Many sports stars often have difficult routes to the top, but Shamar Joseph’s journey has been exceedingly hard.
The 24-year-old fast bowler burst onto the scene in early 2024 when he helped the West Indies beat Australia Down Under for the first time in 27 years.
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Joseph burst onto the scene in early 2024 with a stunning bowling displayCredit: Getty
The whole Windies team was brilliant, but this young man from Guyana stole the show, even blowing Australia Test captain Pat Cummins away.
After the Test at the Gabba in Brisbane, Cummins and Joseph exchanged shirts and said: “As a cricket fan – as a Test-match cricket fan – there’s a part of me that was happy to watch”.
It was a remarkable spell that saw Joseph take 7/68 in just 11.5 overs. He ran through the Aussie top and middle order to ensure West Indies won by eight runs, all with an injured toe, which he later admitted had him in serious pain.
However, that didn’t stop him from bowling Josh Hazlewood for the last wicket, and he ran across the entirety of the Gabba.
That was just Joseph’s second Test, but given his background, it is a minor miracle that he made it to professional cricket.
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Joseph and Cummins exchanged shirts at the end of the Gabba TestCredit: Getty
Joseph is from Baracara, a tiny village in Guyana.
It’s so remote and cut off from the world that they don’t have internet, and communication within the village comes via landline connection.
To get from Guyana’s capital, Georgetown, to Baracara, you must drive and then take an 80-minute speedboat journey, so we are talking about somewhere off the beaten track.
Unsurprisingly, there are very few cricket facilities, and Joseph grew up using fruit as a ball to practice batting and bowling.
He started working in the village when he was young, helping with logging and fishing, and he did not attend secondary school.
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Joseph helped create one of the great Test cricket momentsCredit: Getty
Speaking about his childhood, Joseph said: ” Logging is quite tough – you have to use a chainsaw.
“I started working when I was 15 or 16.
“I didn’t have the opportunity to attend a secondary school.
“You just had to do self-development. I had to read a lot of books and learn a lot [by yourself] because there wouldn’t be anybody out there to sit and teach you. Everybody worked to provide for their family.”
And providing for his family came above cricket and saw Joseph move away from the sport he loves to look after those closest to him.
He moved to New Amsterdam, where he started as a construction worker before becoming a security guard.
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Joseph looks like he has all the tools to become a superb fast bowlerCredit: Getty
“You want to maintain your family, especially as a young man.
“You want to earn your own living. That security work earned me a bit, and then I just decided to further my future.”
While he was in New Amsterdam, he met West Indies all-rounder Romario Shepherd.
From there, Joseph’s cricket career took off, and the last two years have been crazy for the fast bowler.
He now has a central contract with West Indies and secured a lucrative IPL deal for the Lucknow Super Giants.
But despite the prospect of playing franchise cricket around the world, Joseph is determined to play in Tests for the Windies.
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Joseph earned a lot of praise from the West Indies’ greatest player – Brian LaraCredit: Getty
Speaking immediately after the Brisbane match, he said: “I will always be available to play Test cricket for West Indies, don’t matter how much money comes towards me.
“I have always had the hunger and will be hungry to play for the West Indies team.
“I have always learned while growing up playing cricket that as long as you play for the West Indies team, there are always other opportunities around. And the moment you are not playing for West Indies, there wouldn’t be anybody that would want you.
“So for me, representing my country, that’s a big part of my life, playing for them as long I have health and strength, and I’m moving forward [in] all three formats for West Indies.”
Joseph is currently part of the Windes team touring England, and he’s struggled due to a lack of cricket.
However, he’s still shown flashes of his potential, while he’s battled through the pain barrier, displaying his determination.
It’s early days for Joseph, but he has all the skills and character to become one of the great modern-day fast bowlers.
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