| A West Indies international from 1997-2005, Mervyn | | | | was the strike bowler for Trinidad and performed very |
| Dillon was initially perceived as the heir apparent to | | | | well in this capacity. At Test level, however, Mervyn |
| West Indies greats like Courtney Walsh and Curtley | | | | Dillon was a stock bowler who could take wickets. |
| Ambrose. Born in Toco - a seaside town on the | | | | Expectations of him were perhaps too high. |
| northern side of Trinidad - Mervyn Dillon evolved into a | | | | A comparison to one of the current crop of bowlers |
| tall, lean, fast-medium bowler and a barely competent | | | | shows that the parlous state of West Indies cricket is |
| lower order batsman. He even possessed a high-arm | | | | due to fundamental problems and is not merely an |
| action that once caught the eye of the illustrious | | | | issue of finding better bowlers than Dillon. Daren |
| Malcolm Marshall in 1996. | | | | Powell- considered a strike bowler in the 2008 team- |
| Dillon was discarded by West Indies selectors at the | | | | took a grand total of 73 wickets after 30 Test |
| age of 31; the victim of unreasonably high expectations. | | | | matches at a poor average of 47.28 (up to December |
| Dillon's statistics reveal that he was a good stock | | | | 12, 2008). This would have been acceptable if Daren |
| bowler who can be expected to deliver wickets. | | | | Powell was not a "rabbit" with the bat. Powell needed |
| However, he also served up many juicy full-tosses, | | | | 82 balls on average to get a wicket in a Test match |
| half-volleys and harmless bouncers to grateful | | | | compared to 66.4 for Dillon. |
| batsmen. | | | | The high-arm action of Mervyn Dillon was truly a |
| Geoff Boycott remarked that Dillon bowled great | | | | beauty to behold. In his prime, Dillon was able to deliver |
| wicket-taking deliveries, but served up too many "four | | | | genuinely quick deliveries with speeds of up to 140 km |
| balls' that made him expensive. | | | | hr. His consistency in ball placement often left a lot to |
| In his career, Dillon took 131 wickets in 38 Test | | | | be desired. However, Mervyn Dillon's West Indies |
| matches with an average of 33.57. His ODI returns | | | | career was cut short prematurely by those who felt |
| were 130 wickets from 108 matches with an economy | | | | that younger, quicker bowlers should be given a |
| rate of 4.61. While "Big Merv" was no rabbit with the | | | | chance. The fact that these younger, quicker bowlers |
| bat, his batting was at times comical and | | | | pale in comparison to Mervyn Dillon is an emphatic |
| over-ambitious. He even appeared as if he would | | | | indictment of West Indies cricket. |
| threaten Courtney Walsh's record for highest number | | | | An international comeback for Mervyn Dillon is highly |
| of "ducks" in a Test match. | | | | unlikely at the age of 35 (in 2009). He has not retired |
| Although his returns from international cricket made | | | | from First-class cricket, but has stepped aside to allow |
| him an above-average cricketer, Dillon's efforts were | | | | younger fast bowlers to emerge from Trinidad and |
| often overlooked because he was not the strike | | | | Tobago. Even in the twilight of his career, "Big Merv" |
| bowler that the W.I. selectors felt that he should be. He | | | | still has many overs left in him. |