Wayne Daniel

Wayne Wendell Daniel (born 16 January 1956) is a former cricketer, who played 10 Tests and 18 One Day Internationals for the West Indies between 1976 and 1984. A hostile and muscular fast bowler, Daniel toured England with the West Indies schoolboys team in 1974 and Middlesex's Second XI in 1975 before making his first-class debut for Barbados in 1975/76. Daniel, in partnership with fellow fast bowlers Michael Holding and Andy Roberts, contributed greatly to the defeat of England in 1976.[1]

Wayne Daniel

Wayne Daniel at Lord's in 1982, in Middlesex CCC colours.
Personal information
Full name	Wayne Wendell Daniel
Born	(1956-01-16) 16 January 1956 Saint Philip, Barbados
Nickname	Diamond
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm fast
Role	Bowler
International information
National side	West Indies (1976-1984)
Test debut (cap 156)	21 April 1976 v India
Last Test	16 March 1984 v Australia
ODI debut (cap 24)	22 February 1978 v Australia
Last ODI	14 March 1984 v Australia
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1975/76–1983/84	Barbados
1977–1988	Middlesex
1981/82	Western Australia
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA Matches 10 18 266 241 Runs scored 46 49 1551 319 Batting average 6.57 49.00 11.48 6.13 100s/50s 0/0 –/– –/2 –/– Top score 11 16* 53* 34 Balls bowled 1754 912 38311 11511 Wickets 36 23 867 362 Bowling average 25.27 25.86 22.47 18.16 5 wickets in innings 1 – 31 6 10 wickets in match – n/a 7 n/a Best bowling 5/39 3/27 9/61 7/12 Catches/stumpings 4/– 5/– 63/– 36/–
Source: CricketArchive, 12 August 2012

Nicknamed "Diamond" or "Black Diamond",[2] in 1977, Daniel accepted an offer to play in World Series Cricket, which kept him out of Test cricket for two years. Although Holding and Roberts resumed their Test careers after World Series Cricket, Daniel was less fortunate, as Malcolm Marshall, Colin Croft, Joel Garner and later Courtney Walsh came to the fore in his place. Daniel found himself left out of the national team and forced to carve out a successful first-class career with Middlesex between 1977 and 1988, gaining his county cap in 1977 and awarded a benefit in 1985.[2][3] He took 867 wickets at an average of just 22.47 with a best of 9 for 61. He also took another 362 wickets at an average of 18.16 in 241 one day games, including a then English domestic one day bowling record of seven wickets for twelve runs, for Middlesex against Minor Counties East at Ipswich.[2][4] Daniel also played for Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield 1981–82 season and for his native Barbados between 1976 and 1985.

Daniel's run up was idiosyncratic but he bowled with a strong action, bending his back and then following through halfway down the pitch to deliver 'heavy' balls which hit the batsman's splice or ribs. His long run up also meant that during John Player League matches, which limited bowlers’ run-ups, Daniel ran on the spot for a while to simulate his full run-up.[5]

Outside of cricket, Daniel listed his hobby as "listening to soul music".[2]