Playername	W. G. Grace
Caption	W G Grace taking guard, 1883
Country	England
Fullname	William Gilbert Grace
Nickname	W. G., The Doctor, The Champion, The Old Man
Dayofbirth	18
Monthofbirth	7
Yearofbirth	1848
Placeofbirth	Downend, near Bristol
Countryofbirth	England
Dayofdeath	23
Monthofdeath	10
Yearofdeath	1915
Placeofdeath	Mottingham, Kent
Countryofdeath	England
Batting	right-handed batsman (RHB)
Bowling	right arm medium (RM; roundarm style)
Role	all-rounder
International	true
Testdebutdate	6 September
Testdebutyear	1880
Testdebutagainst	Australia
Testcap	24
Lasttestdate	1 June
Lasttestyear	1899
Lasttestagainst	Australia
Club1	MCC
Year1	1869–1904
Club2	Gloucestershire
Year2	1870–1899
Club3	London County
Year3	1900–1904
| columns	2
Column1	Tests
Matches1	22
Runs1	1,098
Bat avg1	32.29
100s/50s1	2/5
Top score1	170
Deliveries1	666
Wickets1	9
Bowl avg1	26.22
Fivefor1	0
Tenfor1	0
Best bowling1	2/12
Catches/stumpings1	39/–
Column2	FC
Matches2	878
Runs2	54,896
Bat avg2	39.55
100s/50s2	126/254
Top score2	344
Deliveries2	126,157
Wickets2	2,864+12
Bowl avg2	17.99
Fivefor2	246
Tenfor2	66
Best bowling2	10/49
Catches/stumpings2	887/5
Source	Rae, pp.495–496: see also Footnote

Dr William Gilbert ("W. G.") Grace, MRCS, LRCP (born 18 July 1848 at Downend, near Bristol; died 23 October 1915 at Mottingham, Kent) was an English amateur cricketer who is widely acknowledged as one of the most significant players of all time, especially in terms of his importance to the development of the sport. Universally known as "W. G.", his initials being a sobriquet, he played first-class cricket for a record-equalling 44 seasons, from 1865 to 1908, during which he captained England, Gloucestershire County Cricket Club, the Gentlemen, MCC, the United South of England Eleven and several other teams. He came from a cricketing family in which one of his elder brothers was E. M. Grace and his younger brother was Fred Grace; their joint appearance for England in 1880 was the first time three brothers played together in Test cricket.

Right-handed as both batsman and bowler, Grace dominated the sport during his career and left, through his technical innovations and enormous influence, a lasting legacy. An outstanding all-rounder, he excelled at all the essential skills of batting, bowling and fielding, but it is for his batting that he is most renowned as he is held to have invented modern batsmanship. An opening batsman, he was particularly noted for his mastery of all strokes and his level of expertise was said by contemporary reviewers to be unique. He generally captained the teams he played for at all levels because of his skill and tactical acumen.

Grace was a medical practitioner who qualified in 1879. Because of his profession, he was nominally an amateur cricketer but he is said to have made more money from his cricketing activities than any professional. He was an extremely competitive player and, although he was one of the most famous men in England, he was also one of the most controversial on account of his gamesmanship and his financial acumen.

He took part in other sports: he was a champion 440 yard hurdler, and also played football for the Wanderers, golf, and lawn bowls.

Early years

Childhood

William Gilbert Grace was born in Downend on 18 July 1848 at his parents' home, Downend House, and was baptised at the local church on 8 August. He was called Gilbert in the family circle, except by his mother who called him Willie, but elsewhere he was universally known by his initials as "W. G.". Downend is near Mangotsfield and, although it is now a suburb of Bristol, it was then "a distinct village surrounded by countryside" and about four miles from Bristol. Henry and Martha Grace had nine children in all: "the same number as Victoria and Albert – and in every respect they were the typical Victorian family". Grace was the eighth child in the family; he had three older brothers, including E.M., and four older sisters. Only Fred, born in 1850, was younger than W. G.

Grace's parents and his uncle Alfred Pocock shared a passionate enthusiasm for cricket. In 1850, when W. G. was two and Fred was expected, the family moved to a nearby house called "The Chesnuts" which had a sizeable orchard and Henry Grace organised clearance of this to establish a practice pitch that was to become famous throughout the world of cricket. Grace claimed that he first handled a cricket bat at the age of two. It was in the Downend orchard and as members of their local cricket clubs that he and his brothers developed their skills, mainly under the tutelage of Alfred Pocock, who was an exceptional coach.

Education

Grace was "notoriously unscholarly". His first schooling was with a Miss Trotman in Downend village and then with a Mr Curtis of Winterbourne.

Grace never went to university as his father was intent upon him pursuing a medical career. But Grace was approached by both Oxford University Cricket Club and Cambridge University Cricket Club. In 1866, when he played a match at Oxford, one of the Oxford players, E. S. Carter, tried to interest him in becoming an undergraduate. Then, in 1868, Grace received overtures from Caius College, Cambridge, which had a long medical tradition.

Development as a cricketer

Henry Grace founded Mangotsfield Cricket Club in 1845 to represent several neighbouring villages including Downend. It has been said that the Grace family ran the West Gloucestershire "almost as a private club".

Alfred Pocock was especially instrumental in coaching the Grace brothers and spent long hours with them on the practice pitch at Downend. E. M., who was seven years older than W. G., had always played with a full size bat and so developed a tendency, that he never lost, to hit across the line, the bat being too big for him to "play straight". Pocock recognised this problem and determined that W. G. and his youngest brother Fred should not follow suit. He therefore fashioned smaller bats for them, to suit their sizes, and they were taught to play straight and "learn defence, with the left shoulder well forward", before attempting to hit.

It was through Grace's elder brother E.M. that the family name first became famous. His mother, Martha, wrote the following in a letter to William Clarke's successor George Parr in 1860 or 1861:

I am writing to ask you to consider the inclusion of my son, E. M. Grace – a splendid hitter and most excellent catch – in your England XI. I am sure he would play very well and do the team much credit. It may interest you to learn that I have another son, now twelve years of age, who will in time be a much better player than his brother because his back stroke is sounder, and he always plays with a straight bat.

Grace was just short of his thirteenth birthday when, on 5 July 1861, he made his debut for Lansdown and played two matches that month. A year later, on his return from "a dangerous bout of pneumonia" that left him bed-ridden for several weeks, he scored 52 not out and took 6 for 43 against a Somerset XI. He was one of four family members who played for Bristol and Didcot XVIII against the All-England Eleven in August 1863. He bowled well and scored 32 off the bowling of John Jackson, George Tarrant and Cris Tinley. E.M. took ten wickets in the match, which Bristol and Didcot won by an innings, and the outcome of that was that E.M. was invited to tour Australia a few months later with George Parr's England team.

In July 1864, Grace was invited to play for the South Wales Club which had arranged a series of matches in London and Sussex. He replaced E.M., who was still in Australia. This was the first time that Grace left the West Country and he made his debut appearances at both Lord's and The Oval. The tour was a great success for Grace, who celebrated his sixteenth birthday while the team was in Kent. The highlight was his performance against the Gentlemen of Sussex at Hove where he scored 170 and 56 not out. when he was still only 16 but already 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) tall and weighing 11 st (70 kg). He bowled extremely well and had match figures of 13 for 84. It was this performance that earned him his first selection for the prestigious Gentlemen v Players fixture. In consecutive innings against the Players from 1871 to 1873, Grace scored 217, 77 and 112, 117, 163, 158 and 70.

Grace's 1865 debut in the fixture did not turn the tide as the Players won at The Oval by 118 runs. He played quite well and took seven wickets in the match but could only score 23 and 12 not out. In the second 1865 match, this time at Lord's, the Gentlemen finally ended their losing streak and won by 8 wickets, but it was E. M. Grace, not W. G., who was the key factor with 11 wickets in the match. Even so, W. G. made his mark by scoring 34 out of 77–2 in the second innings to steer the Gentlemen to victory.

During this period, before the start of Test cricket in 1877, the Gentlemen v Players match was the most prestigious fixture in which a player could take part. This is apart from North v. South which was technically a fixture of higher quality given that the amateur Gentlemen were usually (until Grace took a hand) outclassed by the professional Players. In 1865, when Grace made his debut for the Gentlemen, the leading amateurs included V. E. Walker, Richard Mitchell and his own brother E. M. Grace. As was the usual case, the main strength of the Players team at this time lay in its formidable array of bowlers among the leading lights at this time were George Bennett, James Grundy, James Lillywhite, Alfred Shaw, Ned Willsher and George Wootton. The leading batsmen of the day included Thomas Humphrey, Harry Jupp, H. H. Stephenson and Russell Walker.

Grace made 5 first-class appearances in 1865, scoring 189 runs at 27.00 with a highest score of 48 and taking 5 catches. He took 20 wickets at 13.40 including the one performance of 10 wickets in a match (on his debut) with best figures of 8–40 in the same match. He was thenceforward the biggest name in cricket and the main spectator attraction.

Grace's best bowling performance of the season was in the second Gentlemen v Players match played at The Oval where he took 7–51 in the second innings and enabled his team to win by 98 runs, the Players having won the previous match by 38 runs.

Grace made 8 first-class appearances in 1866, scoring 581 runs at 52.81 including 2 centuries with a highest score of 224 not out and taking 9 catches. He took 31 wickets at 15.58 including 3 instances of 5 wickets in an innings with best figures of 7–51 in the Gentlemen v Players match. He was a creditable 15th in the list of wicket-takers, having bowled many less deliveries than all of those above him except James Southerton. Grace took 31 wickets from 1,269 deliveries compared with the overall leader George Wootton who took 119 wickets from 4,712 deliveries, though Wootton had a more economical average.

1867 English cricket season

Grace was out of the game for much of the 1867 season due to illness and injury. As a result, he made just 4 first-class appearances, scoring a modest 154 runs at 30.80 with a highest score of 75, against Middlesex at Lord's, and taking 4 catches. Even so, his bowling was outstanding as he took 39 wickets at only 7.51 with a best analysis of 8–25. He had 5 instances of 5 wickets in an innings and 2 of 10 wickets in a match.

Apart from a few players who bowled only a small number of overs, Grace topped the season's national bowling averages, his 7.51 being marginally better than the 7.66 of Yorkshire's new left-arm fast bowler Tom Emmett who, with 48 wickets, was making his mark in 1867. Emmett, one of the game's great characters, would become one of Grace's most respected opponents but also a good friend. But the two leading bowlers that season were Wootton and Southerton who took 142 and 132 wickets respectively, both at low averages.

1868 English cricket season

Grace scored 134, all run, out of 201 for the Gentlemen at Lord's in 1868 and said later that it was "my finest innings" as the pitch was playing "queerly". Soon afterwards, he scored two centuries in a match for South v North, only the second time in cricket history that this is known to have been done, following William Lambert in 1817.

