For a decade Wes Hall terrified batsmen the world over. Muscular and tall (6ft 2ins) with a classical action, Hall presented a fearsome sight. A long, lithe approach ended with a fast and well-aimed delivery. He started his cricket career as a wicketkeeper-batsman but converted to a bowler when the regular opener for his club side failed to turn up. He took the new ball, six wickets, and never looked back. He toured England in 1957 with only one first-class game to his name, but he struggled for form and with his run-up and looked unimpressive. Called into the side to tour India and Pakistan in 1958-59, he took 46 wickets in eight Tests, and he was a regular thereafter. In the classic Tied Test on 1961 at Brisbane he took 9 for 203, and bowled the last over with six runs were needed for victory with three wickets left. He took one wicket, dropped a crucial catch, and there were two run-outs. Against India in 1961-62 he grabbed 27 wickets at 15.74 and in 1963, partnered by Charlie Griffith, he blasted England into defeat. At Lord's, in another epic finish, he bowled unchanged for three-and-a-half hours and took 4 for 93 (as well as breaking Colin Cowdrey's arm). In 1964-65 his 16 wickets were instrumental in guiding West Indies to their first series win over Australia, but by the time he toured England in 1966 the signs were there that he was on the wane. He retired, along with his partner Griffith, at the end of the tour of Australia and New Zealand in 1968-69. An immensely popular man, he played two seasons for Queensland and the bulk of his career with Barbados (although that amounted to 13 matches in 15 seasons) with a few appearances for Trinidad in his twilight years. In retirement he become an ordained minister as well as a Minister of Tourism and Sport in the Barbados government. He also managed West Indies touring sides and in 2001 took over as president of the West Indies board.
Martin Williamson