Devon Eugene Malcolm (born 22 February 1963) is a Jamaican-born English former cricketer who represented the England cricket team in 40 Test matches and 10 One Day Internationals. A right-arm fast bowler, Malcolm was regarded as one of the quickest bowlers in world cricket during his career, and is best remembered for his match-winning spell of nine wickets for 57 runs against South Africa, one of the finest innings bowling performances in Test history.
| Full name | Devon Eugene Malcolm |
|---|---|
| Born | 22 February 1963, Kingston, Jamaica |
| Nationality | Jamaican-born English |
| Role | Right-arm fast bowler |
| Test matches | 40 |
| One Day Internationals | 10 |
| Career-best bowling | 9/57 vs South Africa |
| County | Derbyshire |
| Honours | Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), 2025 |
Malcolm was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and went on to qualify to play for England, becoming part of a generation of fast bowlers who represented English cricket through the late 1980s and 1990s. He played county cricket for Derbyshire, where he became a popular figure with the home crowd.
Malcolm's principal strength was raw pace, and he was widely considered among the fastest bowlers in world cricket during his peak years. His bowling, however, was sometimes seen as inconsistent, and he was known for occasional profligacy with the ball.
His other cricketing skills attracted considerable attention. He was famously short-sighted, which contributed to weaknesses in catching, although he possessed a powerful throwing arm. His batting was widely regarded as well below international standard, and the cricket writer Colin Bateman, along with several commentators, described his batting and fielding as being of "court-jester standard." He typically batted at number eleven, often in competition with Phil Tufnell for that position, and was cheered enthusiastically by spectators whenever he came to the crease. He nonetheless struck several large sixes for both England and Derbyshire and was a particular favourite of the broadcaster Brian Johnston.
Malcolm's 9 for 57 against South Africa stands as the defining performance of his international career. The spell is regarded as one of the great individual bowling efforts in the history of Test cricket and cemented his reputation as a strike bowler capable of dismantling opposition batting line-ups on his day.
Off the field, Malcolm was noted for his wholehearted commitment and easy charm, qualities that contributed to his standing as a national favourite. As Colin Bateman observed, "Malcolm, incredibly wholehearted with an easy charm off the field, became a national hero."