Chelmsford () is the county town of Essex, England and the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford. It is located in the London commuter belt, approximately northeast of Charing Cross, London, and approximately the same distance from the once provincial Roman capital at Colchester. The town currently has a population of approximately 102,400 however this is thought to be rapidly increasing on a year by year basis with many people from Essex and the London borders re-locating to the County town.

The main conurbation incorporates all or part of the former parishes of: Broomfield, Great Baddow, Moulsham, Widford and Springfield, including Springfield Barnes, now more commonly known as Chelmer Village.

The town is surrounded by many small villages that retain their original charm (examples of these are Galleywood, Danbury, Writtle, Good and High Easter, Roxwell, Mashbury, Chignal Smealy, Little Baddow, Great and Little Waltham, Howe Street, Pleshey and Bicknacre).

Chelmsford is a modern, well placed town that has a large number of London commuters and its residents are known as 'Chelmsfordians'.

History

Early history

In 1199 the Bishop of London was granted a Royal Charter for Chelmsford to hold a market, marking the origin of the modern town. An under-cover market, operating Tuesday to Saturday, is still an important part of the town centre over 800 years later. The town's name is derived from 'Ceolmaer's ford' which was close to the site of the present High Street stone bridge. In the Domesday Book of 1086 the town was called 'Celmeresfort' and by 1189 it had changed to 'Chelmsford'.

Before 1199, there were settlements nearby from ancient times. A Neolithic and a late Bronze Age settlement have been found in the Springfield suburb, and the town was occupied by the Romans. A Roman fort was built in AD 60, and a civilian town grew up around it. The town was given the name of Caesaromagus (the market place of Caesar), although the reason for it being given the great honour of bearing the Imperial prefix is now unclear – possibly as a failed 'planned town' provincial capital to replace Londinium or Camulodunum. The remains of a ''mansio'', a combination post office, civic centre and hotel, lie beneath the streets of modern Moulsham, and the ruins of an octagonal temple are located beneath the Odeon roundabout.

The town became the seat of the local assize during the early 13th century (though assizes were also held at Brentwood) and by 1218 was recognised as the county town of Essex, a position it has retained to the present day. Chelmsford was significantly involved in the Peasants' Revolt of 1381, and Richard II moved on to the town after quelling the rebellion in London. 'The Sleepers and The Shadows', written by the late Hilda Grieve in 1988 using original sources, states: "For nearly a week, from Monday 1st July to Saturday 6th July [1381], Chelmsford became the seat of government ... The king probably lodged at his nearby manor house at Writtle. He was attended by his council, headed by the temporary Chancellor ... the new chief justice ... the royal chancery ... Their formidable task in Chelmsford was to draft, engross, date, seal and despatch by messengers riding to the farthest corners of the realm, the daily batches of commissions, mandates, letters, orders and proclamations issued by the government not only to speed the process of pacification of the kingdom, but to conduct much ordinary day to day business of the Crown and Government." Richard II famously revoked the charters which he had made in concession to the peasants on 2 July 1381, while in Chelmsford. It could be said that given this movement of government power, Chelmsford for a few days at least became the capital of England. Many of the ringleaders of the revolt were executed on the gallows at what is now Primrose Hill.

An important Anglo-Saxon burial was discovered at Broomfield to the north of Chelmsford in the late 19th century and the finds are now in the British Museum. The road 'Saxon Way' now marks the site. In the 17th century many of the victims of Matthew Hopkins (the self-styled "Witchfinder General") spent their last days imprisoned in Chelmsford, before being tried at the Assizes and hanged for witchcraft.

Henry VIII purchased the Boleyn estate in 1516, and built Beaulieu Palace on the current site of New Hall School. This later became the residence of his then mistress, and later wife Ann. Soon after it became the residence of Henry's daughter, by his first marriage, Mary I.

King Robert I of Scotland, better known as Robert the Bruce had close ties with the nearby village of Writtle and there is some evidence to suggest he was born at Montpeliers Farm in the village, but the story is disputed and possibly conflated with his father, Robert de Brus, 6th Lord of Annandale.

World War II

During World War II Chelmsford, an important centre of light engineering war production, was attacked from the air on several occasions, both by aircraft of the Luftwaffe and by missile. The worst single loss of life took place on Tuesday 19 December 1944, when the 367th Vergeltungswaffe 2 or V2 rocket to hit England fell on a residential street (Henry Road) near the Hoffmans ball bearing factory and not far from the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company factory in New Street which may also have been the target. (It is seen being protected by a barrage balloon in a wartime photograph.) Thirty-nine people were killed and 138 injured, 47 seriously. Several dwellings in Henry Road were completely destroyed, and many in nearby streets were badly damaged. A recently restored monument to the dead is in the borough cemetery in Writtle Road.

The GHQ Line part of the British hardened field defences of World War II runs directly through Chelmsford with many pillboxes still in existence to the north and south of the town. Faded camouflage paint still remains on old buildings near Waterhouse Lane.

Hylands Park, the site of the annual V festival, then hosted a Prisoner of war camp, and from 1944 was the headquarters of the Special Air Service (SAS).

Recent history

Since the 1980s Chelmsford has suffered from a decline in its defence-related industries, most notably The Marconi Company with ''all'' of its factories closing. However, the town's location close to London and at the centre of Essex has helped it grow in importance as an administrative and distribution centre. The one-time largest employer in Chelmsford, R.H.P. (the former Hoffman ball bearing manufacturing Company) closed its New Street/Rectory Lane site in 1989. Some of the factory remains and have been converted into luxury apartments and a health club although most of the site was demolished to make way for the Rivermead Campus of the Anglia Ruskin University

Beaulieu Park, 'The Village' and Chancellor Park are some of the most recent large scale housing developments built in the town to complement earlier developments such as Chelmer Village which was built throughout the 1980s.

In 2007, the Channel 4 programme "Location, Location, Location" voted Chelmsford as the 8th best place to live in the UK.

Local government and politics

Chelmsford is at the geographic and political centre of Essex and has been the county town since 1215. It is the location of the headquarters of Essex County Council at County Hall on Market Road and the headquarters of Chelmsford Borough Council on Duke Street. The headquarters of Essex Police are located in the Springfield area of the town at Kingston Crescent.

Chelmsford formed part of the ancient Chelmsford hundred of Essex. It was incorporated as a municipal borough in 1888, under the provisions of the Municipal Corporations Act 1882. In 1934 the borough was enlarged by gaining from Chelmsford Rural District, including parts of the parishes of Broomfield, Springfield, Widford and Writtle. The municipal borough was abolished in 1974 and its former area was combined with most of the remainder of the rural district to form the larger Chelmsford borough.

For the Chelmsford constituency in the House of Commons the member of Parliament is Simon Burns.

Economy

Business and commerce

Originally an agricultural and market town, Chelmsford has been an important centre for industry since the 19th century. Following the opening of the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation in 1797, cheaper transportation and raw materials made milling and malting the main industries until the 1850s, when increasing prosperity created a local market for agricultural machinery.

Foundries and engineering works followed including Fell Christy at his Factory (In later years known as Christy Norris Ltd) on the corner of Kings Road and Broomfield Road opened 1858, closed 1985, Coleman and Moreton, Thomas Clarkson (''Steam'' Omnibus manufacturer and Founder of the Eastern National Bus Company) and Eddington and Stevenson (makers of traction engines). The Company Christy Norris still survives, trading as Christy Turner Ltd based in Ipswich. A nearby road to the old Factory was named "Fell Christy" in his honour.

As well as the headquarters of Essex County and Chelmsford Borough Councils, the modern town is home to a range of national and international companies including M&G; Group, e2v Technologies and ebm-papst UK Ltd. The continuing importance of Chelmsford as an employment centre is demonstrated by the fact that the number of "in" commuters (mostly from other parts of Essex) almost exactly balances the number of workers commuting into London.

Chelmsford is largely a commercial town which employs around 80,000 people. There are two medium-sized shopping centres, High Chelmer and The Meadows. Chelmsford has three retail parks, Riverside, Chelmer Village and the smaller Homelands Retail Park housing a Flagship B&Q; Store and Springfield Garden Centre (part of the Garden centre Group). The High Street is full of independent and chain stores. As well as the leading High Street names, there is also a wide variety of specialist retailers, especially in Baddow Road and Moulsham Street which are located at the end of the pedestrianised High Street. On 6 January 2005, Chelmsford was granted Fairtrade Town status.

Several years ago, Chelmsford was labelled a mere clone town; however new developments are proving the statement wrong, with new business opportunities around the town. Sizeable businesses are now based in the Chelmsford Business Park at Boreham housing companies such as the Anderson Group. The town also has a low unemployment rate (1.6% in 2002) and a well-educated workforce, with 9% holding a degree or above (in 2002; British average: 7.1%).

Chelmsford has a vibrant nightlife scene with many nightclubs, pubs, wine bars and restaurants in the town centre area, particularly in Duke Street, Moulsham Street, the town centre end of Baddow Road and the bottom section of Springfield Road. Its central Essex location and good public transport links make the town ideal for revellers, commuters and tourists to visit from surrounding areas.

Marconi

In 1899, Guglielmo Marconi opened the world's first "wireless" factory under the name The Marconi Wireless Telegraph & Signal Company in Hall Street employing around 50 people. The company was later called the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company Ltd. For this reason Chelmsford is credited as the "birthplace of radio", and this phrase can be seen on administrative signs on major roads entering the town although this statement is disputed.

Marconi soon outgrew its Hall Street premises and in June 1912 the company moved to a brand new purpose built factory in New Street that still stands today. On 15 June 1920 the factory was the location of the first official publicised sound broadcast in the United Kingdom, featuring Dame Nellie Melba using two radio broadcasting masts.

In 1922, the world's first ''regular'' wireless broadcasts for entertainment began from the Marconi laboratories at Writtle near Chelmsford – Call sign '2MT' in what was little more than a wooden hut.

In 1999, Marconi's defence division, including the Chelmsford facilities, were purchased by British Aerospace to form BAE Systems. Two sites remain under BAE control; the Great Baddow site which is now BAE's Advanced Technology Centre and its Integrated Systems Technologies business at Glebe Road.

The military and secure communications division of Marconi was merged into Selex Communications was based at the New Street factory however they vacated the site in April 2008 with the remaining operations moved to nearby Basildon.This brought to an end of more than 100 years of the Marconi name in Chelmsford.

The New Street factory was scheduled to be redeveloped with work planned to start during 2010, however this fell through after the new site owners Ashwell Property Group entered administration in December 2009.

The New Street site including the Grade II listed front façade remains empty, derelict and vandalised with its future uncertain much to the dismay of Marconi Veterans and Chelmsfordians.

Cromptons Electrical Engineering

Chelmsford became home to the United Kingdom's first electrical engineering works established by Rookes Evelyn Bell Crompton. Crompton as he was better known was a leading authority of electrical engineering and was a pioneer of electric street lighting and electric traction motors within the UK. Crompton installed electric street lights around the town centre to celebrate the incorporation of the Borough of Chelmsford in 1888. Although this made Chelmsford one of the earliest towns to receive electric street lighting, the Council later decided to have it removed because gas was cheaper and the Council owned the gasworks. Crompton supplied the traction motors for the first electric trains on Southend Pier. The company also manufactured electrical switchgear, alternators and generators for many power stations in the UK and worldwide.

Crompton set up his original factory known as the 'Arc Works' in Queen Street in 1878. After a fire there in 1895, he built a huge new electrical engineering factory also called the 'Arc Works' in Writtle Road. The Firm was called Crompton and Co. and in 1927 became Crompton Parkinson after Colonel Crompton formed a business partnership with fellow British electrical engineer Frank Parkinson. During World War II, the factory was frequently targeted by the Luftwaffe. In 1969 Crompton Parkinson Ltd was downsized and operations moved elsewhere after a takeover by Hawker Siddeley and the site was taken over by the Marconi Company and became the base for the newly formed Marconi Radar Systems Ltd.

After years of decline, the Marconi factory finally closed in 1992 and the site was demolished a few years later apart from the frontage on Writtle Road. A housing development called 'The Village' now occupies the site with road names such as ''Rookes'' Crescent, ''Evelyn'' Place, ''Crompton'' Street and ''Parkinson'' Drive as tributes to the former occupant.