Grace made 7 first-class appearances in 1868, scoring 588 runs at 65.33 including 3 centuries with a highest score of 134 not out and taking 5 catches. He took 44 wickets at 14.52 including 5 instances of 5 wickets in an innings, with a best analysis of 7–23, and 3 instances of 10 wickets in a match. He was 11th in the list of wicket-takers but again he bowled relatively few overs compared with most of those above him. The leaders were Southerton (151 wickets), Willsher (113) and Wootton (106) while Tom Hearne (33 at 8.45) and Emmett (60 at 8.80) topped the averages.

1869 English cricket season

The highest wicket partnership involving Grace was 283 runs for the first wicket with Bransby Cooper for the Gentlemen of the South v the Players of the South at The Oval in 1869. Grace scored 180 and Cooper 101. He scored nine centuries in 1869, the year of his 21st birthday, and in 1870 he scored 215 for the Gentlemen which was the first time anyone scored a double century in the Gentlemen v Players fixture.

Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) was particularly keen to recruit Grace and, in 1869, he became a member after being proposed by the treasurer and seconded by the secretary Robert Allan Fitzgerald. Grace wore MCC colours for the rest of his career and their red and yellow hooped cap became as synonymous with him as his large black beard. He continued to play for MCC on an irregular basis until 1904.

Grace made 15 first-class appearances in 1869, scoring 1,000 runs in a season for the first time with 1,320 at 57.39 including 6 centuries with a highest score of 180 and taking 12 catches. He took 73 wickets at 16.28 including 7 instances of 5 wickets in an innings, with a best analysis of 6–10, and 1 instance of 10 wickets in a match. Grace was 3rd in the list of wicket-takers behind Southerton (136 wickets) and Wootton (120) but he was well down the averages which were led by Tom Hearne (9.34) and Yorkshire fast bowler George Freeman (9.73).

1870 English cricket season

The United South of England Eleven (USEE) had been formed by Edgar Willsher in 1865 but the of the travelling teams was over and their organisers were desperate to feature new attractions. Grace joined the United South in 1870 as its match organiser, for which he received payment, but he played for expenses only. The United South survived until 1882 and was the last of the great travelling elevens to fold, its longevity due to Grace's involvement.

Grace, a medical student at the time, was first on the scene when George Summers received the blow on the head that caused his death four days later. This was in the MCC v Nottinghamshire match at Lord's in June. Grace was fielding nearby when Summers was struck and took his pulse. Summers recovered consciousness and Grace advised him to leave the field. Summers did not go to hospital but it transpired later that his skull had been fractured. The Lord's pitch had a poor reputation for being rough, uneven and unpredictable all through the 19th century and many players considered it dangerous.

Grace made 21 first-class appearances in 1870, scoring 1,808 runs at 54.78 including 5 centuries with a highest score of 215 and taking 19 catches. He took 50 wickets at 15.70 including 4 instances of 5 wickets in an innings, with a best analysis of 6–24, but he did not manage 10 wickets in a match. Grace's 50 wickets placed him 9th in that list, well behind the leader Southerton who took an unprecedented 210, the first time a bowler had exceeded 200 in a season. No one else reached 100 and the other leading bowlers were Jem Shaw, Alfred Shaw, Wootton, Willsher, Freeman, James Street and Emmett. The best average was Freeman's 7.11.

It was at this time, "scorning the puny modern fashion of moustaches", that Grace grew the enormous black beard that made him so recognisable. Grace was a non-smoker but he enjoyed good food and wine; many years later, when discussing the overheads incurred during Lord Sheffield's profitless tour of Australia in 1891–92, Arthur Shrewsbury commented: "I told you what wine would be drunk by the amateurs; Grace himself would drink enough to swim a ship."

Formation of Gloucestershire County Cricket Club

Also in 1870, Gloucestershire County Cricket Club was founded and immediately acquired first-class status when its team played against Surrey at Durdham Down near Bristol on 2, 3 & 4 June 1870. With Grace and his brothers EM and Fred playing, Gloucestershire won that game by 51 runs and quickly became one of the best teams in England. The club was unanimously rated Champion County in 1876 and 1877 as well as sharing the unofficial title in 1873 and staking a claim for it in 1874.

Gloucestershire CCC evolved from Henry Grace's Mangotsfield club founded in the 1840s before W. G. was born. It was called West Gloucestershire Cricket Club from 1846 until 1867 and W.G first played for it in 1862. Henry Grace had hoped that it would become a first-class club at that time but his plans were complicated in 1863 by the formation of the rival Cheltenham and Gloucestershire Cricket Club. Nevertheless, West Gloucestershire CC became Gloucestershire CCC in 1867 and became a first-class team in 1870 although the existence of the Cheltenham club appears to have forestalled the installation of its "constitutional trappings". As it happens, the Cheltenham club was wound up in March 1871 and its chief officials accepted positions in the hierarchy of Gloucestershire CCC. These included Henry Somerset, 8th Duke of Beaufort and Francis Berkeley, 2nd Baron FitzHardinge who became club president and vice-president respectively. So, although the exact details and dates of the county club's foundation are uncertain, it has always been assumed that the year was 1870 and the club accordingly celebrated its centenary in 1970.

The Grace family "ran the show" at Gloucestershire and E.M. was chosen as secretary which, as Birley points out, "put him in charge of expenses, a source of scandal that was to surface before the end of the decade". W.G., though aged only 21, was from the start the team captain and Birley puts this down to his "commercial drawing power". W G Grace scored 143, sharing a second wicket partnership with Townsend (89) of 234. He took eight wickets in the match but the outstanding bowler was slow left-armer Miles who took 6–86 and 6–20. George Strachan (career from 1870 to 1882) and Charles Gordon (1870 to 1875) made their first appearances for Gloucestershire. In all first-class matches in 1871, a total of 17 centuries were scored and Grace accounted for 10 of them, including the first century in a first-class match at Trent Bridge. He averaged 78.25 and the next best average by a batsman playing more than a single innings was 39.57, barely more than half his figure. His aggregate for the season was 2,739 and this was the first time that anyone had scored 2,000 first-class runs in a season; Harry Jupp was next best with 1,068. Grace's highest score was 268 for South v. North at The Oval. He took 79 wickets at 17.02 with a best analysis of 7–67. He claimed five wickets in an innings 5 times and twice had 10 in a match. The leading bowlers were Southerton, Alfred Shaw, Jem Shaw, Frank Farrands, Grace, Willsher, Street and Emmett.

Grace began the season in May with a brilliant innings of 181 for MCC against Surrey at Lord's, enabling MCC to win by an innings and 23 runs. A week later, playing for MCC against Yorkshire, also at Lord's, his second innings of 98 (run out) in a low scoring game effectively decided the match which MCC won by 55 runs. After scoring another century in an all-amateurs match he played for South v North at Lord's and scored 178 which enabled his team to win by an innings and 49 runs. After making his 5th century in five matches with 162 for the Gentlemen against Cambridge University, Grace made his first appearance of the season for Gloucestershire, this time playing against MCC and, with scores of 49 and 34 not out, he failed for the first time this season to score a century, but he still finished on the winning side, by 5 wickets.

A number of low or useful scores followed but then in July he cut loose again with an outstanding innings of 189 not out (carrying his bat) in a Married v Single game at Lord's, his Single team winning by an innings and 73 runs. This innings was played on a "sticky wicket" after rain and many people considered it the finest of Grace's career, though Grace himself disagreed.

After 146 for MCC against Surrey at The Oval, Grace produced his season highlight in another South v North match, also at The Oval, when he made his highest career score to date of 268, having been dismissed by Jem Shaw for nought in the first innings. It was to no avail as the match was drawn. But the occasion produced a memorable and oft-quoted comment by Jem Shaw who ruefully said: "I puts the ball where I likes and he puts it where he likes". When Gloucestershire went to Trent Bridge to play Nottinghamshire, Grace scored 79 and 116 but his team lost by 10 wickets after Jem Shaw took 13 wickets in the match. It was the first time that anyone had scored a century on the ground and Grace's presence ensured a bumper crowd with over £400 being taken at the gate. This money went a long way towards the £1500 that Nottinghamshire needed to erect the Trent Bridge Pavilion. He was first acclaimed as "the Champion Cricketer" by Lillywhite's Companion in recognition of his exploits in 1871.

But Grace's great year was marred by the death of his father in December and, as he was still a medical student only, he had to increase his involvement with the United South XI to cover the family's loss of income.

1872 English cricket season

W.G. and Fred both still lived with their mother at Downend. Their father had left just enough to maintain the family home but the onus was now on the brothers to increase their earnings from cricket to pay for their medical studies (Fred started his in the autumn of 1872). They achieved this through their involvement as match organisers of the United South of England Eleven which played six matches in the 1872 season including games in Edinburgh and Glasgow, Grace's first visit to Scotland.

1872 was a wet summer and Grace ended his season in early August so that he could join the tour of North America. He made 22 first-class appearances, scoring 1,561 runs at 53.82 including 6 centuries with a highest score of 170 not out and taking 27 catches. He took 62 wickets at 11.87 including 9 instances of 5 wickets in an innings, with a best analysis of 8–33, and 3 instances of 10 wickets in a match. Grace's 62 wickets placed him 5th in that list, once again well behind the leader Southerton who took 169. James Lillywhite and the two Shaws were also ahead of Grace and just behind him were Emmett and Street. The best average was William McIntyre's 5.65.

Gloucestershire played seven inter-county matches and had mixed success. Although they defeated both Surrey and Yorkshire by an innings, they lost another match against Surrey and had three draws including two against Nottinghamshire. Medium pacer Thomas Lang, who played for the county till 1875, made his debut.

1872 visit to North America

Grace made three overseas tours during his career. The first was to the United States and Canada with R A Fitzgerald's team in August and September 1872. The expenses of this tour were paid by the Montreal Club who had written to Fitzgerald the previous winter and invited him to form a team. Grace and his all-amateur colleagues made "short work of the weak teams" they faced.

The team included two other future England captains in A N Hornby, who became a rival of Grace in future years; and the Honourable George Harris, the future Lord Harris, who became a very close friend and a most useful ally. The team met in Liverpool on 8 August and sailed on the SS Sarmatian, docking at Quebec on 17 August. Simon Rae recounts that the bond between Grace and Harris was forged by their mutual sea-sickness. Matches were played in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, London, New York, Philadelphia and Boston. The team sailed back from Quebec on 27 September and arrived at Liverpool on 8 October.

The tour was "a high point of (Grace's) early years" and he "retained fond memories of it" for the rest of his life, calling it "a prolonged and happy picnic" in his ghost-written Reminiscences.

1873 English cricket season

Grace became the first batsman to score a century before lunch in a first-class match when he made 134 for Gentlemen of the South versus Players of the South at The Oval in 1873. In the same season, he became the first player ever to complete the "double" of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in a season.

