Michael Holding was born on 16 February 1954 at Half Way Tree, Kingston, Jamaica. He was the youngest child of 4 behind 2 older sisters and an elder brother. His father was a keen footballer and cricketer. Holding attended the well-known boys’ college (as had his father and brother) Kingston College in 1965. His first cricket captain at K.C. was Sydney Headley, the youngest son of the legendary George Headley. In his final year at KC Holding was captain and he entered the Jamaican U-19’s national XI.
He made his first-class debut, aged 18, for Jamaica against Barbados in January 1973. His future international commitments meant that he only played 34 f-c matches for Jamaica during the period 1973-1989 taking 90 wickets at 25.81. He is an ambassador for cricket in Jamaica (along with fellow Kingstonian, Courtney Walsh).
He played for a variety of f-c teams such as Lancashire (1981), Tasmania (1982/83), Derbyshire (1983-1989) and Canterbury (1987/88). In his 7 f-c matches for Lancashire in 1981 he took 40 wickets at 17.87. For Derbyshire he took 224 f-c wickets at 24.57 with a best of 7/97. He took 8/21 (still a Derbyshire record) against Sussex at Hove in a Nat West Trophy 1st round match in 1988.
He played his first Test at Brisbane, aged 21, on the 1975/76 tour of Australia. He took 10 wickets in 5 Tests as the West Indies lost the series 5-1. His big breakthrough came in the home series against India early in 1976. With Andy Roberts injured Holding led the attack and took 19 wickets at 19.89 in 4 Tests with a best of 6/65. So … to England that Summer. In 4 Tests he took 28 wickets at 12.71 including a virtuoso performance at The Oval in the 5th Test. He famously took 8/92 and 6/57 for match figures of 14/149 (still a West Indies’ record). He played 60 Tests from 1975 to 1986 taking 249 wickets at 23.68. He hit 6 Test match 50.s with a best of 73 against England at Antigua in April 1986.
He was recruited to Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket, in the late 1970’s, by his West Indies captain, Clive Lloyd.
He played in 2 World Cup finals, after just missing out on the first World Cup in 1975, winning against England in 1979 but surprisingly losing to India in 1983. In the Texaco Trophy 1st ODI in May 1984 against England, Holding, coming in at number 11, joined Viv Richards with West Indies at 166/9. They put on 106 undefeated runs (still a 10th wicket ODI record) to take West Indies to 272/9 off their 55 overs. Holding scored 12*!! He then took 2/23 off his 11 overs as West Indies won by 104 runs.
Holding is one of 17 West Indians (out of 70 in total) to have been inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. He received his cap, along with Viv Richards and Andy Roberts, at Antigua in February 2009. He was also one of the 5 Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1977 along with Mike Brearley, Gordon Greenidge, Viv Richards and Bob Taylor.
Allan Donald, the great South African fast bowler, said recently of Holding that “his rhythm and action were the best I’ve seen” and that “if you ever want to copy a run-up of a fast bowler, he would be it, because it had everything; it had rhythm, it was just effortless, and that’s why he bowled with effortless pace.
He worked on cricket commentary in the West Indies before being signed up by Sky. He is now a familiar voice in the commentary box who is unafraid to voice strong opinions.