{{short description|Trinidadian cricketer}} {{EngvarB|date=August 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2025}} {{Infobox cricketer | name = Mervyn Dillon | image = | country = West Indies | fullname = Mervyn Dillon | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1974|6|5|df=yes}} | birth_place = Toco, Trinidad and Tobago | nickname = | heightft = 6 | heightinch = 4 | heightm = | batting = Right-handed | bowling = Right-arm fast-medium | role = | family = | international = true | testdebutdate = 14 March | testdebutyear = 1997 | testdebutagainst = India | testcap = | lasttestdate = 16 January | lasttestyear = 2004 | lasttestagainst = South Africa | testshirt = | odidebutdate = 3 November | odidebutyear = 1997 | odidebutagainst = South Africa | odicap = | lastodidate = 26 January | lastodiyear = 2005 | lastodiagainst = Australia | club1 = Trinidad and Tobago | year1 = 1996–2008 | columns = 4 | column1 = Tests | matches1 = 38 | runs1 = 549 | bat avg1 = 8.44 | 100s/50s1 = 0/0 | top score1 = 43 | deliveries1 = 8,704 | wickets1 = 131 | bowl avg1 = 33.57 | fivefor1 = 2 | tenfor1 = 0 | best bowling1 = 5/71 | catches/stumpings1 = 16/– | column2 = ODIs | matches2 = 108 | runs2 = 227 | bat avg2 = 7.32 | 100s/50s2 = 0/0 | top score2 = 21* | deliveries2 = 5,480 | wickets2 = 130 | bowl avg2 = 32.44 | fivefor2 = 3 | tenfor2 = 0 | best bowling2 = 5/29 | catches/stumpings2 = 20/– | column3 = FC | matches3 = 91 | runs3 = 1,052 | bat avg3 = 8.28 | 100s/50s3 = 0/1 | top score3 = 52 | deliveries3 = 17,001 | wickets3 = 291 | bowl avg3 = 29.20 | fivefor3 = 7 | tenfor3 = 0 | best bowling3 = 6/40 | catches/stumpings3 = 35/– | column4 = LA | matches4 = 161 | runs4 = 459 | bat avg4 = 8.50 | 100s/50s4 = 0/0 | top score4 = 41 | deliveries4 = 7,918 | wickets4 = 188 | bowl avg4 = 30.38 | fivefor4 = 3 | tenfor4 = 0 | best bowling4 = 5/29 | catches/stumpings4 = 35/– | date = 24 October | year = 2010 | source = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/5/5418/5418.html CricketArchive | medaltemplates = <!-- MENTION HOST NATIONS FOR TEAM SPORTS --> {{MedalSport|Men's Cricket}} {{MedalCountry|{{cr|WIN}}}} {{MedalCompetition|ICC Champions Trophy}} {{Medal|W|2004 England|}} }}
'''Mervyn Dillon''' (born 5 June 1974), is a former Trinidadian cricketer who featured as a fast bowler for West Indies. He emerged at the twilight of both Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose's careers. Dillon soon became the Windies' new bowling spearhead, picking up a sum of 131 wickets in 38 test matches and 130 wickets from 108 one day internationals.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sportzwiki.com/cricket/exclusive-interview-with-former-west-indian-pacer-mervyn-dillon/|title=Exclusive Interview with former West Indian Pacer Mervyn Dillon|author=Shashi|publisher=Sportzwiki|website=sportzwiki.com}}</ref> Dillon was a member of the West Indies team that won the 2004 ICC Champions Trophy.