1873 – 2,139 runs and 106 wickets

1874 – 1,664 runs and 140 wickets

1875 – 1,498 runs and 191 wickets

1876 – 2,622 runs and 129 wickets

1877 – 1,474 runs and 179 wickets

1878 – 1,151 runs and 152 wickets

1885 – 1,688 runs and 117 wickets

1886 – 1,846 runs and 122 wickets

Grace made 20 first-class appearances in 1873, scoring 2,139 runs at 71.30 including 7 centuries with a highest score of 192 not out and taking 29 catches. He took 106 wickets at 12.92 including 10 instances of 5 wickets in an innings, with a best analysis of 10–92, and 3 instances of 10 wickets in a match. Grace's 106 wickets was 4th best behind Southerton, Alfred Shaw and James Lillywhite with Allen Hill in fifth place. William McIntyre again had the best average with 8.38.

1873 was the year that some semblance of organisation was brought into county cricket with the introduction of a residence qualification. This was aimed principally at England's outstanding bowler James Southerton who had been playing for both Surrey and Sussex, having been born in one and living in the other. Southerton chose to play for his county of residence, Surrey, from then on but remained the country's top bowler. The counties agreed on residence but not on a means of deciding a championship and so the title remained an unofficial award until 1889. Gloucestershire had a very strong claim to this unofficial title in 1873 but consensus was that they shared it with Nottinghamshire. These two did not play each other and both were unbeaten in six matches, but Nottinghamshire won five and Gloucestershire won four.

1873–74 tour of Australia

Grace visited Australia in 1873–74 as captain of "W G Grace's XI". On the morning of the team's departure from Southampton, Grace responded to well-wishers by saying that his team "had a duty to perform to maintain the honour of English cricket, and to uphold the high character of English cricketers". But both his and the team's performance fell well short of this goal. The tour was not a success and the only positive outcome was the fact of the tour having taken place, ten years after the previous one, as it "gave Australian cricket a much needed fillip". Most of the problems lay with Grace himself and his "overbearing personality" which quickly exhausted all personal goodwill towards him. There was also bad feeling within the team itself because Grace, who normally got on well with professional players, enforced the class divide throughout the tour. In terms of results, the team fared reasonably well following a poor start in which they were beaten by both Victoria and New South Wales. They played 15 matches in all but none are recognised as first-class.

1874 English cricket season

Grace's team landed in England on 18 May 1874 and he was quickly back into domestic cricket. The 1874 season was very successful for him as he completed a second successive double and led Gloucestershire to its first Champion County title.

Grace made 21 first-class appearances in 1874, scoring 1,664 runs, with a highest score of 179, at an average of 52.00 with 8 centuries and 2 half-centuries. In the field, he took 35 catches and 140 wickets with a best analysis of 7–18. His bowling average was 12.71; he had 5 wickets in an innings 17 times and 10 wickets in a match 9 times. This was his best season as a bowler.

Grace made 26 first-class appearances in 1875, scoring 1,498 runs, with a highest score of 152, at an average of 32.56 with 3 centuries and 5 half-centuries. In the field, he took 40 catches and 191 wickets with a best analysis of 9–48. His bowling average was 12.94; he had 5 wickets in an innings 12 times and 10 wickets in a match 8 times. Two days after his innings at Canterbury, he made 177 for Gloucestershire v Nottinghamshire; and two days after that 318 not out for Gloucestershire v Yorkshire, these two innings against counties with exceptionally strong bowling attacks. Thus, in three consecutive innings Grace scored 839 runs and was only out twice. His innings of 344 was the first triple century scored in first-class cricket and broke the record for the highest individual score in all classes of cricket, previously held by William Ward who made 278 in 1820. Ward's record had stood for 56 years and, within a week, Grace bettered it twice. Grace scored a then-record 2,622 runs in the 1876 season and completed another double with 129 wickets, while Gloucestershire won the championship title for the second time.

There was bad feeling between Grace and some of the 1878 Australians, especially their manager John Conway; this came to a head on 20 June in a row over the services of Grace's friend Billy Midwinter, an Australian who had played for Gloucestershire in 1877. Midwinter was already in England before the main Australian party arrived and had joined them for their first match in May. On 20 June, Midwinter was at Lord's where he was due to play for the Australians against Middlesex. On the same day, the Gloucestershire team was at The Oval to play Surrey but arrived a man short. As a result, a group of Gloucestershire players led by W.G. and E.M. went to Lord's and persuaded Midwinter to accompany them back to The Oval to make up their numbers. They were pursued by three of the Australians who caught them at The Oval gates where a furious altercation ensued in front of bystanders. At one point, Grace called the Australians "a damned lot of sneaks" (he later apologised). In the end, Grace got his way and Midwinter stayed with Gloucestershire for the rest of the season, although he did not play for the county against the Australians. Afterwards, the row was patched up and Gloucestershire invited the Australians to play the county team, minus Midwinter, at Clifton College. The Australians took a measure of revenge and won easily by 10 wickets, with Spofforth taking 12 wickets and making the top score. It was Gloucestershire's first ever home defeat.

In other matches that season, Gloucestershire made its first visit to Old Trafford Cricket Ground in July to play Lancashire and this was the match immortalised by Francis Thompson in his idyllic poem At Lord's. In a match against Surrey at Clifton, the ball lodged in Grace's shirt after he had played it and he seized the opportunity to complete several runs before the fielders forced him to stop. He disingenuously claimed that he would have been out handled the ball if he had removed it and, following a discussion, it was agreed that three runs should be awarded.

Despite his troubles in 1878, it was another good season for him on the field as he completed a sixth successive double with 1,151 runs and 152 wickets. He made 24 first-class appearances in the season, scoring 1,151 runs, with a highest score of 116, at an average of 28.77 with 1 century and 5 half-centuries. In the field, he took 42 catches and 152 wickets with a best analysis of 8–23. His bowling average was 14.50; he had 5 wickets in an innings 12 times and 10 wickets in a match 6 times. Like all amateur players, they claimed expenses for travel and accommodation to and from cricket matches, but there is plenty of evidence that the Graces made rather more money by playing than their basic expenses would allow and W.G. in particular "made more than any professional". However, in his later years he had to pay for a locum tenens to run his medical practice while he was playing cricket and he had a reputation for treating his poorer patients without charging a fee. The second, collected by MCC, the county of Gloucestershire, the Daily Telegraph and The Sportsman, amounted to £9,703 and was presented to him in 1896 in appreciation of his "Indian Summer" season of 1895.

Whatever criticisms may be made of Grace for making money for himself out of cricket, he was "punctilious in his aid when (professional players) were the beneficiaries". For example, when Alfred Shaw's benefit match in 1879 was ruined by rain, Grace insisted on donating to Shaw the proceeds of another match that had been arranged to support Grace's own testimonial fund. After the same thing happened to Edgar Willsher's benefit match, Grace took a select team to play Kent a few days later, the proceeds all going to Willsher. On another occasion, he altered the date of a Gloucestershire match so that he could travel to Sheffield and take part in a Yorkshire player's benefit match, knowing full well the impact that his appearance would have on the gate. As John Arlott recorded, "it was no uncommon sight to see outside a cricket ground":

CRICKET MATCH
Admission 6d
If W G Grace plays
Admission 1/–

Grace and his brother Fred faced financial difficulty after their father died in December 1871 as they were still living with their mother who had been left just enough to retain the family home. As medical students, they faced considerable outlay in addition to their living expenses and it became imperative for them to make what they could out of cricket, especially the United South of England Eleven. It has been estimated that the standard fee paid to the USEE was £100 for a three-day match with £5 each going to the nine professionals in the team and the other £45 to W.G. and Fred: a sizeable amount in 1872 when £100 was perhaps the equivalent of £3000-plus at the end of the 20th century.

1879 to 1894

1879 English cricket season

Grace missed a large part of the 1879 season because he was doing the final practical for his medical qualification and, for the first time since 1869, he did not complete 1000 runs, though he did take 105 wickets.

1880 English cricket season

in 1880 shortly before Fred Grace's untimely death. W.G. Grace is seated front left centre. Fred (hooped cap) is third left in rear group. Billy Midwinter (directly behind W.G.) is fourth left in rear. E M Grace (bearded) is sixth left in rear.]] In addition, Gloucestershire had declined following its heady success in the 1870s. One of the reasons was the early death of W.G.'s younger brother Fred from pneumonia in 1880, there being a view that "the county was never quite the same without him". Apart from W.G. himself, the only players of Fred Grace's calibre at this time were the leading professionals. Unlike the south-east and northern counties, Gloucestershire had neither the large home gates nor the necessary funds that could have secured the services of good quality professionals. This was at a time when a new generation of professionals was appearing with the likes of Billy Gunn, Maurice Read and Arthur Shrewsbury. As a result, Gloucestershire fell away in county competition and could no longer match Nottinghamshire, Surrey and Lancashire who had the strongest sides in the 1880s. He played for England in 22 Tests through the 1880s and 1890s, all of them against Australia, and was an automatic selection for England at home, but his only Test-playing tour of Australia was that of 1891–92.

Grace made 16 first-class appearances in 1880, scoring 951 runs, with a highest score of 152, at an average of 39.62 with 2 centuries and 5 half-centuries. In the field, he took 17 catches and 84 wickets with a best analysis of 7–65. His bowling average was 17.60; he had 5 wickets in an innings 9 times and 10 wickets in a match 3 times. Thanks to Spofforth who took 14 wickets in the match, Australia won by 7 runs and the legend of The Ashes was born immediately afterwards. Grace scored only 4 and 32 but he has been held responsible for "firing up" Spofforth. This came about through a typical piece of gamesmanship by Grace when he effected an unsporting, albeit legal, run out of Sammy Jones.

Grace made 22 first-class appearances in 1882, scoring 975 runs, with a highest score of 88, at an average of 26.35 with 0 centuries and 8 half-centuries. In the field, he took 22 catches and 101 wickets with a best analysis of 8–31. His bowling average was 17.34; he had 5 wickets in an innings 8 times and 10 wickets in a match twice. 1886 was the last time he took 100 wickets in a season.

Grace made 33 first-class appearances in 1886, scoring 1,846 runs, with a highest score of 170, at an average of 35.50 with 4 centuries and 9 half-centuries. In the field, he took 36 catches and 122 wickets with a best analysis of 10–49. His bowling average was 19.99; he had 5 wickets in an innings 10 times and 10 wickets in a match once.

Grace made 33 first-class appearances in 1888, scoring 1,886 runs, with a highest score of 215, at an average of 32.51 with 4 centuries and 7 half-centuries. In the field, he took 34 catches and 93 wickets with a best analysis of 6–74. His bowling average was 18.18; he had 5 wickets in an innings 6 times.