Hoffmann Ball Bearings (R.H.P)

The United Kingdom's first ball bearing factory was established at New Street and Rectory Lane in Chelmsford in 1898 by cousins Geoffrey and Charles Barrett and bankrolled by American ball bearing machine manufacturer Ernst Gustav Hoffmann from whom the Company took its name. The Hoffmann Manufacturing Company rapidly expanded and soon achieved worldwide fame for their precision-made bearings boasting an accuracy better than 1/10,000 of an inch (2.5 micrometres) for all their products. Hoffmann bearings were later used in the first transatlantic flights and extensively on machinery during World War I. For many years it was Chelmsford's main employer with more employees than the nearby Marconi Company.

The firm became R.H.P.(Ransome Hoffmann and Pollard) after amalgamation with the Ransome and Pollard bearing manufacturing companies in 1969. The factory that once employed 7500 employees over 50 acres in its heyday was wound down during the 1980s and finally closing for good on December 23, 1989.

The company assets and name were absorbed into the Japanese NSK Ltd bearing company in early 1990 trading as NSK-RHP Ltd. at its UK base in Newark on Trent with the historic R.H.P name finally disappearing in 2001.

Most of the factory was demolished during the summer of 1990 and the site is now occupied by the sprawling Rivermead Campus of the Anglia Ruskin University.

The only connection to the company name in Chelmsford today is the R.H.P. Bowls club located on part of the old Hoffmans Social Club site at Canterbury Way and Hoffmans Way at the corner of the old factory site at New Street and Rectory Lane.

English Electric Valve Company

Original called the Phoenix Dynamo Company, the company was founded by Serge Aisenstein in 1947. It soon was noted for supplying 3" orthicons for the worldwide television transmission of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey. The company, now known as ''e2v technologies plc'' still has its headquarters in Waterhouse Lane. In January 2007, the company celebrated 60 years in Chelmsford.

Britvic

Britvic's world headquarters, the Britvic House, is in Chelmsford. The soft drink company began life as the British Vitamin Company in 1948. However, the origins of the company can be traced back to a chemist's in the town's Tindal Street, where flavoured waters were on sale as early as the mid-19th century. The company changed its name to Britvic in 1971 after its successful brand, which was launched in 1949. Britvic has a large factory on Widford Industrial Estate with its head office located in Broomfield Road.

Transport

Rail

The Eastern Counties Railway arrived in Chelmsford in 1842, although owing to the geography of the town, three viaducts had to be constructed, the longest of which is the 18 arch Central Park viaduct. The station was built at the end of the second viaduct with the third viaduct at the River Chelmer at Springfield. The present-day Chelmsford railway station dates from around 1885 and is in the town centre and around 14,000 commuters travel to London Liverpool Street daily by rail making Chelmsford the busiest station outside of London which is completely non-terminus. The station is served by the railway franchise National Express East Anglia.

Services from Chelmsford are operated to London Liverpool Street and Ipswich, Clacton, Harwich, Braintree and Norwich. Despite having platforms elevated on a viaduct, the station has full disabled access via a lift for each of the two platforms and as well as stair access. This dates from an extensive refurbishment of the station's ground-level facilities in the late 1980s.

Bus

A new bus terminal in Duke Street opened in March 2007 which replaced an ageing 1930s Bus station. It incorporates shops and apartments and has a covered roof for passengers. This is mainly used by the First Essex Bus Company which has many routes around the town and beyond including the X30 Southend to Stansted Airport Flyer.

Essex County Council Highways & Transportation Department have considered the construction of a Bus Rapid Transit System to be built serving the Beaulieu Park/Springfield Area because of the increasing demand for Rapid Transit Plans in Ipswich, Colchester and Southend.

Chelmsford has a Park & Ride service that is based at nearby Sandon, just off the A12 at Junction 18. It runs from 7 am to 7 pm, Monday to Saturday with five bus stops around the town (one near High Chelmer for shopping) and charges £2.20 per adult and free for old-age pensioners or people under the age of 16. An adult weekly ticket is £11.00 and Adult monthly £42.00. It currently has a capacity of 1,200 cars. Opened in March 2006, it has proved highly successful and is widely used.

Road

The main London to Colchester A12 trunk road which evolved from the Great East Road originally built by the Romans to connect London and Colchester, used to pass through the town but is now diverted around the east. The £34.8m nine-mile (14 km) bypass opened in November 1986. The A414 is the main east-west route through the Borough, and the A130 and A131 run approximately north-south.

Chelmsford is around 25 to 30 minutes' drive from London Stansted Airport (via A130/A120), and London Heathrow, London Gatwick, London City, Luton and Southend airports are all within reach.

In the southwest of the town centre, the A138 meets the A414 at The Army and Navy roundabout which is notorious for its traffic congestion, even though the north–south road at this point is no longer part of the A12. Until 1986, when the Chelmsford bypass was opened, the roundabout was in an even worse state. Traffic lights were tried to improve matters in the early 2000s but that scheme was abandoned after a short while however some of the lights where recommissioned for early morning and evening part time use in 2009. The recently built bus lane on the A1114 Great Baddow Bypass and priority to traffic using it has meant traffic queues approaching the roundabout can now be over a mile long during peak periods.

The junction is unusual for its flyover, in a similar manner to the Hogarth Roundabout in Chiswick, London. It is bi-directional, being open where traffic goes one way into town (westerly) until 2.30 pm each day and one way (easterly) out of town after 2.30 pm. The flyover is now closed from 9 pm every night. A two-way flyover has been mooted ever since the original was built in 1978: it is very unlikely to happen – the local council has stated that the cost would be prohibitive. The roundabout is still called "The Army and Navy", even though the public house from which the junction got its name has been demolished.

Construction of a replacement 'Chelmer Viaduct' A138 road which connects Chelmer Village Way roundabout to the Army and Navy roundabout will begin in the summer of 2012, to replace the existing 1932 structure which will remain open during construction. However the old road and bridge will be demolished shortly after construction is completed.

Licensed Hackney Carriage Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles

Following delimitation of the number of Hackney Carriage licences issued by the local authority in Chelmsford in 2005, the number of hackney carriage taxis that can ply for hire within the Borough of Chelmsford has risen from 82 to 174 prompting a long running dispute between Chelmsford Borough Council and Chelmsford Taxi Association over excessive taxi license numbers within the Borough.

At the ''privately'' owned Chelmsford railway station taxi rank,only the 116 Chelmsford Taxi Association affiliated hackney carriages are permitted to ply for hire at the station. There are 8 other taxi ranks located within the town which are designated for all Chelmsford Borough Council licensed taxis which are located at Barrack Square, Baddow Road, Bond Street, Fairfield Road, Market Road, Tindal Street, Viaduct Road and Victoria Road, however the Barrack Square and Viaduct Road taxi ranks mainly operate at night for visitors to the pubs and clubs within that area and the Market Road taxi rank is only used during the daytime.

Licensed hackney carriages in the Borough of Chelmsford are easily identifiable as they are predominately black in colour with light blue local authority license plates on the front/rear and illuminated green 'for hire' signs inside the front windscreen and illuminated rooflights. Any ''new'' hackney carriage licenses issued by the authority since delimitation in 2005, the vehicle must be purpose built, wheelchair-accessible, black in colour and have a minimum of five seats not including the driver. Licenses issued prior to delimitation the vehicles can be either saloon car design or wheelchair accessible type vehicles. Chelmsford hackney carriage taxis can be flagged down by members of the public anywhere within the Borough.

Licensed Private Hire vehicles in Chelmsford are identifiable by their yellow local authority licence plates on the front/rear of the vehicles and lack of an illuminated rooflight. These vehicles are not permitted to ply for hire and must be pre-booked by telephone. They can be of any colour. All licensed hackney carriage taxis and private hire vehicles in Chelmsford will have a large rectangular council identification sticker with its license number on the front doors. Both type of licensed vehicles are required to be tested for mechanical defects by the authority twice yearly in addition to the annual MOT test.

All persons holding a dual hackney carriage or private hire driver license within the Borough of Chelmsford must meet strict criteria as laid down by the authority which includes license renewal every 2 years, a Criminal Records Bureau enhanced disclosure check every 3 years and a DVLA group 2 medical examination every 4 years.

Future transport plans

Proposals for a bypass of Chelmsford connecting the A12 interchange at Boreham (Junction 19) and the A131 were put forward for public consultation by Essex County Council in 2006, the preferred route was announced in March 2007. It comprises the creation of 7.9 km (4.9 miles) of two lane dual carriageway and junctions connecting to the A12 and A131, it will sever 10 footpaths/bridleways and involve almost entirely greenfield construction. The scheme was estimated to cost £138 million in March 2007 but was increased to an estimated range of £229 – £ 262 million in February 2008. The scheme still requires funding and planning permission with applications timetabled for 2009–2011, a public inquiry timetabled for 2012 and with an estimated construction start date of 2014–2016. The Chelmsford North Action Group (NAG) objects to this scheme on the basis stating the Chelmsford was to "be engulfed by huge motorways connecting the Channel Ports, via a new Lower Thames Crossing, A130, on to Stansted, M11 and A14".

A second new Park and Ride scheme on the A130 near Little Waltham in addition to that at Sandon began construction in March 2010 at a price of £7.9 million. There has been criticism of the park and ride as some worry it would be unable to provide a service to the nearby Broomfield Hospital from the new site. The Little Waltham Park and Ride is due for completion in April 2011.

A new second railway station for the town was announced in September 2009 and is due to be built near the Boreham Interchange. Completion for the project is likely to be in 2015.

Redevelopment

A major new development was completed in 2007 in the West End of Chelmsford just off Duke Street called "53 Park Central" which contains a new Bus Station, shops and luxury apartments. The lower level apartments of this development and the Bus Station area are sometimes called 'The Marconi Plaza', while the upper level apartments are part of the "Kings Tower". The Bus Station and shops were opened in January 2007 while the rest of the development was ready in September 2007.

Another site near the large suburb of Springfield is in its planning stages. It will be a new neighbourhood which will be an urban village containing 3,500 homes. This would include a new Chelmsford North East Bypass connecting the A12 interchange at Boreham (Junction 19) and the A131.

The Public House "The Army and Navy" from which the notorious roundabout gets its name was demolished in March 2007. It was replaced by a Travelodge Hotel, a Frankie & Benny's Restaurant, a bed store and private flats. Building work started at the site in October 2007 and the project was completed in December 2008.

Chelmsford's tallest building, Melbourne Court in Melbourne Avenue has received an £8,000,000 investment for extensive refurbishment and to create a new Neighbourhood Centre. This was completed early in 2009. Recently, plans were revealed for 'Waterside', a large development of shops, bars and restaurants on the banks of the River Chelmer on derelict land near the Essex Records Office at the end of Wharf Road. If this development goes ahead, High Bridge Road connecting Parkway and Springfield Road would be demolished along with the adjacent gasometers and a new central link road would be built.

Another development recently finished is 'The Hub' in Waterloo Lane. This contains luxury apartments and two Restaurants. There are other new developments completed during 2009 including new private flats on the former car dealership on the corner of Rainsford Road and Parkway.

The former Anglia Ruskin University central campus off Victoria Road South was demolished in January/February 2010 and will be redeveloped for retail and leisure use. High Chelmer Shopping Centre underwent a refit during 2008/2009 with new flooring, lighting with a new front entrance and logo re-brand. Further work is currently being carried out in the shopping centre; an old portion was demolished in Spring 2011, and building work commenced soon after. The work, which will result in the opening of new shops, is due to be completed in early 2012.

In January 2011, John Lewis announced together with development partner Aquila House Holdings that it was to Anchor a brand new department store as part of a retail development at Chelmsford's Riverside. There will also be 2 other large format shops included in the development. The main anchor store will be complemented by a further 25 shops and restaurants. In addition to this there will also be a 280 space underground shoppers car park.

Places of interest

There are many places of interest within Chelmsford, including the 18-arch Victorian railway viaduct that spans the River Can in Central Park. One of three railway viaducts in the town that carry the Great Eastern Main Line. The Viaduct was constructed during 1842 by the Eastern Counties Railway Company and opened for passenger traffic on 29 March 1843. Chelmsford Cathedral which is located directly behind The Shire Hall. Originally called St Mary's Church, it became a Cathedral when the Diocese of Chelmsford was created in 1914. It is officially the second smallest in England behind Derby Cathedral.

Chelmsford's two tallest buildings are Melbourne Court built in 1962 in Melbourne Avenue, locally known as Melbourne flats, and the new development completed in 2007, the 13-floor "Kings Tower" in Duke Street. They share the same height of . The tallest structure by far in the Chelmsford area is the former Chain Home radar tower in the urban village Great Baddow which rises to . It originally stood at Canewdon but was reassembled in Chelmsford in 1959 and is the only Chain Home tower still in its original unmodified form in the UK. It is a highly visible landmark throughout the town and surrounding area.