==International career== Dillon was born in Mission Village, Toco, Trinidad and Tobago. At one stage, after Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose retired from international cricket, Dillon was the spearhead of the West Indies bowling attack. Subsequently, Dillon was labelled by Simon Briggs as "the natural successor to Courtney Walsh", noting that " his action has a hint of [Walsh's] well-oiled efficiency". According to Briggs, "he takes a high percentage of wickets with the ball that angles in then just holds its own".<ref name="Briggs">{{cite web | url=http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/51651.html| title=Mervyn Dillon | access-date=6 January 2007 | last=Briggs | first=Simon |date=September 2004 | publisher=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> Steve Waugh labelled him "the West Indies' most notable underachiever...when he had his act together, [he] didn't lose much in comparison to his legendary predecessors [Ambrose and Walsh]...such days were a rarity."<ref name="Waugh">{{cite book | last=Waugh | first=Steve | author-link=Steve Waugh | title=STEVE WAUGH: Out of my comfort zone – the autobiography | year=2005 | publisher=Penguin Group (Australia) | location=Victoria | isbn=0-670-04198-X | page=690}}</ref>
He was involved in a remarkable incident at Kandy's Asgiriya Stadium on 21 November 2001 in a test against Sri Lanka when he contracted abdominal pains and was replaced by Colin Stuart after two balls of his third over. Stuart was banned from bowling for the remainder of the innings by umpire John Hampshire after delivering two beamers that were called as no-balls in his first three deliveries. Chris Gayle then completed the last three balls of the over with his off-spin. This was the only instance in the history of Test cricket, when three bowlers were used to complete one over.<ref name="Beard">{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2001/nov/21/cricket.matthughes|title=Windies lose two bowlers but last the course|last=Hughes|first=Matt|date=21 November 2001|work=The Guardian|location=London}}</ref>
During the Windies' 2002 five test match series against India, one Dillon's bouncers went on to break the jaw of spinner Anil Kumble. He went on to pick up 23 wickets at an average of 27.21 in that said series.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/cricket/interview-with-mervyn-dillon|title=Interview with Mervyn Dillon: "If a fast bowler said he never wanted to hurt the batsman, he would be lying"|last=Sharma|first=Aadya|date=4 August 2016|publisher=Sportskeeda|website=sportskeeda.com}}</ref>
In October 2007, Dillon signed up as an overseas player for the Indian Cricket League.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/new-zealand-in-india-2016/top-stories/dillon-signs-for-indian-cricket-league/articleshow/2455532.cms|title=Dillon signs for Indian Cricket League|date=13 October 2007|work=The Times of India}}</ref>
==Coaching career== In January 2022 Dillon was appointed head coach of BPL outfit Sylhet Strikers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tt.loopnews.com/content/mervyn-dillon-sylhet-sunrisers-head-coach|title=Mervyn Dillon is Sylhet Sunrisers head coach|author=Ramphal, Vidia|date=18 January 2022|publisher=Loop TT|website=tt.loopnews.com}}</ref>
==Political career== Dillon applied to be a People's National Movement candidate in the 2020 Trinidad and Tobago general election.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-05-29 |title=Bitter-sweet response as PNM picks new faces |url=https://trinidadexpress.com/news/local/bitter-sweet-response-as-pnm-picks-new-faces/article_948f8638-a21b-11ea-aa90-e7e3c6452714.html |access-date=2025-04-15 |website=Trinidad Express Newspapers |language=en}}</ref> He wanted to stand in the seat of Toco/Sangre Grande but Roger Monroe was chosen instead.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tack |first=Clint Chan |date=2020-05-31 |title=Jennings-Smith backs Dillon |url=https://newsday.co.tt/2020/05/31/jennings-smith-backs-dillon/ |access-date=2025-04-15 |website=Trinidad and Tobago Newsday |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Personal life== In 2021 Dillon's daughter, Merelle, then a trainee pilot, was involved in a plane crash in Piarco.<ref>https://www.cnc3.co.tt/daughter-of-retired-cricketer-identified-as-trainee-pilot-in-crash/?dicbo=v2-vA1pqu7</ref>
==References== <!--See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Footnotes for an explanation of how to generate footnotes using the <ref> and </ref> tags and the tag below --> {{Reflist}}
{{Navboxes |title= West Indies squads |bg=#79001F |fg=#FCED00 |bordercolor=#FCED00 |list1= {{West Indies Squad 1999 Cricket World Cup}} {{West Indies Squad 2003 Cricket World Cup}} {{West Indies Squad 2004 ICC Champions Trophy}} }}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Dillon, Mervyn}} Category:1974 births Category:Living people Category:West Indies One Day International cricketers Category:Trinidad and Tobago cricketers Category:West Indies Test cricketers Category:Cricketers at the 1999 Cricket World Cup Category:Cricketers at the 2003 Cricket World Cup Category:Mumbai Champs cricketers Category:Trinidad and Tobago sportsperson-politicians Category:People's National Movement politicians