22 Facts About Devon Malcolm

Devon Eugene Malcolm was born on 22 February 1963 and is a Jamaican-born English former cricketer.

Devon Malcolm was one of the fastest bowlers in world cricket, with his career best performance of nine wickets for 57 runs against South Africa being one of the best innings performances in Test history.

Devon Malcolm was often cheered when he went out to bat, more often than not at number eleven, a position for which he was often in competition with Phil Tufnell.

Devon Malcolm hit some huge sixes for both England and Derbyshire and was a particular favorite of commentator Brian Johnston.

Devon Malcolm was one of England's very few genuinely fast bowlers of the 1990s.

Devon Malcolm first played with Derbyshire in 1984, and was with the county until 1997.

Devon Malcolm remained a highly effective bowler in county cricket thereafter, and in 1998 moved to play for Northamptonshire.

Devon Malcolm scored 14 runs in his two innings at the bottom of the order, including a four and a six, which perhaps raised false hopes as to his batting ability.

Devon Malcolm was man of the match as England secured a home Test series victory for the first time in five years.

That winter Devon Malcolm joined England's tour of Australia and New Zealand.

Devon Malcolm played as England won at Leeds the following summer in their first Test victory over the West Indies in England in 22 years, but his wickets had dried up and he was replaced by David Lawrence.

Devon Malcolm continued to have intermittent success for England thereafter but struggled with inconsistency.

Devon Malcolm struggled in spin-friendly conditions, and although he did take his best one-day international figures on this tour, England lost all of the Tests heavily, and he was dropped.

However, the England selectors disagreed and Devon Malcolm was dropped again.

On 20 August 1994, recalled to play for England against South Africa at The Oval, Devon Malcolm was hit on the helmet by a bouncer while batting at number 11 against bowler Fanie de Villiers.

Devon Malcolm was incensed by this, turning to the South African slip cordon and exclaiming the now famous words "You guys are history".

Devon Malcolm sought and in October 1995 obtained legal redress when a July 1995 article appearing in the Wisden Cricket Monthly questioned the commitment of players of foreign origin to the England cricket team.

Devon Malcolm was reported to have had disagreements with England's then bowling coach, Peter Lever.

Devon Malcolm bowled poorly with the second new ball in the final Test, which allowed Dave Richardson and Paul Adams to add 73 for the last wicket.

An insinuation that Devon Malcolm had "no cricketing brain" has been cited as an instance of institutional racism in cricket.

Devon Malcolm played his last Test for England against Australia in 1997, at the Oval, the ground at which he achieved the all time best bowling figures in a Test innings.

Devon Malcolm is Black Communities Events Organiser for the ECB, and was awarded his Freedom of the City of London in April 2023 in honour of his sporting achievements.