The Shire Hall is situated at the top of the High Street. Opened in July 1791 and built by local Architect and Essex County Surveyor John Johnson, it features a Portland Stone façade. One of the oldest and most prominent buildings in Chelmsford, it was built as a courthouse, which it has remained to this day.

Chelmsford Prison is a male prison and Young Offenders Institution, constructed in 1830. The 1979 film special of the TV series ''Porridge'' was filmed largely on location at Chelmsford Prison (while it was closed for repairs after a fire). The prison itself courted controversy for many years for its poor conditions, and was branded one of the worst gaols in the country by the Chief Inspector of Prisons in 2003.

Hylands House and Park just to the west of the town is a country house and parkland, saved from dereliction and purchased by the local council in 1966 after the death of the last private owner. Much damaged by fire and vandalism by the time of the sale, the house has now been completely restored by Chelmsford Borough Council. The house dates originally from 1730, and the park, currently was landscaped by Humphry Repton. It is open to the public and used for a wide range of community events, including the annual music festival V Festival. It is also available for weddings and other private hires including conferences etc.

Chelmsford Museum in Oaklands Park, off Moulsham Street, is a local history and industrial heritage museum which also incorporates the Essex Regiment Museum. A major £5 million extension and redevelopment scheme opened in January 2010 and the museum now includes exhibits and interactive displays focusing on Crompton, Marconi, and Hoffmann, as well as illustrating the development of the town from prehistory up to modern times. It also holds pottery including Castle Hedingham ware and the Turner Prize winner Grayson Perry. There is a live beehive and a collection of beautiful 18th century glasses which were featured on the BBC TV programme ''Flog It!''. A second site at Sandon Mill – Chelmsford's former waterworks – displays further exhibits from Chelmsford's telecommunications, electrical engineering and rolling bearings industries.

Geography and climate

Geology

From over 600,000 years ago, during the Pleistocene ice age, until the Anglian Stage around 478,000 to 424,000 years ago, the early River Thames flowed through the area where Chelmsford now stands, from Harlow to Colchester, before crossing what is now the North Sea to become a tributary of the Rhine. Consequently, gravel deposits are frequently found in the area and current and former gravel pits in the district are common.

Chelmsford has two rivers, the River Can and the River Chelmer. Although often confused to be the same river in the town centre, they are quite separate until they join together towards the east of the town to form the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation which heads out towards Maldon before flowing into tidal waters at the Blackwater Estuary. In the other direction, the Chelmer comes from the north from its source near Thaxted while the Can comes from the West from Writtle where it separates from the River Wid.

Up to the 1960s, these rivers were extremely prone to flooding the town centre area including two disastrous floods in August 1888 (known locally as 'The Great Flood') and in September 1958 (which also badly affected nearby Wickford) causing widespread damage. Flood prevention schemes in the 1960s on both rivers have largely prevented any further incidents here although the natural floodplains to the north and east such as The 'Baddow Meads' and The 'Chelmer Valley' continue to see flooding on a regular basis especially after prolonged heavy rainfall.

Climate

As with all of the UK, Chelmsford has a maritime climate type, being to the southeast of England, the town enjoys a warmer climate than most of the United Kingdom and often experiences amongst the warmest summers in Britain; It is also one of the drier areas in the country. The nearest met office weather station is Writtle, about west of the town centre.

Temperatures can sometimes reach 30.0 °C (86.0 °F) in the summer, this figure was last achieved in 2010, and on an average of 17.1 days the temperature will achieve a value of 25.1°C (77.2°F) or above. The hottest day on record was on Sunday 10 August 2003 when 35.7 °C (96.3 °F) was recorded. Before that, 35.2°C (95.4°F) was recorded in August 1990. On average, however, the hottest day should rise to 29.8°C (85.6°F).

The coldest temperature recorded at Writtle was -20.6 °C (-5.1 °F) on 29 January 1947. A low of -18.0 °C (-0.4 °F) was also recorded in the recorded during December 1981. Most recently the temperature fell to -13.0 °C (8.6 °F) on 20 December 2010. Air frost is recorded on an average of 52.3 nights of the year, and typically the coldest night will fall to -7.9 °C (17.8 °F)

Rainfall average's 576.9 mm a year, with daily totals of over 1 mm falling on 105.1 days of the year. Thunderstorms mostly occur during July and August; however, they can occur anytime of the year. All average's refer to the 30 year observation period 1971–2000, except for the annual average coldest night (1961–1990).

Snow, although infrequent, is sometimes seen in the winter months because the town is near the east coast where cold, moist air is brought in from the North Sea. Snow accumulation is generally seen in the Chelmsford area at least once every winter and snowfall accumulates for an average of . In recent years, there has been up to three inches (8 cm) of snow on days in January and February which has resulted in minor disruption to transport and caused some schools to close. However, the snow tends not to persist for a significant length of time.

The last ''substantial'' snowfalls in Chelmsford were on 14 February 1991 and 7 January 1982 when around to fell.

Education

John Dee, noted Elizabethan philosopher, magician and scientist and also responsible for the introduction to the first English translation of Euclid was educated at the Chantry School (later re-founded as the Grammar School) in the sixteenth century.

Chelmsford is also home to part of the Anglia Ruskin University (formerly called Anglia Polytechnic) and to the grammar schools of Chelmsford County High School and King Edward VI Grammar School, founded in 1551 by charter of King Edward VI on the site of an earlier educational foundation (although evidence suggests it could have been around as early as 1292).

A Catholic Secondary School in the area is St John Payne Catholic Comprehensive School. New Hall School, founded in 1642, is a private, Catholic boarding school which caters to pupils from the age of 3 right through to sixth form. The New Hall building, previously named Palace of Beaulieu has great history including that of Henry VIII.

Chelmsford College is the main provider of further education in the borough. Established in the early 1960s, the college occupies three sites in the town. The main site on Moulsham Street dates from the 1960s and the Princes Road site is a late 1980s building. There are around 2200 fulltime and 2,100 part-time students enrolled on a wide range of academic, vocational and occupational programmes. The College is rated as "GOOD" by OFSTED and holds the prestigious Investors in People (IiP) Champion status and is also an IiP Gold award holder.

Educational establishments in Chelmsford include:

Anglia Ruskin University

King Edward VI Grammar School, known locally as 'KEGS'

St John Payne Catholic Comprehensive School

Writtle College, an agricultural college

Great Baddow High School

Moulsham High School and humanities college

Hylands School Specialist Science and Sixth Form College

The Boswells School

Columbus School and College, a special needs school.

Chelmer Valley High School

New Hall School, established 1642.

Chelmsford County High School for Girls, consistently one of the top five schools in the UK for both GCSE and A-level results.

St Peters College, the former Rainsford High School, which is due for closure in August 2011.

The Sandon School

Chelmsford College a college of further education

Alyonushka, Chelmsford Russian School. Language School in New London Road.

Society and culture

Media

Chelmsford is home to local radio station Chelmsford Radio, but it does not broadcast from the town. The station recently moved to studios in Southend having vacated its Heybridge premises on 12 January 2009. The station was originally situated in Chelmsford until November 2006. This station was previously known as Dream 107.7 until February, and before that, 107.7 Chelmer FM up to 2002. The station began broadcasting on 18 October 1998. It is the local station for mid-Essex. Adventure Radio have owned this station since 2008, where it was purchased from Tindle Radio Ltd.

Chelmsford also has a local opt-out of Heart FM. Heart Essex (previously Essex FM up to June 2009) has been on air since 12 September 1981 and has been owned by Global Radio since 2007. It moved to studios in Glebe Road in late 2004, having previously been based in Southend-on-Sea. In May 2009, the station was rebranded to The Heart of Essex, Essex FM. In June 2009, the popular Essex FM née Essex Radio name brand was dropped after 28 years.

BBC Essex has been on air since 5 November 1986 and its studios are based in New London Road.

Until their closure in the mid 2000s Anglia Television/ITV Anglia had offices located in Chelmsford town centre. Chelmsford is served by London and East Anglia regional variations of the BBC and ITV1.

Publications based in Chelmsford include the ''Essex Chronicle'', which was founded as the ''Chelmsford Chronicle'' in 1764. The weekly ''Essex Chronicle'' newspaper is the longest in continuous publication in the country. Until the closure of the printing plant in 2002, the paper was also printed in the town. It is now printed on presses by the Northcliffe Media Group which now owns the paper. ''Chelmsford Weekly News'' is a free local paper delivered to every home.

The fictional town of Framley in the newspaper satire ''The Framley Examiner'' is largely based on Chelmsford, along with surrounding areas such as Writtle (called Wripple).

Religion

Chelmsford Cathedral is the second smallest cathedral in England after Derby Cathedral. It was built in the 15th and early 16th centuries, when it was the parish church of the prosperous medieval town. The Diocese of Chelmsford was established in 1914 from part of the Diocese of St Albans. It covers all of Essex and much of East London.

Chelmsford is also situated in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brentwood and the two dioceses are now uniquely (at least within England) conterminous. With the coming of the Reformation the Catholic community of Chelmsford was subjected to the anti-Catholic laws and Chelmsford was the site of the death of a Catholic martyr, Saint John Payne. In the 19th century, native Catholics resurfaced and immigrants helped to build up the Catholic community. There are now three Catholic churches within Chelmsford along with a Norbertine canonry situated on New London Road; St. Philip's Priory. There is a synagogue which opened in 2009 in neighbouring Shenfield which serves the Chelmsford Jewish community, there is also a Jewish cemetery which has been there for many years.

Other denominations are also represented, the Baptists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-day Adventist Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the United Reformed Church all have places of worship within the town. For the local Muslim community the Main Jamia Masjid mosque is located on Moulsham Street at the junction with Parkway.

Sport

Essex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English domestic Cricket structure, representing the county of Essex. The club is based at the County Ground in New Writtle Street.

Chelmsford City Football Club play in the Blue Square South Division. The Club's home ground is at the Chelmsford Sport & Athletics Centre, Melbourne Park where they share with Chelmsford Athletic Club. Chelmsford is one of the largest settlements in England without a Football League team.

Chelmsford Hockey Club is a Men's and Ladies' (field) hockey Club based in the County of Essex (England). It has over one hundred and fifty regular adult playing members, of all ages and abilities, as well as a thriving youth section. It fields eight Men's teams and five Ladies' teams every weekend, including two Men's Veterans' XI's. The Ladies' 1st XI compete in the English Hockey League Premier Division and the Men's 1st XI compete in the English Hockey League Division 1. The remaining Men's teams play in the East League while the other Ladies' XIs play in the East Premier League and Essex League. The Club is undoubtedly one of the most successful Hockey Clubs in the country.

The Chelmsford Chieftains are an Ice Hockey Team that are based at the Riverside Ice and Leisure Centre and play in the English National Ice Hockey League.

The Chelmsford Rugby Football Club was established in 1920 and for the last 40 years have been playing rugby at Coronation Park, Timpsons Lane, Chelmsford. At present, there are around 330 members and the club fields up to five senior teams each week. Chelmsford currently (2011) play in London Division North East 2 division. In addition to the senior teams, there are 150 Mini/Youth members providing teams from under 6's to under 17's.

For the last seven years, a Ladies' team has been established, although owing to the lack of proper facilities they only play on an irregular basis.

The Chelmsford campus of Anglia Ruskin University also has many sports teams including a football, netball, hockey, fencing, Rugby Union and American Football

Events

Hylands Park hosts the annual V Festival every penultimate weekend in August since 1996. The 21st World Scout Jamboree 2007 was also held at Hylands Park from 27 July to 8 August 2007.

Chelmsford is home of Essex street diversions, East Anglia's largest festival of international street theatre and the 3foot People Festival, the UK's only 4-day festival exclusively for under-5-year-olds.

Notable people born in Chelmsford

Najma Akhtar (b.1962), jazz singer. Liam Chilvers (b.1981), professional footballer. Sarah Cracknell (b.1967), singer, Saint Etienne. Hazell Dean (b.1956), singer. James Gibson (b.1980), swimmer. Greg Halford (b.1984), professional footballer. Philemon Holland (b.1552), translator. Geoff Hurst (b.1941), 1966 England World Cup final player. Although born in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, he grew up in Chelmsford. Andy Jenkinson (b.1979), musician also known as "Ceephax Acid Crew". Tom Jenkinson (b.1975), musician also known as "Squarepusher". Harry Judd (b.1985), drummer, McFly. George Clift King (b.1848), former Mayor of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Anne Knight (b.1786), anti-slavery campaigner and pioneer of feminism. Malcolm O'Kelly (b.1974) Irish international rugby union player. Tom Payne (b.1982), ''Waterloo Road'' actor. Grayson Perry (b.1960) Turner prize-winning artist. Nigel Spink (b.1958), professional footballer and UEFA cup finallist as well as junior goalkeeper at Writtle Minors football club. Joseph Strutt (b.1742), engraver and antiquary.