Grace played in 8 first-class matches on the tour and scored 448 runs at 44.80 with one century which was his highest score of 159 not out. He scored two half-centuries. In the field, he took 17 catches but had minimal success as a bowler with only 5 wickets at a comparaatively high average of 26.80 and a best analysis of 3–64. He completed his hundredth century playing for Gloucestershire against Somerset in May. Charles Townsend, his batting partner when he reached the milestone, said that as he approached his hundred: "This was the one and only time I ever saw him flustered..." Eventually Sammy Woods bowled a full toss which Grace drove for four to reach his century. He then went on to score 1,000 runs in the month, the first time this had ever been done, with scores of 13, 103, 18, 25, 288, 52, 257, 73 not out, 18 and 169 totalling 1016 runs between 9 and 30 May. His aggregate for the whole season was 2,346 at an average of 51.00 with nine centuries. He was aged forty-seven at the start of the season and forty-eight by its end.

Grace made 29 first-class appearances in 1895, scoring 2,346 runs, with a highest score of 288, at an average of 51.00 with 9 centuries and 5 half-centuries. In the field, he took 31 catches and 16 wickets with a best analysis of 5–87. His bowling average was 32.93; he had 5 wickets in an innings once.

1896 to 1899

1896 English cricket season

An oft-repeated story about Grace is that, in 1896, the Australian pace bowler Ernie Jones bowled a short-pitched delivery so close to his face that it appeared to go through the famous beard which made him so instantly recognisable. Grace reportedly reacted by demanding of Australian captain Harry Trott: "Here, what's all this?" Trott said to Jones: "Steady, Jonah". To which Jones laconically replied: "Sorry, doctor, she slipped". There are multiple variations of the story and, although some sources have recorded that the incident happened in a Test match, there is little doubt that the game in question was the tour opener at Sheffield Park. This is separately confirmed by C B Fry and Stanley Jackson who were both playing in the match, Jackson batting with Grace at the time.

Grace made 30 first-class appearances in 1896, scoring 2,135 runs, with a highest score of 301, at an average of 42.70 with 4 centuries and 11 half-centuries. In the field, he took 18 catches and 52 wickets with a best analysis of 7–59. His bowling average was 24.01; he had 5 wickets in an innings 3 times and 10 wickets in a match once. As a special occasion, the MCC committee arranged the 1898 Gentlemen v Players match to coincide with his fiftieth birthday and he celebrated the event by scoring 43 and 31 not out, though handicapped by lameness and an injured hand.

Grace made 26 first-class appearances in 1898, scoring 1,513 runs, with a highest score of 168, at an average of 42.02 with 3 centuries and 8 half-centuries. In the field, he took 20 catches and 36 wickets with a best analysis of 7–44. His bowling average was 25.41; he had 5 wickets in an innings 3 times and 10 wickets in a match once. Grace accepted the offer and became the club's secretary, manager and captain with an annual salary of £600. Explaining his decision later, Grace ruefully admitted of his diminished fielding skills that "the ground was getting a bit too far away".

Grace last played at Lord's for the Gentlemen in 1899 though he continued to represent the team at other venues until 1906.

Grace made 13 first-class appearances in 1899, scoring 515 runs, with a highest score of 78, at an average of 23.40 with 0 centuries and 3 half-centuries. In the field, he took 7 catches and 20 wickets with a best analysis of 5–86. His bowling average was 24.10; he had 5 wickets in an innings once. Grace's presence initially attracted other leading players into the team, including Fry, Ranjitsinhji and Johnny Douglas, but the increased importance of the County Championship, combined with Grace's inevitable decline in form and the lack of a competitive element in London's matches, led to reduced attendances and consequently the club lost money. Nevertheless, Grace remained an attraction and could still produce good performances. As late as 1902, though aged 54 by the end of the season, he scored 1187 runs in first-class cricket, with two centuries, at an average of 37.09.

1900 to 1908

1900 English cricket season

Grace made 19 first-class appearances in 1900, scoring 1,277 runs, with a highest score of 126, at an average of 42.56 with 3 centuries and 8 half-centuries. In the field, he took 6 catches and 32 wickets with a best analysis of 5–66. His bowling average was 30.28; he had 5 wickets in an innings 3 times. He made only five first-class appearances that season, scoring 241 runs, with a highest score of 74, at an average of 26.77 with 2 half-centuries. In the field, he took 4 catches and 13 wickets with a best analysis of 4–71. His bowling average was 20.61. This was his sole appearance in 1908.

Aftermath of Grace's first-class career

Despite his age and bulk, Grace continued to play minor cricket for several years after his retirement from the first-class version. His final match was for Eltham Cricket Club at Grove Park on 25 July 1914, a week after his 66th birthday. He contributed an undefeated 69 to a total of 155-6 declared, having begun his innings when they were 31-4. Grove Park made 99-8 in reply.

In August 1914, soon after the First World War began, Grace wrote a letter to The Sportsman in which he called for the immediate closure of the county cricket season and for all first-class cricketers to set an example and serve their country.

Grace died during the war and MCC decided to commemorate his life and career with a Memorial Biography, published in 1919. Its preface begins with this passage:

Never was such a band of cricketers gathered for any tour as has assembled to do honour to the greatest of all players in the present Memorial Biography. That such a volume should go forth under the auspices of the Committee of MCC is in itself unique in the history of the game, and that such an array of cricketers, critics and enthusiasts should pay tribute to its finest exponent has no parallel in any other branch of sport. In itself this presents a noble monument of what W G Grace was, a testimony to his prowess and to his personality.

In 1923, the W G Grace Memorial Gates were erected at the St John's Wood Road entrance to Lord's. They were designed by Sir Herbert Baker and the opening ceremony was performed by Sir Stanley Jackson, who had suggested the inclusion of the words The Great Cricketer in the dedication.

In many of the tributes paid to Grace, he was referred to as "The Great Cricketer". H S Altham, for one, described him as "the greatest of all cricketers". John Arlott summarised him as "timeless" and "the greatest (cricketer) of them all". The anti-establishment writer C L R James, in his classic work Beyond a Boundary, included a section "W.G.: Pre-Eminent Victorian", containing four chapters and covering some sixty pages. He declared Grace "the best-known Englishman of his time" and aligned him with Thomas Arnold and Thomas Hughes as "the three most eminent Victorians". James wrote of cricket as "the game he (Grace) transformed into a national institution". Simon Rae also commented upon Grace's eminence in Victorian England by saying that his public recognition was equalled only by Queen Victoria herself and William Ewart Gladstone.

The inaugural edition of Playfair Cricket Annual in 1948 coincided with the centenary of Grace's birth and carried a tribute which spoke of Grace as "King in his own domain" and his "Olympian personality". Playfair went on to say how Grace had "pulverised fast bowling on chancy pitches" and had then "astonished the world" by his deeds during the 1895 "Indian Summer". In the foreword of the same edition, C B Fry insisted that Grace would not have started the 1948 season with any notion of being beaten by that season's Australian touring team, for "he was sanguine" and would have put everything he could muster into the task of beating them with no acceptance of defeat "till after it happened". As mentioned in Playfair, both MCC and Gloucestershire arranged special matches on Grace's birthday to commemorate his centenary. Rowland Bowen wrote that "many of Grace's achievements would be rated extremely good by our standards" but "by the standards of his day they were phenomenal: nothing like them had ever been done before". This was a special commemorative selection requested by Wisden for its 100th edition. The other five players chosen were Sydney Barnes, Don Bradman, Jack Hobbs, Tom Richardson and Victor Trumper.

Cricket writer David Frith summed up Grace's legacy to cricket by writing that "his influence lasted long after his final appearance in first-class cricket in 1908 and his death in 1915". "For decades", wrote Frith, "Grace had been arguably the most famous man in England", easily recognisable because of "his beard and his bulk", and revered because of "his batsmanship". Even though his records have been overtaken, "his pre-eminence has not" and he remains "the most famous cricketer of them all", the one who "elevated the game in public esteem".

British commemorative postage stamps issued on 16 May 1973 for the County Cricket Centenary featured three sketches of W G Grace by Harry Furniss. The values were threepence (then first-class post); seven pence halfpenny; and ninepence.

Grace's fame has endured and his large beard in particular remains familiar; for example, Monty Python and the Holy Grail uses his image as "the face of God" during the sequence in which God sends the knights out on their quest for the grail.

On 12 September 2009, William Gilbert Grace was posthumously inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame at Lord's. Two of his direct descendants attended the ceremony: Dominic, his great-great-grandson; and George, Dominic's son.

Style and technique

Grace's approach to cricket

Grace himself had much to say about how to play cricket in his two books Cricket (1891) and Reminiscences (1899), which were both ghost-written. His fundamental opinion was that cricketers are "not born" but must be nurtured to develop their skills through coaching and practice; in his own case, he had achieved his skill through constant practice as a boy at home under the tutelage of his uncle Alfred Pocock.

Although the work ethic was of prime importance in his development, Grace insisted that cricket must also be enjoyable and freely admitted that his family all played in a way that was "noisy and boisterous" with much "chaff" (i.e., a Victorian term for teasing). W.G. and E.M. in particular were noted throughout their careers for being noisy and boisterous on the field. They were extremely competitive and always playing to win. Sometimes this went to extremes (e.g., on one occasion at school, EM was so upset about a decision going against him that he went home and took the stumps with him) and developed into the gamesmanship for which E.M. and W.G. were always controversial. In 1874, an Australian newspaper wrote: "We in Australia did not take kindly to W.G.. For so big a man, he is surprisingly tenacious on very small points. We thought him too apt to wrangle in the spirit of a duo-decimo lawyer over small points of the game." The point was that Grace "approached cricket as if he were fighting a small war" and he was "out to win at all costs". Ranjitsinhji wrote that, by his extraordinary skills, Grace "revolutionised cricket and developed most of the techniques of modern batting". Before him, batsmen would play either forward or back and make a speciality of a certain stroke. Grace "made utility the criterion of style" and incorporated both forward and back play into his repertoire of strokes, favouring only that which was appropriate to the ball being delivered at the moment. In an oft-quoted phrase, Ranjitsinhji said of Grace that "he turned the old one-stringed instrument (i.e., the cricket bat) into a many-chorded lyre" and that "the theory of modern batting is in all essentials the result of W.G.'s thinking and working on the game".

Ranjitsinhji summarised Grace's importance to the development of cricket by writing: "I hold him to be not only the finest player born or unborn, but the maker of modern batting". Cricket writer and broadcaster John Arlott, writing in 1975, supported this view by holding that Grace "created modern cricket".

But Grace's extraordinary skill had already been recognised very early in his career, especially by the professional bowlers. A very prescient comment was made by the laconic Yorkshire and England fast bowler Tom Emmett who, after playing against Grace for the first time in 1869, called him a "nonsuch" who "ought to be made to play with a littler bat".

