Curtly Ambrose produced one of cricket's most sustained bowling spells — taking 7 English wickets for just 1 run in 32 balls, reducing England from 40/1 to 46 all out as he became virtually unplayable on a lively Queen's Park Oval pitch.
Curtly Ambrose was at the peak of his powers in 1994 — 6 feet 7 inches, releasing the ball from an extraordinary height, with the ability to hit the bat handle from a good length. England were attempting to chase a target in Trinidad. They had begun comfortably.
England were 40/1, chasing 194 for victory. They appeared in a reasonable position — 153 more needed with 9 wickets remaining. Ambrose had not yet made an impact. Then he found a length and line that, on the particular patch of pitch he was using, became completely unplayable.
Ambrose bowled 32 consecutive balls at what journalists described as 'zombie pace' — relentless, precise, at a length that lifted at batsmen's ribs from 6'7" delivery height. Seven wickets fell for 1 run.
The dismissals came in a rush — Robin Smith, Graeme Hick, Alec Stewart, Neil Fairbrother, Mark Ramprakash, Phillip DeFreitas, and Chris Lewis all fell. England went from 40/1 to 40/5, to 44/6, to 46 all out. Entire analysis columns noted that a side this well-ranked should not lose 8 wickets for 6 runs.
West Indies won by 147 runs. Ambrose's figures of 6/24 in the innings (7 wickets fell in his consecutive spell of 1 run) are among the most extraordinary ever recorded.
England 40/1 — comfortable position, 9 wickets standing
Ambrose's 32 consecutive balls — 7 wickets for 1 run
England 46 all out — West Indies win by 147 runs
April 1, 1994
4th Test, Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain
England 40/1
Ambrose finds his length — the spell begins
32 balls later
7 wickets, 1 run — England 46 all out
West Indies won the series 3-1. Ambrose went on to finish his career with 405 Test wickets at 20.99 — one of the finest averages for a fast bowler in history. He retired in 2000.
The most concentrated bowling spell in modern Test history — 7 wickets for 1 run in 32 balls reduces to 0.03 runs per ball, statistics so extreme they require re-reading. Ambrose's spell confirmed his status as the most feared fast bowler in the world in the 1990s.
7 for 1 is the shorthand for absolute bowling domination in any era. Every subsequent spell of intense pace bowling that dismisses multiple batsmen quickly is compared to Ambrose at Trinidad. It confirmed the Queen's Park Oval as one of the most bowler-friendly grounds in world cricket.
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