Curtly Ambrose, a former West Indiancricketer, took 26 five-wicket hauls at international level.[2][3] In cricket, a five-wicket haul (also known as a "five–for" or "fifer"[4]) refers to a bowler taking five or more wickets in a single innings. This is regarded as a notable achievement,[5] and as of October 2024[update], only 54 bowlers have taken 15 or more five-wicket hauls at international level in their cricketing careers.[3] Ambrose played 98 Tests and 176 One Day Internationals (ODIs), and took 405 and 225 wickets respectively.[2] A right-arm fast bowler who represented the West Indies from 1988 to 2000, he took 22 five-wicket hauls in Tests and 4 in ODIs.[6][7] The cricket almanack Wisden noted his "smooth, leggy run-up, fast arm action and accuracy", apart from "lethal yorker[s]" and "nasty bouncer[s]", and named him one of their Cricketers of the Year in 1992.[8] Upon his induction into the International Cricket Council Cricket Hall of Fame in September 2011, ESPNcricinfo described Ambrose as "one of the finest bowlers of all time",[9][10] and as of 2013 he is tenth overall among all-time combined five-wicket haul takers.[3]
Ambrose made his Test debut in 1988 against Pakistan at the Bourda, Georgetown, a match the West Indies lost by 9 wickets.[11] His first five-wicket haul came eight months later against Australia at the WACA Ground, Perth; West Indies won the match by 169 runs.[12] His career-best bowling figures for an innings were 8 wickets for 45 runs against England at the Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, in April 1990 where his match-winning performance earned him a man of the match award.[13][14] Ambrose took his solitary pair of five-wicket hauls in a Test match—5 wickets for 60 runs and 6 wickets for 24 runs—against the same opponents at the Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, in March 1994, his best bowling performance in a Test match.[2][15] Ambrose achieved his 22 five-wicket hauls at 12 different grounds, including 11 at 9 different venues outside the West Indies.[13][16] He was most successful against Australia and England taking eight five-wicket hauls each.[13] He took ten or more wickets in a match on three occasions.[17]
Ambrose made his ODI debut against Pakistan at the Sabina Park, Kingston, in March 1988.[18] His first five-wicket haul in this format came later that year against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where he took 5 wickets for 17 runs in the match, his best performance in ODI matches.[19] Ambrose took three of his four one-day five-wicket hauls against Australia and one against Pakistan.[19] As of 2013, he is joint tenth—with Dale Steyn—overall among all-time combined five-wicket haul takers.[3]