H S Altham pointed out that for most of Grace's career, he played on pitches that "the modern schoolboy would consider unfit for a house match" and on grounds without boundaries where every hit including those "into the country" had to be run in full.

It was through Alfred Pocock's perseverance that Grace had learned to play straight and to develop a sound defence so that he would stop or leave the good deliveries and score off the poor ones. This contrasted him with EM who was "always a hitter" and whose basic defence was not as sound. He called his leg break a "leg-tweeker" but he put very little break on the ball, just enough to bring it across from the batsman's legs to the wicket and he invariably posted a fielder in a strategic position on the square leg boundary, a trap which brought occasional success.

Fielding

In his prime, Grace was noted for his outstanding fielding and was a very strong thrower of the ball; he was once credited with throwing the cricket ball 122 yards during an athletics event at Eastbourne.

Grace played football for the Wanderers on several occasions although he did not feature in any of their FA Cup-winning teams.

In later life, after his family moved to Mottingham, he became very interested in lawn bowls. He was a prime mover in the foundation of the English Bowling Association in 1903 and was elected its first president. He helped found an international competition with Scotland, Ireland and Wales, captaining England from the inaugural international at Crystal Palace in 1903 until 1908.

After he moved to Mottingham, Grace began to play golf which brought him into intimate contact with one of his biographers Bernard Darwin. Grace played golf "with a mixture of keen seriousness and cheerful noisiness". He could drive straight and sometimes putt well but, for reasons that Darwin could not understand, he never could play an iron shot well.

Personal life and medical career

Despite living in London for many years, W G Grace never lost his Gloucestershire accent. His entire life, including his cricket and medical careers, is inseparable from his close-knit family background which was strongly influenced by his father Henry Grace, who set great store by qualifications and was determined to succeed. He passed this attitude on to each of his five sons. Therefore, like his father and his brothers, Grace chose a professional career in medicine, though because of his cricketing commitments he did not complete his qualification as a doctor until 1879 when he was 31 years old. He began his medical training at Bristol Medical School in 1867 and afterwards trained at St Bartholomew's Hospital and Westminster Hospital Medical School, both in London. They returned from the tour in May 1874 with Agnes six months pregnant. Their eldest son William Gilbert junior (1874–1905) was born on 6 July. Grace had to catch up with his studies at Bristol Medical School and he and his wife and son lived at Downend until February 1875 with his mother, brother Fred and sister Fanny.

The Graces moved to London in February 1875 when W.G. was assigned to St Bartholomew's Hospital and lived in an Earl's Court apartment, about five miles from the hospital. A ward in the Queen Elizabeth II Wing at St Bartholomew's still bears the name "WG Grace Ward", caring for patients recovering from cardiothoracic surgery.

In the autumn of 1877, the family moved back to Gloucestershire where they lived with Grace's elder brother Henry, who was a general practitioner. Grace's studies had reached a crucial point with a theoretical backlog to catch up followed by his final practical session. Agnes became pregnant again at this time and their third child Bessie (1878–98) was born in May 1878.

Following the 1878 season, Grace was assigned to Westminster Hospital for his final year of medical practice and this curtailed his cricket for a time as he did not play in the 1879 season until June. The family moved back to London and lived at Acton.

After qualifying he worked both in his own practice at 51 Stapleton Road in Easton, a largely poor district of Bristol, employing two locums during the cricket season, and for the Bristol Poor Law Union. There are many testimonies from his patients that he was a good doctor, for example: "Poor families knew that they did not need to worry about calling him in, as the bills would never arrive". The family lived at four different addresses close to the practice over the next twenty years and their fourth and last child Charles Butler (1882–1938) was born.

After leaving Gloucestershire in 1900, the Graces lived in Mottingham, a south-east London suburb, not far from the Crystal Palace where he played for London County, or from Eltham where he played club cricket in his sixties. A blue plaque marks their residence, 'Fairmont', in Mottingham Lane. He was badly upset by the early death of his younger brother Fred in 1880, only two weeks after he, W.G. and E.M. had all played in a Test for England against Australia. In July 1884, Grace's rival A N Hornby stopped play in a Lancashire v Gloucestershire match at Old Trafford so that E.M. and W.G. could return home on receipt of a cable reporting the death of Mrs Martha Grace at the age of 72. Then, in February 1905, his eldest son W.G. junior died of appendicitis at the age of 30.

Grace was distressed by the First World War and was known to shake his fist and shout at the German Zeppelins floating over his home in South London. When H.D.G. Leveson-Gower remonstrated that he had not allowed fast bowlers to unsettle him, Grace retorted: "I could see those beggars; I can't see these."

W G Grace died on 23 October 1915, aged 67, after suffering a heart attack.

See also

List of first-class cricket centuries by W. G. Grace

Footnote

• a) Note that there are different versions of Grace's first-class career totals as a result of disagreement among cricket statisticians re the status of some matches he played in. See Variations in first-class cricket statistics for more information.

References

:Online references using Cricinfo or Wisden may require free registration for access.

Bibliography

Further reading

External links

Manchester Guardian – obituary

Wisden Cricketers' Almanack – memorial tribute (1916)

Wisden Cricketers' Almanack – W G Grace centenary

CricInfo News – E.W. Swanton on W.G. Grace

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 2004 – W.G. Grace

Mark Steel Lecture on W.G. First Broadcast 16 April 1999

* Category:1848 births Category:1915 deaths Category:English cricketers Category:English cricketers of 1864 to 1889 Category:English cricketers of 1890 to 1918 Category:England Test cricketers Category:Cricketers who made a century on Test debut Category:English cricket captains Category:Gentlemen cricketers Category:Gloucestershire cricketers Category:Gloucestershire cricket captains Category:MCC cricketers Category:London County cricketers Category:United South of England Eleven cricketers Category:Wisden Cricketers of the Year Category:English medical doctors Category:People from Bristol Category:Alumni of the Medical College of St Bartholomew's Hospital Category:International Cricket Council Hall of Fame inductees Category:19th-century English people Category:Wanderers F.C. players Category:England cricket team selectors Category:English bowls players Category:People of the Victorian era Category:People of the Edwardian era Category:English amateur cricketers

Playername	Shane Warne
Country	Australia
Fullname	Shane Keith Warne
Living	true
Dayofbirth	13
Monthofbirth	9
Yearofbirth	1969
Placeofbirth	Upper Ferntree Gully, Victoria
Countryofbirth	Australia
Height	1.83
Role	Leg spin bowler, Lower order batsman
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm leg break
International	true
Testdebutdate	2 January
Testdebutyear	1992
Testdebutagainst	India
Testcap	350
Lasttestdate	2 January
Lasttestyear	2007
Lasttestagainst	England
Odidebutdate	24 March
Odidebutyear	1993
Odidebutagainst	New Zealand
Odicap	110
Odishirt	23
Lastodidate	10 January
Lastodiyear	2005
Lastodifor	World XI
Lastodiagainst	Asia XI
| club1	Victoria
Year1	1990/91–2006/07
Clubnumber1	23
Club2	Hampshire
Year2	2000–2007
Clubnumber2	23
Club3	Rajasthan Royals
Year3	2008-present
Clubnumber3	23
Columns	4
Column1	Tests
Matches1	145
Runs1	3,154
Bat avg1	17.32
100s/50s1	0/12
Top score1	99
Deliveries1	40,704
Wickets1	708
Bowl avg1	25.41
Fivefor1	37
Tenfor1	10
Best bowling1	8/71
Catches/stumpings1	125/–
Column2	ODIs
Matches2	194
Runs2	1,018
Bat avg2	13.05
100s/50s2	0/1
Top score2	55
Deliveries2	10,642
Wickets2	293
Bowl avg2	25.73
Fivefor2	1
Tenfor2	n/a
Best bowling2	5/33
Catches/stumpings2	80/–
Column3	FC
Matches3	301
Runs3	6,919
Bat avg3	19.43
100s/50s3	2/26
Top score3	107*
Deliveries3	74,830
Wickets3	1,319
Bowl avg3	26.11
Fivefor3	69
Tenfor3	12
Best bowling3	8/71
Catches/stumpings3	264/–
Column4	LA
Matches4	311
Runs4	1,879
Bat avg4	11.81
100s/50s4	0/1
Top score4	55
Deliveries4	16,419
Wickets4	473
Bowl avg4	24.61
Fivefor4	3
Tenfor4	n/a
Best bowling4	6/42
Catches/stumpings4	126/–
Date	29 March
Year	2008
Source	http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/1/1999/1999.html cricketarchive.com

Shane Keith Warne (born 13 September 1969) is a former Australian international cricketer widely regarded as one of the greatest bowlers in the history of the game. In 2000, he was selected by a panel of cricket experts as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Century, the only specialist bowler selected in the quintet. He is also a cricket commentator and a professional poker player.

Warne played his first Test match in 1992, and his 708 wickets was the record for the most wickets taken by any bowler in Test cricket, until it was broken by Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan on 3 December 2007. He took over 1000 international wickets (in Tests and One-Day Internationals)—he was the second bowler to reach this milestone after Muttiah Muralitharan. A useful lower-order batsman, Warne also scored over 3000 Test runs, and he holds the record for most Test runs without a century. His career was plagued by scandals off the field; these included a ban from cricket for testing positive for a prohibited substance, and charges of bringing the game into disrepute through accepting money from bookmakers and marital infidelities.

As well as Australia, he also played Australian domestic cricket for his home state of Victoria, and English domestic cricket for Hampshire. He was captain of Hampshire for three seasons, from 2005 to 2007.

He retired from international cricket in January 2007, at the end of Australia's 5-0 Ashes series victory over England. Three other players integral to the Australian team of recent years, Glenn McGrath, Damien Martyn and Justin Langer, also retired from Tests at the same time which led some, including the Australian captain, Ricky Ponting, to declare it the "end of an era".

Following his retirement from international cricket, Warne played a full season at Hampshire in 2007. He had been scheduled to appear in the 2008 English cricket season, but in late March 2008 he announced his retirement from playing first-class cricket in order to be able to spend more time pursuing interests outside of cricket. In March 2008, Warne signed to play in the Indian Premier League for the Jaipur team, Rajasthan Royals in the first edition of the tournament, where he played the roles of both captain and coach. He led his team to victory against the Chennai Super Kings in a cliffhanger of a final match on 1 June 2008. After the innings defeat of Australia in Adelaide in Ashes 2010, a website was launched by fans calling for his comeback. The website has also created a fund for the sole purpose of bringing Warne back into international cricket.

Youth and early career

Warne's first representative honours came when in 1983/84 season he represented University of Melbourne Cricket Club in the then Victorian Cricket Association under 16 Dowling Shield competition. He bowled a mixture of leg-spin and off-spin and was also handy lower order batsman. The following season he joined the St Kilda Cricket Club near his home town of Black Rock. He started in the lower elevens and over a number of seasons progressed to the first eleven. He was later chosen to train at the Australian Cricket Academy in Adelaide.

