Legendary spinner Alf Valentine has died in Florida aged 74. The Jamaican took 139 wickets in 36 test matches at 30.32, and will always be remembered for forming a feared spin attack with Sonny Ramadhin the 1950s. The pair were immortalised in song with the Calypso tune "Those little pals of mine - Ramadhin and Valentine" after their exploits in the 1950 series in England. Valentine was an unknown when picked to tour England in 1950, with only two first-class matches under his belt. "To call them surprise selections almost flattered them at the start of the tour," wrote John Arlott. "They had played two first-class matches apiece before they arrived in England, and their elder team-mates conceived it a duty to teach them to sign their autograph on board ship coming over." But he grabbed 11 wickets in his first Test at Manchester, including 8 for 104 in the first innings. His match figures were 116-75-127-7 - nobody before or since has bowled as many maidens in a Test. Valentine took seven wickets in the game at Lord's, the West Indies first ever victory in England, and ended the series with an amazing 33 wickets from just the four test matches. The West Indies ran out 3-1 winners, assuring Valentine a place in Caribbean cricketing immortality. In Australia in 1951-52 he spun out 24 more Test wickets, and he was well on the way to 100 in what was then a record time for a West Indian spinner. Injury and illness in England in 1957 forced him out for a while, but he returned for the historic 1960-61 tour of Australia, and played his part in the Tied Test and finished second in the bowling averages to Wes Hall. He toured England again in 1963, but by then Lance Gibbs was ahead of him in the pecking order. Valentine played his final test match in 1963 but then had a successful spell playing league cricket in England before retiring to Florida. SOURCE: WINDIESCRICKET.COM