Education
Born in Portland, Jamaica to Maurice and Emelda, Patterson attended Happy Grove High School and Wolmer"s School, receiving his Jamaica School Certificate.
Born in Portland, Jamaica to Maurice and Emelda, Patterson attended Happy Grove High School and Wolmer"s School, receiving his Jamaica School Certificate.
He also played for Lancashire in the English County Championship, between 1984 and 1990, and Tasmania in the Sheffield Shield 1984-1985. Patterson arrived on the international scene in the absence of Michael Holding for the 1986 Sabina Park Test against England, and was labeled as one of the fastest bowlers in the international game. Broadly built, aggressive and quick, Patterson took seven wickets on debut.
He kept his place and became a regular new ball bowler for the West Indies.
Graham Gooch, seasoned England opener, remarked that Patterson frightened him with his fast bowling. Patterson returned figures of 5/24 in the first Test of the 1987/8 series against India, bowling them out in 30.3 overs, or little over one session of play on the first day.
In a Test Match in Melbourne, 1988-1989, during Christmas, just before second last days play, Steve Waugh decided to bounce Patterson. At the end of the day"s play, Patterson stormed into the Australian dressing room and threatened to kill all the opposition batsmen on the pitch on the fifth and final day of play.
Australia were then dismissed for 114 chasing 400.
Patterson finished with five wickets in the innings and nine wickets for the match. Patterson"s career strike rate of 51.9 is amongst the best of all time, although his 93 Test wickets came at a slightly high average of 30.9 owing to his excessively attacking nature and subsequent field settings, which always provided opportunity for runs as well as wickets.