Warne joined English team Accrington Cricket Club in 1991. He enjoyed a good season with the ball, taking 73 wickets at 15.4 each, but scored only 330 runs at an average of 15.0. The committee at Accrington Cricket Club decided not to re-engage him for the 1992 Lancashire League season as he was seen not to be good enough.

First-class debut

Warne made his first-class cricket debut on 15 February 1991, taking 0/61 and 1/41 for Victoria against Western Australia at the Junction Oval in Melbourne. He was then selected for the Australia B team which toured Zimbabwe in September 1991. His best performance was 7/52 in a four-day match. Upon returning to Australia, Warne took 3/14 and 4/42 for Australia A against India in December 1991. The incumbent spinner in the Australian Test Team, Peter Taylor, had taken only one wicket in the first two tests, so Warne was brought into the team for the Third Test against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground a week later.

International career

Early international career

Warne had an undistinguished Test debut, taking 1/150 (Ravi Shastri caught by Dean Jones for 206) off 45 overs, and recorded figures of 1/228 in his first Test series; he took 0/78 in the Fourth Test in Adelaide and was dropped for the Fifth Test on the pace-friendly WACA Ground in Perth. His poor form continued in the first innings against Sri Lanka at Colombo, in which he recorded 0/107. However, a spell of 3/11 in the second innings precipitated the hosts' second innings collapse and contributed to a remarkable Australian win.

However, Warne's performances in the last two Tests in Sri Lanka were not to the satisfaction of the selectors, and he was dropped for the First Test against the West Indies in the 1992–93 Australian season. Greg Matthews played in Warne's place and despite Australia being in a strong position on the final day, was unable to dismiss the tourists on a turning surface. Warne was thus recalled for the Second Test in Melbourne, where he took 7/52 in a match-winning performance in the second innings.

Ban from cricket

In February 2003, just prior to the start of the 2003 Cricket World Cup, Warne was sent home after a drug test during the recent one-day series in Australia returned a positive result for a banned diuretic.

Warne initially claimed that he took only one of what he called a "fluid tablet" – the prescription drug Moduretic — in an attempt to improve his appearance.

In the end, the panel found Warne guilty of breaching the ACB's drug code, and imposed a one-year ban. It was further revealed, and confirmed by Warne in a subsequent television interview, that he had actually taken two of the pills. The substance he took is banned because it can be used to mask the presence of other drugs. The Judge in the case found both Shane Warne and his mother's testimony to be "unreliable".

At the time, Warne took the view that the ban imposed would lengthen his Test playing career. That Warne was allowed to play in charity matches while serving his one year ban was criticised by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) although WADA, in turn, was criticised by Warne for interfering in the matter.

During his suspension, he considered working for the St Kilda Australian rules football club as an assistant coach, before the Australian Football League told the club that it would be inappropriate to have somebody suspended for a drug offense advising its players. He also received invitations to play in various celebrity "park cricket" teams, and the newly renamed Cricket Australia reversed its decision on whether Warne, as a contracted player, should be allowed to play in such matches. He also became a TV commentator for Channel 9 in Australia during this time.

Return to cricket

Warne returned to competitive cricket following his ban in February 2004.

In March 2004, Warne became the second cricketer after Courtney Walsh of the West Indies to take 500 Test wickets. He broke the record for most career wickets in Test cricket on 15 October 2004 during the Second Test against India at Chennai, overtaking his great spin bowling rival, Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka. On 11 August 2005 at Old Trafford, in the Third Ashes Test, he became the first bowler in history to take 600 Test wickets. In 2005, Warne also broke the record for the number of wickets in a calendar year, with 96 wickets. His ferocious competitiveness was a feature of the 2005 Ashes series, when he took 40 wickets at an average of 19.92 and scored 249 runs.

Retirement from international cricket

at Brisbane Cricket Ground in 2006.]] Warne began his 2006/07 Ashes campaign with an indifferent Test in Brisbane and a poor first innings showing in Adelaide. However, his second innings heroics, including bowling Kevin Pietersen around the legs, triggered England's fifth-day collapse and Australia's historic victory. Warne again bowled well in the second innings in the third Test, and took the final wicket of Monty Panesar as Australia regained the Ashes.

On 21 December 2006 Warne announced his retirement, which came into effect after the fifth Ashes Test match at the SCG. He became the first cricketer to reach the 700-wicket milestone in his second last Test, on Boxing Day 2006. Warne said that it was his intention to "go out on top", adding that he might have retired after the 2005 Ashes series, had Australia won. Warne achieved his 700th test wicket at 3.18pm on 26 December 2006 (AEST) by bowling English batsman Andrew Strauss out at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, in what was almost certainly his final appearance at the ground. This was the first occasion that a player had taken 700 career wickets. The wicket was described as a "classic Warne dismissal" to which the crowd of 89,155 gave a standing ovation.

In the last match of the 2006 Ashes Series at the SCG, Sydney spectators bade him farewell in his very last Test match, just as they witnessed his Test debut on 2 January 1992. Thus, a career spanning exactly 15 years ended where it all began.

In this final Test, Warne ended England's first innings by trapping Monty Panesar lbw for a duck and his 1000th total international wicket. His final Test wicket was the wicket of English all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, stumped by Adam Gilchrist near the end of Day 3.

In 2007, Cricket Australia and Sri Lanka Cricket decided to name the Australia- Sri Lanka Test cricket series, Warne-Muralidaran Trophy in honor of Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan

Indian Premier League

After his retirement from international cricket, Warne was signed as the captain for Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League 2008, leading them to victory in the first season of the competition. Warne is to continue as captain of the Royals in the 2011 season.

Playing style and influence

After an inauspicious start to his Test career, Warne revolutionised cricket thinking with his mastery of leg spin, which many cricket followers had come to regard as a dying art due to its immense difficulty of execution. For all his on-pitch and off-pitch controversies, Warne's place in cricketing posterity has been assured by the fact that he has overturned the domination of cricket by fast bowling that had prevailed for two decades before his debut. Despite the presence of high quality spin bowlers such as the Indian spin quartet of the 1970s or Abdul Qadir on the Test scene, Australia's fast bowlers Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson had dominated cricket in the early 1970s. Furthermore, from 1976 until the early 1990s, the West Indies had lost only one (ill-tempered and controversial) Test series with a bowling attack almost exclusively comprising fast bowlers. In the early 1990s, with the West Indies on the wane, Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram of Pakistan were assuming the mantle of the world's most feared bowling combination. It was in that context that Warne's tormenting of batsmen became so significant rather than his actual statistics. His humiliation of Mike Gatting and subsequent dominance, in particular, of English and South African batsmen, provided a welcome sight for cricket watchers weary of the relentless intimidation by West Indian bowlers of the 1980s and 1990s. His treatment of South African batsman Daryl Cullinan was such that Cullinan was said to have sought the help of a therapist to overcome Warne's psychological hold.

Warne combined the ability to turn the ball prodigiously, even on unhelpful pitches, with unerring accuracy and a variation of deliveries (notable among these being the flipper) In the latter stages of his career, variation was less evident, despite regular press conferences announcing a "new" delivery for each series he participated in. Gideon Haigh, the Australian journalist, said of Warne upon his retirement: "It was said of Augustus that he found Rome brick and left it marble: the same is true of Warne and spin bowling."

Many of his most spectacular performances have occurred in Ashes series against England In particular, the famous "Gatting Ball", otherwise known as the "Ball of the Century" which spun sharply and bowled a bemused Mike Gatting in the 1993 Ashes series. Conversely, he has struggled against India, particularly against Sachin Tendulkar: his bowling average against India is 47.18 runs per wicket, compared with his overall average of less than 26. In fairness to Warne, other foreign spinners have also struggled against India in recent years; Warne's contemporary off-spinner rival, Muttiah Muralitharan, for instance, has a much higher bowling average (39.58 as at 2009) in Tests played in India than his overall Test figures.

As well as his Test career Warne has been highly effective bowling in one-day cricket, something few other leg spin bowlers have managed. He also captained Australia on several occasions in One Day Internationals, winning ten matches and losing only one. Warne was instrumental in helping Australia win the 1999 Cricket World Cup in England. His performances in the semifinal against South Africa and in the final against Pakistan helped him get Man of the Match Awards. Warne had intended to retire from ODI cricket at the end of the 2003 World Cup: as it transpired, his last game for Australia was in January 2003. However, he did appear for the ICC World XI for the Tsunami benefit match in 2005.

Warne is also noted for his exuberant (and sometimes effective) lower-order batting, once famously being dismissed for 99 with a reckless shot on what was later shown to be a no ball. In fact, of all Test cricketers Warne has scored the most Test runs without having scored a century, with two scores in the nineties being his best efforts (99 and 91). Warne is also third overall in the most international test ducks. In 2006 Warne and Glenn McGrath reportedly lost a bet of which bowler would be the first to get a Test century with fellow Australian bowler Jason Gillespie after Gillespie scored a record double-century as a nightwatchman against Bangladesh.

Warne has also been a successful slip fielder, and is currently seventh in the list of most catches as a fielder in test cricket.

Controversies

Despite nearly universal recognition of Warne's talents, his reputation with fans and cricket authorities is mixed, owing to a succession of intemperate actions in both his professional and his private life.

Bookmakers

"John" or "John the bookmaker" is the name given to an Indian bookmaker who in 1994–95 gave money to Australian cricketers Mark Waugh and Shane Warne, in return for pitch and weather information. However, the players claim to have refused to divulge more strategic material, such as team tactics and player selection policies. One of the most publicised of a series of betting controversies in cricket in the 1990s, the matter was initially covered-up by the Australian Cricket Board (ACB), who decided that it was sufficient to privately fine the players. The ACB concluded that, since Waugh and Warne had previously accused Pakistani cricket captain Saleem Malik of attempting to bribe them to lose matches, their credibility as witnesses would be damaged if their own involvement with John was publicised. The ACB reported the matter to the International Cricket Council, and there the matter ended.

When the issue was uncovered by the media in late-1998, the two players were widely condemned by the press and public, as was the ACB for their cover-up. Waugh received a hostile reaction from the Australian public when he walked out to bat during a Test match immediately after the news broke. On the other hand, the sports community was generally supportive of the players. The ACB appointed Rob O'Regan QC to conduct an independent inquiry into the matter. O'Regan concluded that the fines were inadequate and wrote that a suspension for a "significant time" would have been a more appropriate penalty. He strongly condemned the players' behaviour and their failure as role models for young fans. O'Regan further added that players needed to be better informed about the dangers of gambling and unauthorised bookmakers.

