Patrick Patterson

Wisden overview
It is the stock question for international batsmen. Who is the quickest and nastiest? Graham Gooch did not mind the pace, but he says the only time he has been in fear of his wellbeing was at Sabina Park in February 1986 when, on a grassy pitch, Test debutant Patrick "Patto" Patterson hurtled his inelegant bow-legged way up the hill, thrust his leading leg high, studs at the batsman, stamped down hard enough to measure on the Richter Scale, and, bowling like the devil in front of his home crowd, put the wind up England's finest. He took 4 for 29 on his first day in Tests, 7 for 73 in the match, and for a few years, until his rhythm deserted him (his movement became awkward, and he relied on sheer muscularity), he was as fast as anything in the world and a nasty proposition on pitches offering any pace or lift. Mike Selvey