File photos
LEFT: Test cricket great Courtney Walsh gives his mother, Joan Wollaston, a kiss after the dedication and unveiling of the Courtney Walsh Drive, formerly Derrymore Road, on Monday, June 20, 2005.
RIGHT: This batsman looks back as Walsh uproots his stump.

Misha Lobban, Contributor

Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.
- Anais Nin

Courtney Walsh is highly regarded as an ambassador for Jamaica and West Indies cricket.

The former West Indies player became the first fast bowler in the history of Test cricket to achieve more than 500 Test wickets. This was in 2001.

Walsh made his Test debut against Australia in Perth in 1984, taking two wickets for 43 runs. Later that season, he also made his one-day international debut against Sri Lanka.

During the 1990s, his partnership with Curtly Ambrose was one of the most-feared bowling attacks in world cricket.

He is also known for holding the record of most Test wickets from 2000, when he broke the record of Kapil Dev, until 2004, when his record was broken by Muttiah Muralitharan.

He was appointed captain of the West Indies team in 1994 for the tours of India and New Zealand, and captained the team in 22 Test matches.

In 2000, Walsh played his last one-day international against New Zealand, and his last Test match against South Africa, here in Jamaica in 2001.

His best friend, Rudolph 'Ruddy' Marzouca, is also a cricketer and footballer. He played senior cricket and senior league football for the Wembley Athletic Club, as well as the Melbourne Cricket Club.

In the 1970s, the Chinese Athletic Club, owners of the property on Derrymore Road which houses the Melbourne Cricket Club, sold the property to the club and, in 1971, Marzouca was elected captain of the club. He served in that capacity until 2004, and it was during this time that he met young Courtney Walsh who, along with other boys from the community surrounding the Melbourne Cricket Club, would hang out on the field and play cricket as a pastime.

In 1974 he spearheaded the formation of the Melbourne Youth Club to facilitate Courtney and other youths from the surrounding community who wanted to play cricket at a professional level.

Marzouca was very instrumental in helping to nurture Courtney's talent and love for the game, and has been Courtney's mentor throughout his career as a cricketer.

Through the eyes of his best friend and business partner, we learnt a lot about Courtney Walsh; for example, his love for stew peas and rice. Not just any stew peas and rice. There must be 'plenty pig's tail' and it must be cooked by Aunt Joan.

Define for us what you consider to be a true friend.

A true friend is someone you can always rely on; someone in whom you can always confide.

How did you meet Courtney Walsh?

I met Courtney at the Melbourne Cricket Club in 1972. He was one of many youths in the area who would come to the club to watch cricket and play their own game on the field. They weren't very organised and so one day a group of them approached us and asked us if we could help them get organised as young players. Courtney was among the group of youngsters who came to us, and he struck me because he was a mannerly and likeable person.

How long have you been friends with him?

We have been friends since 1974 when we established the Melbourne Youth Club. I was the leader of the club and I was like a 'father figure' to Courtney.

Later, in the 1980s, he became a member of the senior club and we started to play cricket together. We would have a drink together and socialise after matches, and the members of the Melbourne Club are like family so our friendship has grown since that time.

Tell us what you admire most about him, and why you think you have remained friends all these years.

His humility. From the time he was a youngster he was humble and that's a quality he still has, and so we have remained friends all these years. We have never had a problem between us because we are very similar in terms of our personality.

When you get together as friends what do you talk about?

Courtney is in his second year as president of the Melbourne Cricket Club, and so when we get together, we mainly talk about cricket and the management of the club and general matters that relate to the club. We also talk about business, as I am a director of his company, Courtney Sports Limited.

On an interesting note, Courtney was elected president of the cricket club in 2005, and in that year Derrymore Road, where he started his career as a young cricketer, was renamed Courtney Walsh Drive.

Share with us one of the happiest moments you have experienced with him.

When he broke the world record for the most wickets in Test cricket. It was a great feat and I was very happy.

Tell us the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of him, and why.

Melbourne Cricket Club and the opportunity to have a drink with him.

What are his favourite food, favourite music and favourite sport?

Stew peas and rice with plenty pig's tail cooked by Aunt Joan (his mom).

Dancehall music

Cricket (of course).

Tell us the colour that you associate with him.

Yellow - signifying someone you'll never forget

Orange - signifying someone you consider your true friend

Red - signifying someone you really love

Green - signifying someone you'll remember for the rest of your life.

I associate Courtney with the colour green (which is also my favourite colour) because over the years he has become like a son to me, and he is someone I will remember for the rest of my life.

Please send your feedback and comments to lobban_misha@yahoo.com.