Jimmy Adams

Jimmy Adams is a Jamaican former cricketer and West Indies captain who opened his Test career with a stretch of scoring nearly comparable to Don Bradman, before leading the team through a difficult transitional era.

In his first 12 Test matches, Jimmy Adams scored 1,132 runs at an average approaching 87 — a mark bettered only by Don Bradman among batsmen with a comparable sample — before a serious facial injury sustained from a bouncer in 1995 interrupted one of the most auspicious starts to a West Indian batting career. He was called into the Jamaican squad as a teenager for the 1984-85 season, and made his Test debut for the West Indies against South Africa in April 1992, replacing the retired Viv Richards and immediately contributing four wickets and an unbeaten 79 in a winning cause. Adams enjoyed one of the finest starts to a Test career in the sport's history, scoring 1,132 runs in his first 12 matches at an average of nearly 87, a mark bettered only by Don Bradman. A crisis of confidence followed a serious facial injury sustained ducking into a bouncer during a 1995 tour match in England, and his career average would eventually settle at a still-respectable 41.26 across 54 Tests, including a career-best 208 not out against New Zealand. Adams was appointed West Indies captain in 2000, succeeding Brian Lara, and began solidly with wins over Zimbabwe and Pakistan, but a difficult run including a 5-0 whitewash in Australia in 2000-01 ended his captaincy and international career simultaneously. He continued playing domestic cricket in South Africa and England before retiring in 2004, and went on to a respected post-playing career, serving as West Indies Under-19 manager, president of the international cricketers' association, technical director of Jamaican cricket, and head coach of Kent County Cricket Club from 2012 to 2017, later returning to lead the West Indies as director of cricket.

Steady, technically correct left-handed batsman renowned for concentration and defensive solidity

Respected for his composure and grace both during his career and in its abrupt end, later building an extensive career in coaching and cricket administration

• Test batting average of 87 across his first 12 matches, among the best starts in history
• West Indies Test captain (2000-2001)
• Career-best Test score of 208 not out
• Member of the Order of Distinction, Jamaica