Sir Nicholas Conyngham Tindal (b.1776), lawyer, judge and Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas.

James Harper (b.1980), professional footballer. Peter Collins (b.1948), professional footballer, Chelmsford City and Tottenham Hotspur.

Guthrie Govan (b.1971), professional jazz/rock/fusion guitar player.

Mike Edmonds (b.1944), actor

Nearest places

Twin towns

Chelmsford's official twin towns are:

Annonay, France Backnang, Germany

Further reading

Foreman, Stephen: ''Hylands – the story of an Essex country house and its owners'' (Ian Henry Publications, 1999)

Lee, Janet Olivia: ''Chelmsford – Birthplace of Radio'' (Chelmsford Borough Council, 2001)

Lowen, Ceri: ''Hylands House – a brief history and guide'' (Chelmsford Borough Council, 2005)

Wander, Tim: ''2MT Writtle – The birth of British Broadcasting'' (Capella Publications, 1988)

Weller-Lewis, Hugh: ''Chelmsford Borough Guide'' (Macmillan, 1995)

Wickenden, Nick: ''A Celebration of Chelmsford'' (Chelmsford Borough Council, 1999)

a town, its people and its past'' (Chelmsford Record Office, 1988)

Grieve, Hilda: ''The Sleepers and the Shadows Volume 2 Chelmsford: a town, its people and its past'' (Chelmsford Record Office, 1994)

Begent, Andrew: ''Chelmsford At War'' (Ian Henry Publications Ltd, 1999)

Torry, Gilbert: ''Chelmsford through the ages'' (East Anglian Magazine Ltd, 1977)

References

External links

Local Press

Chelmsford On Flickr

Chelmsford SkyCam

Chelmsford Borough Council

Category:County towns in England Category:Market towns in Essex Category:Archaeological sites in Essex Category:Towns with cathedrals in the United Kingdom Category:Chelmsford Category:Towns in Essex

am:ቸልምስፎርድ cy:Chelmsford de:Chelmsford es:Chelmsford fr:Chelmsford (Angleterre) is:Chelmsford it:Chelmsford he:צ'למספורד lt:Čelmsfordas hu:Chelmsford nl:Chelmsford no:Chelmsford (England) nn:Chelmsford pl:Chelmsford pt:Chelmsford ro:Chelmsford simple:Chelmsford sk:Chelmsford sv:Chelmsford vo:Chelmsford bat-smg:Čelmsfuords zh:切爾姆斯福德

name	Niki Tsongas
party	Democratic
birth date	April 26, 1946
birth place	Chico, California
religion	Greek Orthodox
alma mater	Smith College Boston University
spouse	Paul Tsongas
state	Massachusetts
district	5th
term start	October 16, 2007
predecessor	Marty Meehan
successor	Incumbent
occupation	Social worker, attorney
residence	Lowell, Massachusetts }}

Nicola Dickson "Niki" Sauvage Tsongas (; born April 26, 1946) is the U.S. Representative for , serving since a special election in 2007. She is a member of the Democratic Party.

She is the widow of U.S. Senator Paul Tsongas, who represented the 5th district in the 1970s. She became the first woman from Massachusetts elected to Congress in 25 years.

Early life, education and career

Tsongas was born Nicola Dickson Sauvage in Chico, California, the daughter of Marian Susan (née Wyman), an artist and copywriter, and Colonel Russell Elmer Sauvage, an engineer in the United States Air Force who survived the attack on Pearl Harbor. She is a 1964 graduate of Narimasu American High School in Japan, where her father was stationed at Fuchu Air Force Base and then spent one year at Michigan State before attending Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. After graduating from Smith in 1968, she moved to New York City, where she took a job as a social worker for the Department of Welfare.

Tsongas earned a law degree from Boston University and started Lowell's first all-female law practice. In 1967, while spending the summer in Arlington, Virginia, she met Paul Tsongas, then an aide to Congressman Brad Morse. In 1969, she married Paul and they had three daughters: Ashley, Katina, and Molly. Paul was a Massachusetts congressman and senator. In 1992, he became a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination. He died in 1997 due to complications from non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Niki has worked as the Dean of External Affairs at Middlesex Community College, and actively serving on the Lowell Civic Stadium and Arena Commission (which oversees the Tsongas Arena, the LeLacheur Ballpark, the Merrimack Repertory Theatre, and the Lowell Plan). In 2001, she was appointed by then-Representative Marty Meehan to head a foundation to provide education funding for the children of the victims of the 9/11 attacks.

Congressional career

When Meehan resigned in 2007 in order to serve as Chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Lowell, Niki Tsongas ran for the vacant seat in a special congressional election. She defeated four opponents in the Democratic primary with a 36% plurality of the vote. Her leading opponent in the general election on October 16, 2007 was Republican Jim Ogonowski. In addition, there were two independent candidates and one from the Constitution Party. During her campaign, Tsongas received endorsements from the three major newspapers in the area: the ''Boston Globe'', the ''Boston Herald'', and the ''Lowell Sun''. Tsongas won the special election with 51 percent of the vote.

Tsongas did not face any opponents in the 2008 election. She was challenged by Republican nominee Jon Golnik, a former Wall Street currency trader and small businessman, in the 2010 election., but kept her seat.

Economy and the budget

Tsongas is a member of the House Budget Committee, and voted to instate the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act in February 2010. She has supported economic stimulus efforts during the late-2000s recession, including the Economic Stimulus Act (a tax rebate and incentive policy) in February 2008, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (which established the Troubled Asset Relief Program) in October 2008, and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (a $787 billion economic stimulus) in January 2009.

{|class="wikitable" style="width: 300px; font-size: 90%; float: right; margin: 0.5em 0 0.5em 1em;" |- !Committee assignments |- |

Armed Services

*Tactical Air and Land Forces

*Military Personnel

Natural Resources

*National Parks, Forests and Public Lands

|}

Foreign policy

Tsongas serves on the House Armed Services Committee. In her 2007 election, she campaigned on setting a timetable to end the Iraq War. The first bill she introduced in Congress, which died in committee, aimed to implement a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq.

Health care

Tsongas advocates for universal health care and supports a public health insurance option, as long as it "[is] self-sufficient, relying on the premiums it collects." In January 2009, she voted to re-authorize and expand the Children's Health Insurance Program. She voted for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act in March 2010. On her website, Tsongas explained her vote in support of the legislation, saying, "The bill preserves what is best in the current system," in regards to Americans' choices in health care, and that it "will reduce our nation's growing deficit over 10 years by $104 billion" but stated that she was "very disappointed" at the restrictions on public funding for abortions built into the bill.

Clean energy

In a press release, Congresswoman Tsongas cited a 9 percent increase in jobs in the clean energy sector, more than twice the rate of growth of traditional jobs, from 1998 to 2007. Tsongas has also voted "yes" on the Energy Act of 2007, Alternative Energy Tax Incentives, and Energy Law Amendments (Cap and Trade), which aim to mandate increased minimum fuel efficiency cars may have in the United States, reduce taxes for the producers of alternative energy, and institute an Emissions Trading system, respectively.

Social issues

Tsongas is an advocate of abortion rights. Tsongas received a 100 percent approval rating from Planned Parenthood in 2008. She recently voted against an amendment to the Affordable Health Care for America Act "that would prohibit all federal funds...from being used to pay for abortion except in the case of rape, incest, or threat to the life of the mother."

Interest group ratings

On taxation and financial/budgetary issues, Tsongas has received low or failing ratings from some right wing groups like the National Taxpayer's Union, FreedomWorks, the National Tax Limitation Committee, and Americans for Tax Reform.

References

General biographies

Footnotes

External links

Congresswoman Niki Tsongas'' official U.S. House site''

Niki Tsongas for Congress ''official campaign site''

Blog on Blue Mass. Group

Boston.com: Tsongas receives endorsement from state treasurer August 21, 2007

Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts Category:Smith College alumni Category:Boston University School of Law alumni Category:Spouses of United States Senators Category:Spouses of members of the United States House of Representatives Category:Spouses of Massachusetts politicians Category:Massachusetts Democrats Category:Greek Orthodox Christians Category:Eastern Orthodox Christians from the United States Category:Female members of the United States House of Representatives Category:Women in Massachusetts politics Category:People from Chico, California Category:1946 births Category:Living people Category:People from Lowell, Massachusetts

sv:Niki Tsongas

Jaguar Skills is a British DJ who has gained notoriety since 2002 for his eclectic 'Mash it up like Y.B' style mixtapes. Jaguar Skills has released a number of mixtapes through various outlets, including BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 1Xtra, and now has a weekly 10 minute mix on ''The Trevor Nelson Show''. He built his profile and learned his craft in clubs across London.

Early career

Skills' breakthrough came in 2002 when he met legendary Southern Exposure member 'Villain' aka Yunga game aka Y.B. He made a mixtape CD for clothing label Maharishi, which was well received. From there he went on to build his profile and learn his craft in clubs across London, with YB as an influential character in the Durrty Durrty South.

Jezebel Residency

In 2004 Jaguar Skills was asked by Jade Jagger to take up residency at her famous Jezebel nights in Ibiza. Things quickly progressed and Skills started to DJ other Jezebel events across the globe including in Europe, Russia and Hong Kong.

Current Work

Jaguar Skills has a slot on Radio 1's Trevor Nelson show on Saturday night at around 8:00pm (GMT). His mixes are normally around 10 minutes, however he has created a 60 minute "30 years of Hip Hop" mix and two hour gaming and all-star mixes. In 2009 he carried out his second UK tour, visiting universities and nightclubs with the highlight date being in Cargo (club), London. There were reports that he would release an album in September 2010.

He appears on the 'In New DJs We Trust' circuit on Radio 1, playing a one hour show each time there is a fifth Thursday in a month. The show consists of mash-up mixes and comedic soundbites.

On 20 October 2010 Jaguar confirmed that he would be returning to tour in 2011 with a number of UK tour dates on his 'Revenge of the Ninja' Tour, which took place in March 2011.

Traditions and Character

Jaguar Skills is famously known for playing the character of a ninja. During his live shows he is dressed as a ninja with a full ninja mask so that only his eyes show.

Traditions which have been created around Jaguar Skills include the response to the words "Jaguar Skills" which should be met with "HoooOOO" by the crowd. His identity is also completely hidden and was originally only known by Trevor Nelson. Jaguar Skills also revealed his identity backstage to other BBC Radio 1 DJs Vernon Kay and Chris Moyles as well as the backstage crew at Keele University. His ninja costume is designed to add mystery to his persona.