The controversy prompted Pakistan to ask the two Australian players to appear in front of their own judicial inquiry into corruption; Australia responded by granting the Pakistanis permission to hold hearings in Australia with full privileges. The players were questioned about their accusations against Malik, and whether their dealings with John detracted from their credibility. Both Waugh and Warne denied any suggestions they played with less determination in the matches in question, pointing to the fact that they were among the leading players in the matches that they claimed were subjected to offers of bribery.

Newspaper column

Warne was charged with bringing the game into disrepute in 1999 following his comments about the Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga in a British newspaper column, when he was quoted as saying "There is plenty of animosity between Arjuna and myself. I don't like him and I'm not in a club of one." After this incident, the Australian Cricket Board ruled that newspaper columns by players had to be cleared by the team management before going to print.

Outside cricket

Media

On 13 July 2005, Australia's Nine Network announced it would not renew Warne's commentating contract, worth around AU$300,000 annually. Warne had previously been seen as a future member of the Nine cricket commentary team, and had done commentary work during his one-year ban from cricket in 2003. He later rejoined Nine in 2008, and was signed by Sky Sports in 2009.

Warne took over from Ally McCoist as a team captain on the BBC television sports quiz A Question of Sport in September 2007.

In 2010, the Nine Network commissioned a chat show hosted by Warne, entitled Warnie. The program debuted on 24 November 2010, with Warne interviewing James Packer. Celebrities interviewed on the programme included the current captain of the Australian cricket team Ricky Ponting, and the singers Chris Martin and Susan Boyle. The program experienced spiralling audience figures and was axed before its final scheduled episode, although the network denied that it had been cancelled due to poor ratings.

Endorsements

In 2005, Shane Warne signed a lucrative multi-year sponsorship deal with Asia-Pacific’s largest telephone audio production company, Messages On Hold. The irony of Warne promoting On Hold phone messages after weathering the ignominy of several SMS/text messaging scandals was not lost on the spin bowler. Several media sources, and even Messages On Hold’s own promotional materials quote him as saying, “Trust me with this recommendation—I know a thing or two about spin."

Warne also does promotional work for hair-loss-recovery company Advanced Hair. This matter was investigated by the British Advertising Standards Authority in relation to an illegal celebrity endorsement of medical services. In response to the investigation Warne stated "There's only one thing that worries me, and that's hair loss."

Warne has also endorsed the Codemaster video games Shane Warne Cricket and Shane Warne Cricket '99. Outside Australia these were known as Brian Lara Cricket and Brian Lara Cricket '99.

For the 2007/08 Australian cricket series, Warne took over as Victoria Bitter spokesperson from David Boon in the Boonanza promotion. Warne had a talking figurine as part of the promotion, which continued from the "Talking Boony" doll.

In January 2008, Warne signed a two year agreement with 888 Poker (owned by 888 Holdings PLC, a public listed company in London) to represent them at poker events around the world including the Aussie Millions, World Series of Poker and the 888 UK Poker Open.

Personal life

Warne was born in Upper Ferntree Gully, Victoria to parents Keith and Bridgette, and grew up in Black Rock, Victoria. Shane Warne went to Oakleigh South Primary School for 1 year as well as being Captain of Cricket at Mentone Grammar where he attended High School on a sporting scholarship. He has three children — Brooke, Summer and Jackson with his ex-wife Simone Callahan.

Since retirement, Warne has been doing "work for the Shane Warne Foundation... [which] assists seriously ill and underprivileged children." Since launching in 2004, the charity has distributed £400,000; Warne is organising a poker tournament and a breakfast and "by the end of our summer, we hope to have raised £1.5million."

In 2000, he had been stripped of the Australian vice-captaincy after bombarding a British nurse with erotic text messages. He was also involved in an altercation with some teenage boys who took a photo of him smoking; Warne had accepted a sponsorship of a nicotine patch company in return for quitting smoking.

Further allegations of Warne having extramarital affairs broke in 2005 as Australia began its tour of England in preparation for The Ashes. On 25 June 2005, Warne and his wife Simone Callahan announced that they had decided to separate.

On 7 May 2006, the News of the World tabloid newspaper published pictures of Warne standing in his underwear with a pair of 25-year-old models, as well as explicit text messages allegedly from Warne.

On 1 April 2007, Warne and his wife were reported to be getting back together. However, in September 2007, Simone returned to Australia from England after her husband had accidentally sent a text message meant for another woman to her phone.

Warne's history of high-profile marital infidelities inspired Australian singer-songwriter Kevin Bloody Wilson's 2003 music video entitled "The Shane Warne Song" as well as lines in Tim Minchin's "Some People Have It Worse Than Me" and "The JLA Song".

On 12 December 2010, following press reports and footage of him and English actress Liz Hurley kissing, Warne announced via his twitter account that he and Simone had sadly separated a couple of months ago, but only his close friends and family had been informed of this, although the relationship with Hurley was shortlived following the disclosure of Warne texting salacious messages to a married Melbourne businesswoman.

Cars

Warne has indulged his passion for cars. He has owned two Ferraris: he purchased a 355 Spider in 1996 and, in 2001, he bought a 360 Spider in titanium, with red interior. At that time he had six cars — the Ferrari, two Mercedes four-wheel drives, two BMWs and a Holden VK Commodore. However, after his separation he sold his collection, and now owns a BMW X5 in Australia, and rents a Mercedes E55 AMG in England. In May 2008 Shane Warne purchased a Bugatti Veyron.

against Middlesex in 2009.]]

Recognition

He was chosen as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year for 1994.

In 2000, Warne was named by a 100-member panel of experts as the fourth of five Wisden Cricketers of the Century Warne received 27 votes, behind Sir Donald Bradman (100 votes), Sir Garfield Sobers (90 votes), and Sir Jack Hobbs (30 votes). Sir Viv Richards took the fifth place, with 25 votes. Warne was the only active cricketer to be placed in the top 10.

Warne is one of the four Australian cricketers to have been named in "Richie Benaud's Greatest XI" in 2004. (Don Bradman, Dennis Lillee and Adam Gilchrist are the others)

In 2005 he was named as winner of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Overseas Personality for his performance in the 2005 Ashes.

Warne appeared on the 6th and 7 July episode of the popular Australian soap Neighbours on behalf of his charitable foundation.

In 2006 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Southampton Solent University for services to cricket.

He is a huge fan of the St Kilda Football Club and played in their 2nds side

Former Australian Test Cricket captain Kim Hughes described Warne as the "Donald Bradman of bowling" following the announcement of Warne's intention to retire.

He is one of four Australian cricketers to have his portrait hang in the Long Room at Lord's Cricket Ground, London; the ground is known as the "home of cricket". The others were Victor Trumper, Sir Donald Bradman and Keith Miller. He is also the only one to have it hanging while he was still playing.

A musical comedy was based on his life: .

The Melbourne Cricket Club has decided to honour Warne, by inaugurating a statue of him outside the Melbourne Cricket Ground. It is expected that Warne's statue will be unveiled by the end of 2011.

Test wicket milestones

{| class="wikitable" |- ! Milestone || Batsman || Country || Method || Venue || Year |- | 1 || Ravi Shastri || India || Caught DM Jones || Sydney || 1991/92 |- | 50 || Nasser Hussain || England || Caught DC Boon || Nottingham || 1993 |- | 100 || Brian McMillan || South Africa || LBW || Adelaide || 1993/94 |- | 150 || Alec Stewart || England || Caught and Bowled || Melbourne || 1994/95 |- | 200 || Chaminda Vaas || Sri Lanka || Caught IA Healy || Perth || 1995/96 |- | 250 || Alec Stewart || England || Bowled || Manchester || 1997 |- | 300 || Jacques Kallis || South Africa || Bowled || Sydney || 1997/98 |- | 350 || Hrishikesh Kanitkar || India || LBW || Melbourne || 1999/2000 |- | 400 || Alec Stewart || England || Caught AC Gilchrist || The Oval || 2001 |- | 450 || Ashwell Prince || South Africa || Caught ME Waugh || Durban || 2002 |- | 500 || Hashan Tillakaratne || Sri Lanka || Caught A Symonds || Galle || 2004 |- | 550 || James Franklin || New Zealand || LBW || Adelaide || 2004/05 |- | 600 || Marcus Trescothick || England || Caught AC Gilchrist || Manchester || 2005 |- | 650 || Ashwell Prince || South Africa || LBW || Perth || 2005/06 |- | 700 || Andrew Strauss || England || Bowled || Melbourne || 2006/07 |- | 708 || Andrew Flintoff || England || Stumped AC Gilchrist || Sydney || 2006/07 |}

See also

Ball of the Century

List of cricket incidents

List of doping cases in sport

References

Notes

Sources

Shane Warne's Century - My Top 100 Cricketers by Shane Warne (Mainstream Publishing, 2008) ISBN

External links

Shane's Poker Blog

Cricinfo Stats Guru: List of Test wickets for Shane Warne

Cricket Australia media release congratulating Warne on 500th wicket

10 photos of milestone wickets in Warne's career

VB Warnie - Summer of Spin

Shane's Official Blog

Category:Australian cricketers Category:Australia One Day International cricketers Category:Australia Test cricketers Category:Australian cricket captains Category:ICC World XI One Day International cricketers Category:Victoria cricketers Category:Hampshire cricketers Category:Hampshire cricket captains Category:Old Mentonians Category:Wisden Cricketers of the Year Category:Cricketers at the 1996 Cricket World Cup Category:Cricketers at the 1999 Cricket World Cup Category:Test cricket hat-trick takers Category:Cricket commentators Category:Doping cases in cricket Category:Australian sportspeople in doping cases Category:Sportspeople from Melbourne Category:Australian people of German descent Category:1969 births Category:Living people Category:Rajasthan (Indian Premier League) cricketers Category:Indian Premier League coaches Category:Australian people of Cornish descent Category:People from Victoria (Australia) Category:Australian cricket coaches

