Joel Garner: Big Bird, the Towering West Indies Fast Bowler
Profile of Joel Garner, the Barbadian fast bowler known as Big Bird, his yorker, his bowling record, his time at Somerset and the 1979 World Cup final spell.
Joel Garner, nicknamed Big Bird because of his great height, was one of the most difficult bowlers of his generation to face. Standing around six feet eight inches, he delivered the ball from a great height and combined pace, bounce and a ruthless yorker, making him a central figure in the West Indies attack.
Early life and rise
Born in Barbados in 1952, Garner played club cricket on the island before getting his chance at higher levels. He made his Test debut for West Indies in 1977 and quickly became part of a pace battery that included Michael Holding, Andy Roberts and Colin Croft, later joined by Malcolm Marshall.
Bowling style
His height allowed him to extract steep bounce, but it was his yorker that batters feared most. Delivered from a very high release point and angled towards the toes, it was extremely hard to dig out. He was also very economical, rarely allowing batters to settle.
Career highlights
Garner played 58 Tests and took 259 wickets at an average of around 21, one of the best averages of any bowler with so many wickets. In one-day cricket he was just as effective, taking over 140 wickets at a very low economy rate, all as of the end of 2024.
His most famous spell came in the 1979 World Cup final at Lord’s, where he took five wickets for 38 runs, including a late burst of wickets that wrecked England’s chase and helped West Indies retain the trophy. He also played an important part in the World Cup successes and the long unbeaten run in Test series enjoyed by his side.
In England he spent several seasons with Somerset, where he and Viv Richards formed a popular partnership and the county won its first major trophies in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He also played in Australia for South Australia.
Legacy
Garner retired from international cricket in 1987. He is remembered as one of the great West Indies quicks and as a bowler whose economy and accuracy complemented the pace of his colleagues. His yorker is often named among the best deliveries in the history of the game, and his career statistics place him among the leading bowlers of the era.
Frequently asked questions
Why was Joel Garner called Big Bird?
The nickname referred to his exceptional height of around six feet eight inches, which gave him a very high release point.
What was Joel Garner’s best performance in a World Cup final?
In the 1979 final at Lord’s he took five wickets for 38 runs against England.
Which English county did Joel Garner play for?
He played for Somerset.