Discography

#1979-2006: A HipHop Odyssey airdate: 28 December 2006 #Disco King Mix airdate: 16 August 2008 #MOBO After Party Special airdate: 18 October 2008 #Beyonce & Jay-Z Remix Special airdate: 22 November 2008 #Nigerian Taxi Driver D&B; Mix 29 November 2009 #Imma Music Machine Mix airdate: 6 December 2008 #Workout Plan Re-Up 2009 airdate: 3 January 2009 #Blast Off Mash Up airdate: 10 January 2009 #The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air airdate: 17 January 2009 #Make Money Money Mix airdate: 24 January 2009 #Jump Up Mix airdate: 31 January 2009 #It's Time to Get Funky Mix airdate: 7 February 2009 #Official Adventures of Jag Skills on the Wheels of Steel airdate: 21 February 2009 #Drum and Bass Kitchen airdate: 28 February 2009 #Jaguar Skills vs Timbaland Mix airdate: 7 March 2009 #Classic Number One Selection airdate: 14 March 2009 #Trev and Jag's Road Trip airdate: 21 March 2009 #The Illest Emcees of All Time Vol. 1 airdate: 4 April 2009 #30 Years of Hip Hop in 60 Minutes airdate: 6 April 2009 #Motown Mashed airdate: 11 April 2009 #One Big Weekend Festival Rocker airdate: 18 April 2009 #Name That Sample Show airdate: 2 May 2009 #Big Weekend Set airdate: 9 May 2009 #2 Hour Computer Game Mix airdate: 26 May 2009 #In the Mix airdate: 4 July 2009 #Trevor Nelson Airways Mix airdate: 11 July 2009 #The Dubstep Twitter Mix airdate: 18 July 2009 #Ibiza 30 Minute Mix airdate: 1 August 2009 #Carnivale 2009 Mix airdate: 29 August 2009 #Sorry I Didn't Text You Back Trevor Mix airdate: 12 September 2009 #The No Requests: Kill the Heckler Mix airdate: 17 October 2009 #I Am the Rocketman airdate: 7 November 2009 #The VIP Disco Room airdate: 14 November 2009 #Original Pirate Material Mini Mix & BONUS 1xtra LIVE Mix airdate: 1 December 2009 #Mother's Day Mix 13 March 2010 #Sport Relief Mega Mix airdate: 20 March 2010 #Spring Mix airdate: 27 March 2010 #Easter Egg Hunt Mix airdate: 3 April 2010 #Twitter Mix airdate: 11 April 2010 #Classic Number One Mashup airdate: 17 April 2010 #Guru Tribute Mix airdate: 24 April 2010 #In New DJs We Trust airdate: 29 April 2010 #History of Drum and Bass airdate: 3 May 2010 #All Killer No Filler Mix airdate: 29 May 2010 #World Record Breakers Mix airdate: 5 June 2010 #Radio1 All Star Football Mix airdate: 12 June 2010 #Where the Girls At Mix airdate: 19 June 2010 #Michael Jackson Tribute airdate: 26 June 2010 #Back to Bizznizz Mix airdate: 31 July 2010 #Ultimate Holiday Mix 7 August 2010 #10 Years of Ayia Napa Mix airdate: 14 August 2010 #Hot Minute Mix airdate: 21 August 2010 #Carnival 2010 Mix airdate: 28 August 2010 #Hip Hop Till Ya Drop Mix airdate: 4 September 2010 #Classic #1 Mix airdate: 11 September 2011 #1Xtra Live Mix airdate: 18 September 2010 #Kanye West Meets Daft Punk Mix airdate: 16 October 2010 #Welcome to Autumn Mix airdate: 23 October 2010 #Spookalicious Mix (Halloween Special) 30 October 2010 #Access All Areas Mix airdate: 6 November 2010 #1Xtra DJ Takeover Mix airdate: 13 November 2010 #Soundclash Mix airdate: 20 November 2010 #Jag's Gone Bad Mix airdate: 27 November 2010 #Relationship Mix airdate: 4 December 2010

References

External links

Jaguar Skills' official website

Jaguar Skills' official blog

Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:British DJs

playername	Sachin Tendulkar
country	India
fullname	Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar
nickname	Little Master, Tendlya, The God of Cricket
living	true
dayofbirth	24
monthofbirth	4
yearofbirth	1973
placeofbirth	Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra
countryofbirth	India
heightft	5
heightinch	5
heightm	1.65
role	Batsman
oneit20	true
batting	Right-handed
bowling	Right-arm leg spin, off spin, medium pace
international	true
testdebutdate	15 November
testdebutyear	1989
testdebutagainst	Pakistan
testcap	187
lasttestdate	22 August
lasttestyear	2011
lasttestagainst	England
odidebutdate	18 December
odidebutyear	1989
odidebutagainst	Pakistan
odicap	74
odishirt	10
lastodidate	2 April
lastodiyear	2011
lastodiagainst	Sri Lanka
club1	Mumbai
year1	1988–present
club2	Mumbai Indians
year2	2008–present
club3	Yorkshire
year3	1992
columns	5
column1	Test
matches1	181
runs1	14,965
bat avg1	56.25
100s/50s1	51/61
top score1	248*
deliveries1	4,132
wickets1	45
bowl avg1	53.68
fivefor1	0
tenfor1	0
best bowling1	3/10
catches/stumpings1	108/–
column2	ODI
matches2	453
runs2	18,111
bat avg2	45.16
100s/50s2	48/95
top score2	200*
deliveries2	8,032
wickets2	154
bowl avg2	44.32
fivefor2	2
tenfor2	n/a
best bowling2	5/32
catches/stumpings2	136/–
column3	FC
matches3	285
runs3	23,884
bat avg3	59.26
100s/50s3	78/107
top score3	248*
deliveries3	7,497
wickets3	70
bowl avg3	61.54
fivefor3	0
tenfor3	0
best bowling3	3/10
catches/stumpings3	176/–
column4	LA
matches4	540
runs4	21,663
bat avg4	45.89
100s/50s4	59/113
top score4	200*
deliveries4	10,220
wickets4	201
bowl avg4	42.11
fivefor4	2
tenfor4	n/a
best bowling4	5/32
catches/stumpings4	171/–
date	22 August
year	2011
source	http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/1/1933/1933.html CricketArchive }}

Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar (; born 24 April 1973) is an Indian cricketer widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket. He is the leading run-scorer and century maker in Test and one-day international cricket. He is the only male player to score a double century in the history of ODI cricket. In 2002, just 12 years into his career, Wisden ranked him the second greatest Test batsman of all time, behind Donald Bradman, and the second greatest one-day-international (ODI) batsman of all time, behind Viv Richards. Tendulkar was an integral part of the 2011 Cricket World Cup winning Indian team at the later part of his career, his first such win in six World Cup appearances for India.

Tendulkar is the first and the only player in Test Cricket history to score fifty centuries, and the first to score fifty centuries in all international cricket combined; he now has 99 centuries in international cricket. On 17 October 2008, when he surpassed Brian Lara's record for the most runs scored in Test cricket, he also became the first batsman to score 12,000, 13,000 and 14,000 runs in that form of the game, having also been the third batsman and first Indian to pass 11,000 runs in Test cricket. He was also the first player to score 10,000 runs in one-day internationals, and also the first player to cross every subsequent 1000-run mark that has been crossed in ODI cricket history. In the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, Tendulkar surpassed Australia's Allan Border to become the player to cross the 50-run mark the most number of times in Test cricket history, and also the second ever player to score 11 Test centuries against Australia, tying with Sir Jack Hobbs of England more than 70 years previously. Tendulkar passed 30,000 runs in international cricket on 20 November 2009. He also holds the world record for playing highest number of Test and ODI matches.Tendulkar has been honoured with the Padma Vibhushan award, India's second highest civilian award, and the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, India's highest sporting honour. Tendulkar became the first sportsperson and the first person without an aviation background to be awarded the honorary rank of Group Captain by the Indian Air Force. He has received honorary doctorates from Mysore University and Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences He won the 2010 Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for cricketer of the year at the ICC awards.

Early years and personal life

Tendulkar was born in Bombay (now Mumbai). His mother Rajni worked in the insurance industry, and his father Ramesh Tendulkar, a Marathi novelist, named Tendulkar after his favourite music director, Sachin Dev Burman. Tendulkar's elder brother Ajit encouraged him to play cricket. Tendulkar has two other siblings: a brother Nitin, and sister Savita.

Tendulkar attended Sharadashram Vidyamandir (High School), where he began his cricketing career under the guidance of his coach and mentor, Ramakant Achrekar. During his school days he attended the MRF Pace Foundation to train as a fast bowler, but Australian fast bowler Dennis Lillee, who took a world record 355 Test wickets, was unimpressed, suggesting that Tendulkar focus on his batting instead.

When he was young, Tendulkar would practice for hours on end in the nets. If he became exhausted, Achrekar would put a one-rupee coin on the top of the stumps, and the bowler who dismissed Tendulkar would get the coin. If Tendulkar passed the whole session without getting dismissed, the coach would give him the coin. Tendulkar now considers the 13 coins he won then as some of his most prized possessions.

While at school, he developed a reputation as a child prodigy. He had become a common conversation point in Mumbai circles, where there were suggestions already that he would become one of the greats. His season in 1988 was extraordinary, with Tendulkar scoring a century in every innings he played. He was involved in an unbroken 664-run partnership in a Lord Harris Shield inter-school game in 1988 with friend and team mate Vinod Kambli, who would also go on to represent India. The destructive pair reduced one bowler to tears and made the rest of the opposition unwilling to continue the game. Tendulkar scored 326* in this innings and scored over a thousand runs in the tournament. This was a record partnership in any form of cricket until 2006, when it was broken by two under-13 batsmen in a match held at Hyderabad in India.

At 14, Tendulkar was a ball boy for the India versus Zimbabwe game at the Wankhede Stadium during the 1987 World Cup. When he was 14, former Indian batsman Sunil Gavaskar gave him a pair of his own ultra light pads. "It was the greatest source of encouragement for me," Tendulkar said nearly 20 years later after surpassing Gavaskar's world record of 34 Test centuries. On 24 May 1995, Sachin Tendulkar married Anjali, a paediatrician and daughter of Gujarati industrialist Anand Mehta and British social worker Annabel Mehta. They have two children, Sara (born 12 October 1997), and Arjun (born 24 September 1999). Anjali is six years his senior.

Philanthropy

Tendulkar sponsors 200 underprivileged children every year through Apnalaya, a Mumbai-based NGO associated with his mother-in-law, Annabel Mehta. A request from Sachin on Twitter raised through Sachin's crusade against cancer for the Crusade against Cancer foundation.

Early domestic career

On 11 December 1988, aged just 15 years and 232 days, Tendulkar scored 100 not out in his debut first-class match for Bombay against Gujarat, making him the youngest Indian to score a century on first-class debut. He followed this by scoring a century in his first Deodhar and Duleep Trophy. He was picked by the Mumbai captain Dilip Vengsarkar after seeing him negotiate Kapil Dev in the nets, and finished the season as Bombay's highest run-scorer. He also made an unbeaten century in the Irani Trophy final, and was selected for the tour of Pakistan next year, after just one first class season.

His first double century was for Mumbai while playing against the visiting Australian team at the Brabourne Stadium in 1998. He is the only player to score a century in all three of his Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy and Irani Trophy debuts.

In 1992, at the age of 19, Tendulkar became the first overseas born player to represent Yorkshire Tendulkar played 16 first-class matches for the county and scored 1070 runs at an average of 46.52.

International career

Early career

Raj Singh Dungarpur is credited for the selection of Tendulkar for the 1989 Indian tour of Pakistan. Tendulkar played his first Test match against Pakistan in Karachi in 1989 aged just 16. He made just 15 runs, being bowled by Waqar Younis, who also made his debut in that match, but was noted for how he handled numerous blows to his body at the hands of the Pakistani pace attack. In the final test in Sialkot, he was hit on the nose by a bouncer, but he declined medical assistance and continued to bat even as he gushed blood from it. In a 20 over exhibition game in Peshawar, Tendulkar made 53 runs off 18 balls, including an over in which he scored 28 runs off Abdul Qadir. This was later called "one of the best innings I have seen" by the then Indian captain Kris Srikkanth. In all, he scored 215 runs at an average of 35.83 in the Test series, and was dismissed without scoring a run in the only One Day International he played.

The series was followed by a tour of New Zealand in which he scored 117 runs at an average of 29.25 in, Tests including an innings of 88 in the Second Test. He was dismissed without scoring in one of the two one-day games he played, and scored 36 in the other. On his next tour, to England in 1990, he became the second youngest cricketer to score a Test century as he made 119* at Old Trafford. Wisden described his innings as "a disciplined display of immense maturity" and also wrote: Tendulkar further enhanced his development during the 1991–1992 tour of Australia, that included an unbeaten 148 in Sydney and a century on a fast, bouncing pitch at Perth. Merv Hughes commented to Allan Border at the time that "This little prick's going to get more runs than you, AB."

Rise through the ranks

Tendulkar's performance through the years 1994–1999 coincided with his physical peak, in his early twenties. On the day of the Hindu festival Holi, Tendulkar was told to open the batting at Auckland against New Zealand in 1994. He went on to make 82 runs off 49 balls. He scored his first ODI century on 9 September 1994 against Australia in Sri Lanka at Colombo. It had taken him 79 ODIs to score a century.

Tendulkar's rise continued when he was the leading run scorer at the 1996 World Cup, scoring two centuries. He was the only Indian batsman to perform in the infamous semi-final against Sri Lanka. Tendulkar fell amid a batting collapse and the match referee awarded Sri Lanka the match after the crowd began rioting and throwing litter onto the field.

After the World Cup, in the same year against Pakistan at Sharjah, Indian captain Mohammed Azharuddin was going through a lean patch. Tendulkar and Navjot Singh Sidhu both made centuries to set a record partnership for the second wicket. After getting out, Tendulkar found Azharuddin in two minds about whether he should bat. Tendulkar convinced Azharuddin to bat and Azharuddin subsequently unleashed 29 runs in mere 10 balls. It enabled India post a score in excess of 300 runs for the first time in an ODI. India went on to win that match.

