Ambrose, a giant in every sense of the game, was the most lethal pace bowler of his generation. Ambrose took 405 Test wickets at 20.99, with his 6 for 24 that hustled England out for 46 in Trinidad in 1993-94, and his series-clinching burst of 7 for 1 against Australia at the WACA the previous season, being his most astonishing performances.

The 6ft 7ins tall Ambrose was more to the game than pace. When his extreme pace deserted him, he fell back on subtle seam movement and an immaculately grooved action. 

Ambrose played his final test for the West Indies against England in 2000. Clarke has become only the second woman to be inducted. She holds the record for the most matches as captain in the women’s game, and led Australia to victory in the 2005 World Cup. Australia lost only 17 of the 101 games under her leadership.

She averaged 45.95 in 15 Tests with a top score of 136. Her ODI figures were better, an average of 47.49 in 118 games. The highlight of her batting career was the unbeaten 229 against Denmark in Mumbai in 1997, which made her the first player, male or female, to score a double-century in one-dayers. Since her retirement in 2005, nobody has beaten her record of 4844 ODI runs in the women’s game. Ambrose and Clark will be inducted during the ICC awards in London, while Spofforth will be inducted later next year.