Courtney Walsh shares love for Christmas
Although West Indies fast bowling legend Courtney Walsh is a big fan of the Christmas holidays, being home for his favourite time of the year is not always gifted to him. The 54-year-old Walsh is the Bangladesh cricket team’s new bowling coach, and he will miss yet another Christmas with his family. However, he says he has come to accept that the sport he loves will always take him far and wide, and away from home and his family during the special season.
Walsh noted that he always wanted to spend Christmas in Jamaica, “but I have not been home in the longest time. I was in Australia last Christmas with the West Indies team, and I am going to be in New Zealand this year with the Bangladesh team.”
The West Indies leading Test wicket taker, played 132 Test matches for the regional team. He is the first man to take more than 500 Test wickets, retiring with a total of 519 scalps.
Walsh was set to leave the island for Australia for a training Camp with Bangladesh, but stayed in Jamaica to attend the 12th annual Courtney Walsh Awards for Excellence last Wednesday night.
“I have spent numerous Christmas away from home, but my best Christmas is when I am home when mommy can cook something for me. That’s all I can ask for,” he said, noting that he adores his mother’s cooking.
The former cricketer assured that his mother spent the night out with him, and he was hoping to get “a nice good meal tomorrow before I fly out.”
While he is not always able to spend Christmas doing what he wants to do, Walsh says he still looks forward to the season.
“It is a special time of year and a time to be jolly. It’s always something you look forward to, and I have always held it as something special. I am kinda happy I am home, but I am kind of going to be sad when I leave cause I like to be home for Christmas. But it’s part of the
job,” he said.