This was the beginning of a period at the top of the batting world, culminating in the Australian tour of India in early 1998, with Tendulkar scoring three consecutive centuries. These were characterised by a premeditated plan to target Australian spinners Shane Warne and Gavin Robertson, to whom he regularly charged down the pitch to drive over the infield. This technique worked as India beat Australia. The test match success was followed by two scintillating knocks in Sharjah where he scored two consecutive centuries in a must-win game and then in finals against Australia tormenting Shane Warne once again. Following the series Warne ruefully joked that he was having nightmares about his Indian nemesis. He also had a role with the ball in that series, including a five wicket haul in an ODI. Set 310 runs to win, Australia were cruising comfortably at 3 for 203 in the 31st over when Tendulkar turned the match for India taking wickets of Michael Bevan, Steve Waugh, Darren Lehmann, Tom Moody and Damien Martyn for just 32 runs in 10 overs.

Tendulkar single-handedly won the ICC 1998 quarterfinal at Dhaka to pave way for India's entry into the semifinals, when he took four Australian wickets after scoring 141 runs in just 128 balls.

The inaugural Asian Test Championship took place in February and March 1999. Held just twice, the 1999 championship was contested by India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Eden Gardens hosted the first match, in which Tendulkar was run out for nine after colliding with Pakistan bowler Shoaib Akhtar. The crowd's reaction to the dismissal was to throw objects at Akhtar, and the players were taken off the field. The match resumed after Tendulkar and the president of the ICC appealed to the crowd, however further rioting meant that the match was finished in front of a crowd of just 200 people. Tendulkar scored his 19th Test century in the second Test and the match resulted in a draw with Sri Lanka. India did not progress to the final, which was won by Pakistan, and refused to participate the next time the championship was held to increasing political tensions between India and Pakistan.

A chronic back problem flared up when Pakistan toured India in 1999, with India losing the historic Test at Chepauk despite a gritty century from Tendulkar himself. The worst was yet to come as Professor Ramesh Tendulkar, Tendulkar's father, died in the middle of the 1999 Cricket World Cup. Tendulkar flew back to India to attend the final rituals of his father, missing the match against Zimbabwe. However, he returned with a bang to the World cup scoring a century (unbeaten 140 off 101 balls) in his very next match against Kenya in Bristol. He dedicated this century to his father.

Captaincy

Matches 25 73

Tendulkar's record as captain
	|	Won	Lost	Drawn	Tied	No result
Test	|	4	9	12	0	–
ODI	|	23	43	–	2	6

Tendulkar's two tenures as captain of the Indian cricket team were not very successful. When Tendulkar took over as captain in 1996, it was with huge hopes and expectations. However, by 1997 the team was performing poorly. Azharuddin was credited with saying ''"Nahin jeetega! Chote ki naseeb main jeet nahin hai!"'', which translates into: "He won't win! It's not in the small one's destiny!".

Tendulkar, succeeding Azharuddin as captain for his second term, then led India on a tour of Australia, where the visitors were comprehensively beaten 3–0 by the newly crowned world champions. Tendulkar, however, won the player of the tournament award as well as player of the match in one of the games. After another Test series defeat, this time by a 0–2 margin at home against South Africa, Tendulkar resigned, and Sourav Ganguly took over as captain in 2000.

Tendulkar remains an integral part of the Indian team's strategic processes. He is often seen in discussion with the captain, at times actively involved in building strategies. Former captain Rahul Dravid publicly acknowledged that Tendulkar had been suggesting moves such as the promotion of Irfan Pathan up the batting order which, although only temporary, had an immediate effect on the team's fortunes. In 2007, Tendulkar was appointed vice-captain to captain Rahul Dravid. During the Indian team's 2007 tour of England, Dravid's desire to resign from the captaincy became known. The BCCI President Sharad Pawar personally offered the captaincy to Tendulkar. However, Tendulkar asked Pawar not to appoint him captain, instead recommending Mahendra Singh Dhoni to take over the reins. Pawar later revealed this conversation, crediting Tendulkar for first forwarding the name of Dhoni, who since achieved much success as captain.

Injuries and apparent decline

Tendulkar continued performing well in Test cricket in 2001 and 2002, with some pivotal performances with both bat and ball. Tendulkar took three wickets on the final day of the famous Kolkata Test against Australia in 2001. Tendulkar took the key wickets of Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist, centurions in the previous test.

In the 2002 series in the West Indies, Tendulkar started well, scoring 79 in the first test, and 117 in the first innings of the second. Then, in a hitherto unprecedented sequence, he scored 0, 0, 8 and 0 in the next four innings, getting out to technical "defects" and uncharacteristically poor strokes. He returned to form in the last test scoring 41 and 86. However, India lost the series. This might have been the beginning of the "decline" phase in his career which lasted till 2006.

Tendulkar made 673 runs in 11 matches in the 2003 Cricket World Cup, helping India reach the final. While Australia retained the trophy that they had won in 1999, Tendulkar was given the Man of the Tournament award.

He continued to score heavily in ODI cricket that year, with two hundreds in a tri series involving New Zealand and Australia.

The drawn series as India toured Australia in 2003/04 saw Tendulkar making his mark in the last Test of the series, with 241* in Sydney, putting India in a virtually unbeatable position. He followed up the innings with an unbeaten 60 in the second innings of the test. Prior to this test match, he had had an unusually horrible run of form, failing in all six innings in the preceding three tests. It was no aberration that 2003 was his worst year in test cricket, with an average of 17.25 and just one fifty.

Tendulkar scored an unbeaten 194 against Pakistan at Multan in the following series. India declared before Tendulkar reached 200; had he done so it would have been the fourth time he passed the landmark in Tests. In meeting with the press that evening, Tendulkar stated that he was disappointed and that the declaration had taken him by surprise. Many former cricketers commented that Dravid's declaration was in bad taste. After India won the match, the captain Rahul Dravid stated that the matter was spoken internally and put to rest.

Tennis elbow then took its toll on Tendulkar, leaving him out of the side for most of the year, coming back only for the last two tests when Australia toured India in 2004. He played a part in India's victory in Mumbai in that series with a fast 55, though Australia took the series 2–1.

On 10 December 2005 at Feroz Shah Kotla, Tendulkar scored his record-breaking 35th Test century, against the Sri Lankans.

In the test series in Pakistan in 2006, Sachin failed to get going in all three innings despite the pitches being flat tracks. In the third of those three innings, he was bowled comprehensively after making 26, and ended up on all fours. This prompted The Times of India to publish an article entitled "Endulkar" in which TOI opined that Tendulkar's batting prowess had declined and his career had slid permanently.

On 6 February 2006, he scored his 39th ODI hundred, in a match against Pakistan. He followed with a run-a-ball 42 in the second one-day international against Pakistan on 11 February 2006, and then a 95 in hostile, seaming conditions on 13 February 2006 in Lahore, which set up an Indian victory.

On 19 March 2006, after scoring an unconvincing 1 off 21 balls against England in the first innings of the third Test in his home ground, Wankhede, Tendulkar was booed off the ground by a section of the crowd, the first time that he had ever faced such flak. Tendulkar was to end the three-Test series without a single half-century to his credit, and news of a shoulder operation raised more questions about his longevity. In July 2006, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that Tendulkar had overcome his injury problem following an operation and rehabilitation programme and was available for selection, and he was eventually selected for the next series.

Tendulkar's comeback came in the DLF cup in Malaysia and he was the only Indian batsman to shine. In his comeback match, against West Indies on 14 September 2006, Tendulkar responded to his critics who believed that his career was inexorably sliding with his 40th ODI century. Though he scored 141*, West Indies won the rain-affected match by the D/L method.

In the preparation for the 2007 Cricket World Cup, Tendulkar was criticised by Greg Chappell on his attitude. As per the report, Chappell felt that Tendulkar would be more useful down the order, while the latter felt that he would be better off opening the innings, the role he had played for most of his career. Chappell also believed that Tendulkar's repeated failures were hurting the team's chances. In a rare show of emotion, Tendulkar hit out at the comments attributed to Chappell by pointing out that no coach has ever suggested his attitude towards cricket is incorrect. On 7 April 2007, the Board of Control for Cricket in India issued a notice to Tendulkar asking for an explanation for his comments made to the media.

At the Cricket World Cup 2007 in the West Indies, Tendulkar and the Indian cricket team, led by Rahul Dravid had a dismal campaign. Tendulkar, who was pushed to bat lower down the order by the Greg Chappell had scores of 7 (Bangladesh), 57* (Bermuda) and 0 (Sri Lanka). As a result, former Australian captain Ian Chappell, brother of the then Indian coach Greg, called for Tendulkar to retire in his column for Mumbai's Mid Day newspaper.

During this period from about 2002 to 2006–7, Tendulkar's batting often seemed to be a shadow of its former self. He was inconsistent, and his big knocks mostly came in sedate, accumulative, uncharacteristic fashion. He seemed to have either cut out or lost the ability to play many shots, including the hook and pull and many other aerial strokes. He also developed a tendency to go without scoring much for long periods and become overtly defensive. While players such as Ponting and Kallis were at the peak of their careers, Sachin's seemed to be in terminal decline. There were several calls from him to retire too.

However after the 2007 World Cup, his career had a second wind and his consistency and form have returned.

Return to old form and consistency

In the subsequent series against Bangladesh, Tendulkar returned to his opening slot and was Man of the Series. He continued by scoring two consecutive scores of over 90 in the Future Cup against South Africa. He was the leading run scorer and was adjudged the Man of the Series.

On the second day of the Nottingham Test (28 July 2007) Tendulkar became the third cricketer to complete 11,000 Test runs. In the subsequent One day series against England, Tendulkar was the leading run scorer from India with an average of 53.42. In the ODI Series against Australia in October 2007 Tendulkar was the leading Indian run scorer with 278 runs.

Tendulkar was dismissed seven times in 2007 between 90 and 100, including three times at 99, leading some to suggest that he struggles to cope with nerves in this phase of his innings. Tendulkar has got out 23 times between 90 and 100 in his international career. On 8 November 2007 he got out on 99 against Pakistan in an ODI at Mohali to the bowling of Umar Gul caught by Kamran Akmal. In the fourth ODI, he got out on 97 (off 102 balls with 16 fours) after dragging a delivery from Umar Gul on to his stumps, falling short of another century in ODIs in 2007.

2007/08 tour of Australia

In the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, 2007–08, Tendulkar showed exceptional form, becoming the leading run scorer with 493 runs in four Tests, despite consistently failing in the second innings. Sachin scored 62 runs in the first innings of the first Test at the MCG in Melbourne, but couldn't prevent a heavy 337-run win for Australia. In the controversial New Years Test at Sydney, Tendulkar scored an unbeaten 154 as India lost the Test. This was his third century at the SCG, earning him an average of 221.33 at the ground. In the third Test at the WACA in Perth, Sachin was instrumental in India's first innings score of 330, scoring a well compiled 71, as India went on to record a historic triumph at the WACA. In the fourth Test at Adelaide, which ended in a draw, he scored 153 in the first innings, involving in a crucial 126 run stand with V.V.S. Laxman for the fifth wicket to lead India to a score of 282 for 5 from 156 for 4. He secured the ''Player of the Match'' award.

In the One-Day International Commonwealth Bank Tri-Series involving Sri Lanka and Australia, Tendulkar became the first and only batsman to complete 16,000 runs in ODIs. He achieved this feat against Sri Lanka on 5 February 2008 at Brisbane. He started the CB series well notching up scores of 10, 35, 44 and 32, but could not convert the starts into bigger scores. His form dipped a bit in the middle of the tournament, but Tendulkar came back strongly in India's must-win game against Sri Lanka at Hobart, scoring 63 off 54 balls. He finished the series with a match winning 117 not out off 120 balls in the first final, and 91 runs in the second final.

Home series against South Africa

South Africa toured in March and April 2008 for a three-Test series. Tendulkar scored a five-ball duck in his only innings of the series; he sustained a groin strain in the match and as a result was forced not only to miss the second and third Tests, but also the tri-series involving Bangladesh, the 2008 Asia Cup, and the first half of the inaugural season of the IPL.

Sri Lanka Series

Before the touring Sri Lanka for three Test in July 2008, Tendulkar needed just 177 runs to go past Brian Lara's record of Test 11,953 runs. However, he failed in all six innings, scoring a total of just 95 runs. India lost the series and his average of 15.83 was his worst in a Test series with at least three matches.

