 18.68 average and 7.47
economy rate have been his T20I returns.
The now tall fast bowler Joseph started out as a legspinner
in his backyard in Antigua before his height marked him out
for a different style of bowling. In his teens he gained a reputation as one of the
fastest bowlers on the school circuit, which carried over into the 2016 Under-19
World Cup, where he bowled the competition’s fastest delivery, a 147kph zinger
that broke Zimbabwe batter Brendan Sly’s stumps. Joseph would finish as West
Indies’ highest wicket-taker of the tournament, with 13 wickets from six games at
an economy of 3.31.
He had made it into the U-19 World Cup squad on the back of his first-class
performances – in his second season with Leeward Islands in late 2015, he
took his first five-for, against Guyana, and followed it up with 7 for 46 against
Windward Islands in the next match. His 24 first-class wickets that season
and the World Cup performance saw him fast-tracked into the Test side; he
debuted against India at Gros Islet in August 2016 and bounced out Virat Kohli
for 3 for his first wicket. His ODI debut came a few months later, against Pakistan
in Sharjah.
In 2019, Joseph was signed by Mumbai Indians as an injury replacement for Adam
Milne, and in his first game, against Sunrisers Hyderabad, he returned figures of 6
for 12, the best figures by a bowler in the IPL.
Legendary West Indies fast bowler Sir Curtly Ambrose believes that despite
having gone the unusual route from the West Indies Under-19s into the region’s
senior squad where he has remained for the past
six years, fast bowler Joseph has continued to
progress in a positive way.
Sir Curtly, who claimed 405 wickets in 98 Tests
and another 225 in 176 ODI matches, said the
young Antiguan and Barbudan has defied the odds
of being plunged into a level of cricket he probably
was not mentally prepared for at the time.
“He was thrust into International cricket from the
Under-19s setup and of course, it’s a different
level of cricket altogether and he had a bit of
success early on, but these things take time. He
was learning on the job and, because of his exploits
in the Under-19 World Cup, we expected him to
just set the world alight in International cricket
which would not work but he has progressed
quite nicely over the years, still bowling with good
pace consistently and he now understands a little
bit more about fast bowling,” he said.
Joseph debuted against India at Gros Islet in August
2016 and bounced out Virat Kohli for three for
his first wicket. His ODI debut came a few months later against
Pakistan in Sharjah.
Sir Curtly believes Joseph’s biggest improvement has been shown
in both his patience and his understanding of the game.
“Previously, he was a patient person so I keep telling him he has to
be patient but I am seeing improvement in that aspect of his game.
Overall, he has progressed nicely and I am looking forward to him
doing better and to lead the West Indies attack soon,” the former
player said.
Joseph finished as West Indies’ highest wicket-taker in the 2016
Under-19 World Cup with 13 wickets from six games at an
economy of 3.31. In 2019, he was signed by Mumbai Indians as an
injury replacement for Adam Milne, and in his first game, against
Sunrisers Hyderabad, he returned figures of six for 12, the best
figures by a bowler in the IPL.
The Leeward Islands and All Saints Pythons player was recently
named in a 15-member squad for the ICC T20 World Cup, which
is being played in Australia from October 16th until November
13th.