Return to form and breaking the record

In the following ODI series against Sri Lanka, Tendulkar was sidelined due to injury. However, during the following Australia tour of India, he returned to fitness and form, scoring 13 and 49 in the first test before making 88 in the first innings of the second test, thus breaking the record for most number of Test runs held by Brian Lara. He also reached the 12,000 run mark when he was on 61. He made a fifty in the third test and 109 in the fourth, as India won the series 2–0 and regained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

ODI and Test Series against England

Tendulkar was again out due to injury from the first three ODIs of a 7-match ODI series at home against England, but he made 11 in the fourth ODI and 50 in the fifth, before the ODI series was called off due to the Mumbai terror attacks, the scoreline being 5–0 to India.

England returned for a 2-match test series in December 2008, and in the first test in Chennai, chasing 387 for victory, Tendulkar made 103 not out in a 163-run unbroken fifth wicket stand with Yuvraj Singh. This was his third century in a fourth match innings, and the first which resulted in a win. This was redemption for the Chennai Test of 1999 when chasing 271 against Pakistan, Sachin had made 136 with severe back pain and was out 17 runs short of the target, precipitating a collapse and a loss by 12 runs. He dedicated this century to the victims of the Mumbai terror attacks. Tendulkar failed in both innings in the second test, India won the series 1–0.

2009–2010

In early 2009, India revisited Sri Lanka for five ODIs, as the Pakistan series had been cancelled due to the security situation in Pakistan and the attacks in Mumbai. Tendulkar failed to reach double figures in any inning, before becoming injured.

India's next assignment was an away series against New Zealand, consisting of three Tests and five ODIs. In the ODI series, Tendulkar made a 163 not out in the third match, an innings ended by stomach cramps that forced him to retire hurt. India made 392 and won easily and won the series 3–1. Tendulkar made 160 in the first test, his 42nd Test century, and India won. He made 49 and 64 in the second test and 62 and 9 in the third, in which India were prevented from winning by rain on the last day. India won the series 1–0.

Tendulkar rested himself for the ODI tour of West Indies, but was back for the Compaq Cup (Tri Series) between India, SL and New Zealand in early September 2009. He made 46 and 27 in the league matches before notching up 138 in the final, as India made 319 and won by 46 runs. This was Tendulkar's 6th century in ODI finals and his third consecutive score of over 50 in such finals. India has won all six times that Tendulkar has made a hundred in an ODI final.

Tendulkar played just one innings in the ICC Champions trophy in South Africa, scoring 8 against Pakistan as India lost. The next match against Australia was washed out and he was out with food poisoning in the third match against the West Indies, as India were eliminated.

Australia returned for a seven-match ODI series in India in October, and Tendulkar made 14, 4, 32 and 40 in the first four games. In the fifth match, with the series tied at 2–2, Australia amassed 350/4 in 50 overs. Tendulkar made his 45th ODI hundred, a 175 off 141 balls. Just when it seemed that he would steer India to the large victory target, he paddle-scooped debutant bowler Clint McKay straight to short fine leg, with India needing 19 from 18 balls with four wickets left. The Indian tail collapsed, and they lost by 3 runs, being all out for 347. During this match, Tendulkar also became the first player to reach 17,000 ODI runs, and achieved his personal best against Australia, as well as the third highest score in a defeat.

In the ODIs against Sri Lanka in 2009–10, Tendulkar scored 69, 43, 96 not out and 8, as India won 3–1.In the Test Series, he scored a 100 no out in the first test, which was drawn, and 40 in the second and 53 in the third test as India clinched innings victory in both tests. India won the series 2–0.

Sachin rested himself for the ODI tri-series in Bangladesh in 2010. In the Tests against Bangladesh, he made 105 not out and 16 in the first test, and 143 in the second. India won 2–0.

In the 2-Test Series against South Africa, Tendulkar made seven and 100 in the first test and 106 in the first innings of the second test. In the course of the second 100 (his 47th Test Hundred) he achieved several landmarks, in that he had scored four hundreds in his last four matches and that the hundred against South Africa in the first Test was the first at home against South Africa. The century was also his hundredth score over 50 in International Test cricket, moving him to 92 international hundreds (Tests and ODIs combined). In the second match of the subsequent ODI series, Tendulkar scored 200 not out and become the first person to score a double century in ODI cricket.

2011 World Cup and after

From February to April, Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka hosted the 2011 World Cup. Amassing 482 runs at an average of 53.55 including two centuries, Tendulkar was India's lead run-scorer for the tournament; only Tillakaratne Dilshan of Sri Lanka scored more runs in the 2011 tournament. India defeated Sri Lanka in the final. Shortly after the victory, Tendulkar commented that "Winning the World Cup is the proudest moment of my life. ... I couldn't control my tears of joy."

India were due to tour the West Indies in June, although Tendulkar chose not to participate. He returned to the squad in July for India's tour of England.

Indian Premier League and Champions League

Tendulkar was made the icon player and captain for his home side, the Mumbai Indians in the inaugural Indian Premier League Twenty20 competition in 2008. As an icon player, he was signed for a sum of US$1,121,250, 15% more than the second-highest paid player in the team, Sanath Jayasuriya.

In 2010 edition of Indian Premier League, Mumbai Indians reached the final of the tournament. Tendulkar made 618 runs in 14 innings during the tournament, breaking Shaun Marsh's record of most runs in an IPL season. He was declared player of the tournament for his performance during the season. He also won Best Batsman and Best Captain awards at 2010 IPL Awards ceremony.

Sachin Tendulkar captained Mumbai Indians in 4 league matches of second edition of the league. He scored 68 in the first match and 48 against Guyana. But Mumbai Indians failed to qualify for semifinals after losing the initial two matches. Tendulkar scored 135 runs.

In the 2011 IPL, against Kochi Tuskers Kerala, Tendulkar scored his maiden Twenty20 hundred. He scored 100 not out off 66 balls. In 51 matches in the IPL Tendulkar has scored 1,723 runs, making him the second-highest run-scorer in the competition's history.

Style of play

Tendulkar is cross-dominant: He bats, bowls and throws with his right hand, but writes with his left hand. He also practices left-handed throws at the nets on a regular basis. Cricinfo columnist Sambit Bal has described him as the "most wholesome batsman of his time". His batting is based on complete balance and poise while limiting unnecessary movements and flourishes. He appears to show little preference for the slow and low wickets which are typical in India, and has scored many centuries on the hard, bouncy pitches in South Africa and Australia. He is known for his unique punch style of hitting the ball over square. He is also renowned for his picture-perfect straight drive, often completed with no follow-through. In 2008 Sunil Gavaskar, in an article he wrote in the AFP, remarked that "it is hard to imagine any player in the history of the game who combines classical technique with raw aggression like the little champion does".

Sir Donald Bradman, considered by many as the greatest batsman of all time, considered Tendulkar to have a batting style similar to his. In his biography, it is stated that "Bradman was most taken by Tendulkar's technique, compactness and shot production, and had asked his wife to have a look at Tendulkar, having felt that Tendulkar played like him. Bradman's wife, Jessie, agreed that they did appear similar." Former Australian cricket team coach John Buchanan voiced his opinion that Tendulkar had become susceptible to the short ball early in his innings because of a lack of footwork. Buchanan also believes Tendulkar has a weakness while playing left-arm pace. He was affected by a series of injuries since 2004. Since then Tendulkar's batting has tended to be less attacking. Explaining this change in his batting style, he has acknowledged that he is batting differently due to that fact that, firstly, no batsman can bat the same way for the entire length of a long career and, secondly, he is a senior member of the team now and thus has more responsibility. During the early part of his career he was a more attacking batsman and frequently scored centuries at close to a run a ball. Ian Chappell, former Australian player, remarked in 2007 that "Tendulkar now, is nothing like the player he was when he was a young bloke".

Tendulkar has incorporated several modern and unorthodox strokes into his repertoire in recent times, including the paddle sweep, the scoop over short fine leg and the slash to third man over the slips' heads, over the last seven or eight years. This has enabled him to remain scoring consistently in spite of the physical toll of injuries and a lean period in the mid-2000s. By his own admission, he does not bat as aggressively as he did in the 90s and early 2000s, because his body has undergone changes and cannot sustain aggressive shotmaking over a long period. He is often praised for his ability to adapt to the needs of his body and yet keep scoring consistently.

While Tendulkar is not a regular bowler, he can bowl medium pace, leg spin, and off spin with equal ease. He often bowls when two batsmen of the opposite team have been batting together for a long period, as he can often be a useful partnership breaker. With his bowling, he has helped secure an Indian victory on more than one occasion. He has taken 44 test match wickets and is the tenth highest wicket taker for India in ODIs.

Controversies

Mike Denness incident

In India's 2001 tour of South Africa in the second test match between India and South Africa at St George's Park, Port Elizabeth match referee Mike Denness fined four Indian players for excessive appealing as well as the Indian captain Sourav Ganguly for not controlling his team. Tendulkar was given a suspended ban of one game by Mike Denness in light of alleged ball tampering. Television cameras picked up images that suggested Tendulkar may have been involved in cleaning the seam of the cricket ball. This can, under some conditions, amount to altering the condition of the ball. The match referee Mike Denness found Sachin Tendulkar guilty of ball tampering charges and handed him a one Test match ban. The incident escalated to include allegations of racism, and led to Mike Denness being barred from entering the venue of the third test match. The ICC revoked the status of the match as a Test as the teams rejected the appointed referee. The charges against Tendulkar and Sehwag's ban for excessive appealing triggered a massive backlash from the Indian public.

Controversy over Ferrari import tax

In commemorating Tendulkar's feat of equalling Don Bradman's 29 centuries in Test Cricket, automotive giant Ferrari invited Tendulkar to its paddock in Silverstone on the eve of the British Grand Prix on 23 July 2002, to receive a Ferrari 360 Modena from the F1 world champion Michael Schumacher. On 4 September 2002 India's then finance minister Jaswant Singh wrote to Tendulkar telling him that the government will waive customs duty imposed on the car as a measure to applaud his feat. However the rules at the time stated that the customs duty can be waived only when receiving an automobile as a prize and not as a gift. It is claimed that the proposals to change the law (Customs Act) was put forth in Financial Bill in February 2003 and amended was passed as a law in May 2003. Subsequently the Ferrari was allowed to be brought to India without payment of the customs duty ( or 120% on the car value of ). When the move to waive customs duty became public in July 2003, political and social activists protested the waiver and filed PIL in the Delhi High Court. With the controversy snowballing, Fiat India agreed to pay the import duty.

Fan following

Tendulkar's entry into world cricket was very much hyped up by former Indian stars and those who had seen him play. Tendulkar's consistent performances earned him a fan following across the globe, including amongst Australian crowds, where Tendulkar has consistently scored centuries. One of the most popular sayings by his fans is "Cricket is my religion and Sachin is my God". Cricinfo mentions in his profile that "... Tendulkar remains, by a distance, the most worshipped cricketer in the world." During the Australian tour of India in 1998 Matthew Hayden said "I have seen God. He bats at no. 4 in India in Tests."

At home in Mumbai, Tendulkar's fan following is so great that he is unable to lead a normal life. Ian Chappell has said that he would be unable to cope with the lifestyle Tendulkar was forced to lead, having to "wear a wig and go out and watch a movie only at night". In an interview with Tim Sheridan, Tendulkar admitted that he sometimes went for quiet drives in the streets of Mumbai late at night when he would be able to enjoy some peace and silence. Tendulkar has a presence in the popular social networking site twitter with the user name sachin_rt since May 2010.

Business interests

Tendulkar's immense popularity has led him to be an early pioneer in India on cricket business dealings when he signed a record sports management deal with Worldtel in 1995, the value of the deal being over five years. His next contract with WorldTel in 2001 was valued at over five years. In 2006, he signed a contract with Saatchi and Saatchi's ICONIX values at over three years.

Tendulkar has opened two restaurants: ''Tendulkar's'' (Colaba, Mumbai) and ''Sachin's'' (Mulund, Mumbai) and Bangalore. Sachin owns these restaurants in partnership with Sanjay Narang of Mars Restaurants.

In 2007, Tendulkar also announced a JV with the Future Group and Manipal Group to launch healthcare and sports fitness products under the brand name 'S Drive and Sach'. A series of comic books by Virgin Comics is also due to be published featuring him as a superhero.

Commercial endorsements

Sachin Tendulkar has been sponsored by several brands throughout his career including Boost (1990–present), Pepsi (1992–2009), Action Shoes (1995–2000), MRF (1999–2009), Adidas (2000–10), Britannia (2001–07), Fiat Palio (2001–03), TVS (2002–05), ESPN Star Sports (2002–present), Sunfeast (2007–13), Canon (2006–09), Airtel (2004–06), Reynolds (2007–present), G-Hanz (2005–07), Sanyo BPL (2007–present), Colgate-Palmolive, Philips, VISA,Castrol India (2011–12), Ujala Techno Bright and Coca-Cola (2011–13)

He has also been a spokesperson for National Egg Coordination Committee (2003–05), AIDS Awareness Campaign (2005) and Luminous India (2010–present)

Biographies

Sachin Tendulkar has been the subject of various books. The following is the listing of books focused on Tendulkar's career:

''Sachin: The Story of the World's Greatest Batsman'' by Gulu Ezekiel. Publisher: Penguin Global. ISBN 978-0-14-302854-3 ''The A to Z of Sachin Tendulkar'' by Gulu Ezekiel. Publisher: Penguin Global. ISBN 978-81-7476-530-7 ''Sachin Tendulkar-a definitive biography'' by Vaibhav Purandare. Publisher: Roli Books. ISBN 81-7436-360-2 ''Sachin Tendulkar – Masterful'' by Peter Murray, Ashish Shukla. Publisher: Rupa. ISBN 81-7167-806-8 ''If Cricket is a Religion, Sachin is God'' by Vijay Santhanam, Shyam Balasubramanian Publisher: HarperCollins India ISBN 978-81-7223-821-6

Career achievements

Sachin Tendulkar is the most prolific run scorer in one-day internationals with runs. With a current aggregate of Test runs, he surpassed Brian Lara's previous record tally of 11,953 runs as the highest run scorer in test matches in the second Test of Australia's 2008 tour of India in Mohali. Tendulkar described "It is definitely the biggest achievement in 19 years of my career" on the day he achieved the record. He also holds the record of highest number of centuries in both Test (51) and ODI cricket (). Throughout his career, he has made a strong impact on Indian cricket and was, at one time, the foundation of most of the team's victories. In recognition with his impact on sport in a cricket-loving country like India, Tendulkar has been granted the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award, Padma Shri and Padma Vibhushan by the Government of India. He was also chosen as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1997 and is ranked by the Wisden 100 as the second best test batsman and ODI batsman of all time.

Tendulkar has also consistently done well in Cricket World Cups. Tendulkar was the highest run scorer of the 2003 Cricket World Cup and 1996 Cricket World Cup. After his century against England during group stages of 2011 Cricket World Cup, he became the player to hit most number of centuries in Cricket World Cups with six centuries and the first player to score 2000 runs in World Cup cricket. Tendulkar has scored over 1000 runs in a calendar year in ODIs 7 times, and in 1998 he scored 1894 runs, easily the record for the highest number of runs scored by any player in a single calendar year for one day internationals. Tendulkar is also one of the very few players who are still playing in international cricket from the 1980s. On 24 February 2010, Tendulkar broke the previous world record for highest individual innings in an ODI, and became the first male cricketer to score a double-century in one-day cricket. He made 200 runs and broke the previous record of 194 runs, jointly held by Pakistan opener Saeed Anwar and Zimbabwe's Charles Coventry.

He has been Man of the Match 13 times in Test matches and Man of the Series four times, out of them twice in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. The performances earned him respect from Australian cricket fans and players. Similarly he has been Man of the Match 60 times in One day International matches and Man of the Series 14 times.

Individual honours and appreciations

ICC Award-Sir Garfield Sobers trophy for cricketer of the year 2010

Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian award, 2008.

ICC World ODI XI: 2004, 2007

Rajiv Gandhi Awards – Sports: 2005

Player of the tournament in 2003 Cricket World Cup

Maharashtra Bhushan Award, Maharashtra State's highest Civilian Award in 2001 Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award, 1999 Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, India's highest honour given for achievement in sports, 1997–98.

Wisden Cricketer of the Year: 1997

Arjuna Award, by the Government of India in recognition of his outstanding achievement in sports, 1994. In October 2010 he was awarded for Outstanding Achievement in Sport and the Peoples Choice Award at The Asian Awards in London On 28 January 2011, he won the 'Castrol Indian Cricketer of the Year' award. 'BCCI Cricketer of the Year' award on 31 May 2011 On 3 September 2010 he was made a Honorary Group captain by the Indian Air Force

See also

List of International cricket centuries by Sachin Tendulkar

Indian national cricket captains

List of One-day International records

References

Further reading

External links

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Category:1973 births Category:Living people Category:Indian cricket captains Category:India One Day International cricketers Category:Indian Test captains Category:India Twenty20 International cricketers Category:Indian cricketers Category:India Test cricketers Category:Wisden Cricketers of the Year Category:Wisden Leading Cricketers in the World Category:West Zone cricketers Category:Mumbai cricketers Category:Yorkshire cricketers Category:World Cup cricketers of India Category:Cricketers at the 1992 Cricket World Cup Category:Cricketers at the 1996 Cricket World Cup Category:Cricketers at the 1999 Cricket World Cup Category:Cricketers at the 2003 Cricket World Cup Category:Cricketers at the 2007 Cricket World Cup Category:Cricketers at the 2011 Cricket World Cup Category:Cricketers at the 1998 Commonwealth Games Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri Category:Recipients of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Category:Marathi people Category:People from Mumbai Category:Indian Hindus Category:Recipients of the Padma Vibhushan Category:Mumbai (Indian Premier League) cricketers Category:Recipients of the Arjuna Award Category:Recipients of the Maharashtra Bhushan Award Category:Indian Air Force officers

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name	Guthrie Govan
landscape	Yes
background	solo_singer
birth name	Guthrie Govan
born	December 27, 1971Chelmsford, Essex
instrument	Guitar
genre	Jazz fusion, rock, blues, progressive rock, funk, country, bluegrass
years active	1991–present
label	Cornford Records
associated acts	Erotic Cakes, Young Punx, The Fellowship, GPS, Asia, Dizzee Rascal, Docker's Guild, The Aristocrats
website	Official website
notable instruments	SuhrStandardsClassicClassic T }}

Guthrie Govan (born 27 December 1971 in Chelmsford, Essex, England) is a guitarist known for his work with the bands Asia (2001–2006), GPS, The Young Punx and The Fellowship as well as Erotic Cakes (a vehicle for his own music). He is a noted guitar teacher through his work with the UK magazine ''Guitar Techniques'', Guildford’s Academy of Contemporary Music and currently the Brighton Institute of Modern Music. He is also a former winner of ''Guitarist'' magazine's "Guitarist of the Year" competition.

Biography and early playing career

Govan began playing guitar aged three, encouraged by his father but initially learning mainly by ear. At the age of nine he and his brother Seth Govan played guitar on a Thames Television programme called Ace Reports. At secondary school he was exposed, via older classmates, to "shred" guitarists of the time.

After leaving school, Govan read English at the University of Oxford, though he left after a year to pursue a career in music. Around this time (by Govan’s own estimation, 1991) he sent demos of his work to Mike Varney of Shrapnel Records. Varney was impressed and offered him a record deal; ultimately however, Govan declined. Regarding his reasons he has explained: "it was as though all I really wanted to know was that I was good enough […] I found I was getting a bit wary of the shred movement."

In 1993 he won ''Guitarist'' magazine’s "Guitarist of the Year" competition with his instrumental piece Wonderful Slippery Thing (a version of which would eventually appear on his debut solo album); the demo of the track earned him a place amongst several other entrants in the live final, which he then won. Subsequently, he submitted a sample transcription (of a Shawn Lane piece) to ''Guitar Techniques'' magazine; this earned him a job as a contributor to the magazine, ending a spell working in fast food.

Guitar tuition

Govan has since worked with ''Guitar Techniques'', including an article providing a transcription of his track Wonderful Slippery Thing. Since the late 1990s, Govan has taught at the Guitar Institute in Acton, Thames Valley University, and the Academy of Contemporary Music; he currently teaches at Brighton Institute of Modern Music. In this context, he is known for his ability to teach a wide range of styles. Govan has published two books on guitar playing: ''Creative Guitar Volume 1: Cutting Edge Techniques'' and ''Creative Guitar Volume 2: Advanced Techniques.''

Playing career in the 2000s

Asia, GPS and The Young Punx

Govan began his involvement with Asia playing on the album ''Aura''. With his work on the album complete, Govan was added to the Asia line-up for the tour to support the new album. Bad Asteroid, an instrumental in the live shows, was a Govan original composition; it dates back to his early 1990s demo. He went on to play on the band’s 2004 album ''Silent Nation''.

In 2006, Asia keyboardist Geoff Downes left to reform an earlier Asia line-up; Govan and the other two band members, John Payne and Jay Schellen, formed GPS (named after the members' initials). After the addition of Ryo Okumoto on keyboards the band released the album ''Window to the Soul'' (2006).

Govan performs on a number of tracks on ''Your Music Is Killing Me'', the debut album of UK electronic dance music act The Young Punx and is part of their live act. He also appears in the music video for their track Rockall.

Govan had been a member of Asia featuring John Payne with Payne, Schellen, and Erik Norlander from 2007 until mid-2009 when he was replaced by Mitch Perry.

Govan has played live acoustic guitar for Dizzee Rascal, including a performance on Later With Jools Holland.

Docker's Guild

In December 2010, Govan performed on all tracks on Docker's Guild album ''The Mystic Technocracy - Season 1: The Age of Ignorance'', due for release in 2011. The project also features some other Asia artists, notably John Payne on vocals and Simon Hanhart, who mixed the album. Other special guests include Gregg Bissonette (drums), Tony Franklin (bass), Jeff Watson (guitars), Douglas R. Docker (keyboards), Goran Edman, Tony Mills and Amanda Somerville (vocals).

Erotic Cakes and The Fellowship

Govan’s debut solo album, ''Erotic Cakes'', was released through Cornford Records in August 2006. In the album's sleeve notes, Govan states the album is named after an episode of The Simpsons; he also explains that when playing live, the band is billed as Erotic Cakes rather than simply Guthrie Govan. In addition to bass by Govan’s brother Seth and drumming by Pete Riley, the album features guitar solos by Richie Kotzen (whose Los Angeles studio was used to record the guitar tracks on the album) on Ner Ner and Bumblefoot on Rhode Island Shred respectively. Seth Govan and Pete Riley also complete the Erotic Cakes live band. Previous versions of Waves and Rhode Island Shred appeared on the compilation ''Guitar on the Edge, Vol 1. no.4'' (Legato Records, 1993). A version of his Guitarist of the Year winning piece, Wonderful Slippery Thing appears on the album. While this is his first album, Govan had been collaborating with drummer Pete Riley on the music since the mid-1990s.

The Erotic Cakes band line up, with the addition of saxophonist Zak Barrett, also forms jazz-fusion band The Fellowship. The band plays at the Bassment club in Chelmsford, Essex, every Thursday night and has done so for several years.

Influences and technique

Govan’s earliest influences were Jimi Hendrix and Cream-era Eric Clapton; as such he describes himself as coming from a "blues rock background". While he is "wary" of 1980s technique driven guitar music ("shred") he cites the imagination of Steve Vai (as well as Frank Zappa, with whom Vai played) and the passion of Yngwie Malmsteen as influences. Jazz and fusion elements are an important part of his style: he cites Joe Pass as a pivotal influence in this respect.

Govan is known for his virtuoso command of the electric guitar, due to both his technical ability and proficiency in various styles. Govan’s MySpace profile lists quotes from various guitarists to this effect; elsewhere, fellow virtuosos Joe Satriani and Paul Gilbert have praised Govan's playing.

His vertical vibrato and legato shredding is influenced by Greg Howe.

Equipment

Govan mainly uses various Suhr guitars: three different Guthrie Govan Signature Model guitars, three custom Standards, a Modern 24-fret model, a Classic and Classic T. Govan also favours Cornford amps: the sleeve notes of ''Erotic Cakes'' state he has used an RK100, MK50 and Hellcat.

References

External links

Official Guthrie Govan Web Site

Cornford Records on Myspace Samples of the debut album

A YouTube clip of Govan improvising Sample of his fusion-jazz style

Another YouTube clip of Govan improvising Bluesy style showcasing Govan's string overbends to create melody

Category:Living people Category:1971 births Category:Asia (band) members Category:English rock guitarists Category:Academics of the University of West London Category:Music from Essex

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