Playername	Viv Richards
Imagesize	178px
Country	West Indies
Fullname	Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards
Nickname	Master Blaster, Smokey, Smokin Joe, King Viv
Living	true
Dayofbirth	7
Monthofbirth	3
Yearofbirth	1952
Placeofbirth	St John's
Countryofbirth	Antigua
Heightft	5
Heightinch	10
Role	Batsman
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm medium/off-break
International	true
Testdebutdate	22 November
Testdebutyear	1974
Testdebutagainst	India
Testcap	151
Lasttestdate	8 August
Lasttestyear	1991
Lasttestagainst	England
Odidebutdate	7 June
Odidebutyear	1975
Odidebutagainst	Sri Lanka
Odicap	14
Lastodidate	27 May
Lastodiyear	1991
Lastodiagainst	England
Club1	Glamorgan
Year1	1990–1993
Club2	Queensland
Year2	1976–1977
Club3	Somerset
Year3	1974–1986
Club4	Leeward Islands
Year4	1971–1991
Club5	Combined Islands
Year5	1971–1981
| columns	4
Column1	Test
Matches1	121
Runs1	8540
Bat avg1	51.00
100s/50s1	24/45
Top score1	291
Deliveries1	5170
Wickets1	32
Bowl avg1	61.37
Fivefor1	0
Tenfor1	0
Best bowling1	2/17
Catches/stumpings1	122/–
Column2	ODI
Matches2	187
Runs2	6721
Bat avg2	47.00
100s/50s2	11/45
Top score2	189*
Deliveries2	5644
Wickets2	118
Bowl avg2	35.83
Fivefor2	2
Tenfor2	n/a
Best bowling2	6/41
Catches/stumpings2	100/–
Column3	FC
Matches3	507
Runs3	36212
Bat avg3	49.40
100s/50s3	114/162
Top score3	322
Deliveries3	23226
Wickets3	223
Bowl avg3	45.15
Fivefor3	1
Tenfor3	0
Best bowling3	5/88
Catches/stumpings3	464/1
Column4	LA
Matches4	500
Runs4	16995
Bat avg4	41.96
100s/50s4	26/109
Top score4	189*
Deliveries4	12214
Wickets4	290
Bowl avg4	30.59
Fivefor4	3
Tenfor4	n/a
Best bowling4	6/24
Catches/stumpings4	238/–
Date	18 August
Year	2007
Source	http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/1/1435/1435.html cricketarchive.com

Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards, KGN, OBE (born St John's, Antigua on 7 March 1952) is a former West Indian cricketer. Better known by his second name, Vivian or, more popularly, simply as Viv or King Viv Richards was voted one of the five Cricketers of the Century in 2000, by a 100-member panel of experts, along with Sir Donald Bradman, Sir Garfield Sobers, Sir Jack Hobbs and Shane Warne. In February 2002, he was judged by Wisden to have played the best One Day International (ODI) innings of all time. In December 2002, he was chosen by Wisden as the greatest ODI batsman of all time, as well as the third greatest Test batsman of all time, after Sir Don Bradman and Sachin Tendulkar.

Personality and playing style

Richards was a very powerful right-handed batsman with an extremely attacking style, besides being an excellent fielder, and a handy off-spin bowler. He is often regarded as the most devastating batsman that ever played the game by cricketers, journalists, fans and others alike, and played his entire career without a helmet, across the 17 years from 1974 till 1991.

Several prominent personalities including former cricketer and legendary fast bowler and all-rounder Imran Khan and noted writer John Birmingham are of the opinion that Richards was the best ever batsman against genuine fast bowling. Many other former players of the game rate him extremely high overall as a batsman. Ian Chappell rates him the second-greatest batsman he ever saw after Sir Garfield Sobers, while for Barry Richards, Ravi Shastri and Neil Fairbrother, he remains the best batsman they ever witnessed. Wasim Akram rates Richards the greatest batsman he ever bowled to, ahead of Sunil Gavaskar and Martin Crowe. Martin Crowe, arguably the greatest batsman to have ever emerged from New Zealand, rates Viv Richards as the greatest, the most destructive, and the most intimidating batsman he ever saw. Richards was also Crowe's cricketing idol along with Donald Bradman, Garfield Sobers and Greg Chappell.

The ICC came out with their rankings for the best batsmen and bowlers in the history of the game for both the longer and shorter versions. The ratings for Test Cricket had Vivian Richards ranked at 5 after Sir Donald Bradman, Sir Len Hutton, Sir Jack Hobbs, and Peter May. The ODI ratings again had Richards comfortably perched at 1 followed by Zaheer Abbas and Greg Chappell. These rankings were based on the level achieved by the batsmen at their respective peaks and did not take other factors into consideration, on account of which, they were considered controversial by some followers of the game.

In 2004, in a poll by ESPN, participated in by 15 of the leading names in cricketing history, Richards was voted the third greatest ever player after Bradman and Sobers, and the second greatest ever batsman after Bradman. He was also voted the greatest cricketer since 1970 by another poll ahead of Ian Botham and Shane Warne. That poll saw both Botham and Warne vote for Richards, and in the opinions of both, Richards is the greatest batsman they ever saw. In 2006, in a study done by a team of ESPN's Cricinfo magazine, Richards was again chosen the greatest ODI Batsman ever. Former cricketer Derek Pringle also rates Richards to be the best batsman ever in the history of Limited Overs Cricket.

His fearless and aggressive style of play, and relaxed but determined demeanor made him a great crowd favorite and an intimidating prospect for opposition bowlers all over the world. The word "swagger" is frequently used to describe his batting style. His batting often completely dominated opposing bowlers. He was until 2005 the only man to score a century and take 5 wickets in the same one-day international, against New Zealand at Dunedin in 1986–87. He rescued his side from a perilous position at Old Trafford in 1984 and, in partnership with Michael Holding, smashed 189 to win the game off his own bat.

1976 was perhaps Richards' finest year: he scored 1710 runs, at an astonishing average of 90.00, with seven centuries in 11 Tests. This achievement is all the more remarkable considering he missed the second Test at Lord's after contracting glandular fever; yet he returned to score his career-best 291 at the Oval later in the summer. This tally stood as the world record for most Test runs by a batsman in a single calendar year for 30 years until broken by Mohammad Yousuf of Pakistan on November 30, 2006.

Richards captained the West Indies in fifty Test matches from 1984–1991. He is the only West Indies captain never to lose a Test series, and it is said that his fierce will to win contributed to this achievement. His captaincy was, however, not without controversy: one incident was his aggressive, "finger-flapping" appeal leading to the incorrect dismissal of England batsman Rob Bailey in the Barbados Test in 1990, which was described by Wisden as "at best undignified and unsightly. At worst, it was calculated gamesmanship". This behaviour would nowadays be penalised according to Section 2.5. of the Rules of Conduct of the ICC Code of Conduct.

English county cricket

Richards had a long and successful career in the County Championship in England, playing for many years for Somerset. In 1983, the team won the NatWest Bank Trophy, with Richards and close friend Ian Botham having a playful slugging match in the final few overs.

However, despite his totemic presence at the club, over time his performances declined and the county finished bottom of the County Championship in 1985, and next to bottom in 1986. New team captain Peter Roebuck became the centre of a controversy when he was instrumental in the county's decision not to renew the contracts of Richards and compatriot Joel Garner for the 1987 season, whose runs and wickets had brought the county much success in the previous eight years. Somerset proposed to replace the pair with New Zealand batsman Martin Crowe, and consequently all-rounder Botham refused a new contract and joined Worcestershire. After many years of bitterness and the eventual removal of Roebuck from the club, Richards was honoured with the naming of a set of entrance gates and a stand after him at the County Ground, Taunton.

After his sacking from Somerset, Richards spent the 1987 season in the Lancashire League playing as Rishton CC's professional, in preparation for the West Indies tour the following season. Richards returned to county cricket for the 1990 season towards the end of his career to play for Glamorgan, helping them to win the AXA Sunday League in 1993.

Retirement

Apart from his very exciting style of play, Richards is held in great public esteem for his personal principles in refusing a "blank-cheque" offer to play for a rebel West Indies squad in South Africa during the Apartheid era in 1983, and again in 1984.

Richards remains one of only four non-English cricketers to have scored 100 first-class centuries, the others being Australian Donald Bradman, New Zealander Glenn Turner and Pakistani Zaheer Abbas

He was chosen as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year for 1977.

In 2000, Richards was named by a 100-member panel of experts one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Century. He received 25 votes, behind Sir Donald Bradman (100 votes), Sir Garfield Sobers (90 votes), Sir Jack Hobbs (30 votes) and Shane Warne (27 votes).

He also played international football for Antigua, appearing in qualifying matches for the 1974 World Cup.

Richards is frequently heard on BBC's Test Match Special (TMS).

Personal life

Richards is married and has two children with his wife Miriam; Matara Richards, who currently lives in Toronto, Canada, and Mali Richards, who has also played first-class cricket.

Richards also had a brief relationship with an Indian actress, Neena Gupta, with whom he has a daughter Masaba (born: 1989).

In 1999 Richards was made a knight of the Order of the National Hero in his native Antigua.

See also

*List of international cricket centuries by Viv Richards

References

External links

Antigua's National Hero links

Category:West Indies One Day International cricketers Category:West Indies Test cricketers Category:West Indian cricket captains Category:West Indian cricketers Category:West Indian cricketers of 1970-71 to 1999-2000 Category:Leeward Islands cricketers Category:Combined Islands cricketers Category:Glamorgan cricketers Category:Somerset cricketers Category:Queensland cricketers Category:Wisden Cricketers of the Year Category:World Series Cricket players Category:Cricketers at the 1975 Cricket World Cup Category:Cricketers at the 1979 Cricket World Cup Category:Cricketers at the 1983 Cricket World Cup Category:Cricketers at the 1987 Cricket World Cup Category:Cricket players and officials awarded knighthoods Category:1952 births Category:Living people Category:Antigua and Barbuda footballers Category:Antigua and Barbuda international footballers Category:International Cricket Council Hall of Fame inductees Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire Category:Wisden Leading Cricketers in the World

Playername	Sachin Tendulkar
Country	India
Fullname	Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar
Nickname	Little Master, Tendlya, Master Blaster, The Master, The Little Champion, 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. In September 2007, the Australian leg spinner Shane Warne rated Tendulkar as the greatest player he has played with or against. Tendulkar was the only player of the current generation to be included in Bradman's Eleven.|group="nb"}}

He is sometimes referred to as Little Master or Master Blaster. Tendulkar is seen as an inspiration not only by cricketers but also by many other international sportspersons.

Tendulkar is the first player to score fifty Test centuries, and the first to score fifty centuries in all international cricket combined; he now has 97 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 and 200 runs in a one-day international match. 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, and 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 honor. Tendulkar became the first sportsperson and the first personality without an aviation background to be awarded the honorary rank of Group Captain by the Indian Air Force. He won the 2010 Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for cricketer of the year at the ICC awards.

Tendulkar is the only player to hit 50 Test centuries; he scored his 50th against South Africa on 19 December 2010.

Early years and personal life

Tendulkar was born in Bombay (now Mumbai). 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),

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.

When he was 14, Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar gave him a pair of his own ultra light pads. "It was the greatest source of encouragement for me," he 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. They have two children, Sara (born 12 October 1997), and Arjun (born 24 September 1999).

Philanthropy

Tendulkar sponsors 200 underprivileged children every year through Apnalaya, a Mumbai-based NGO associated with his mother-in-law, Annabel Mehta.

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, 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.

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

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 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. 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." 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.

In 1996 against Pakistan in 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.

Tendulkar's rise continued when he was the leading run scorer at the 1996 Cricket 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 set fire to parts of the stadium.

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 characterized 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.

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

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, was at his usual best and 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. Many former cricketers commented that Dravid's declaration was in bad taste. The media noted at the time that the decision had apparently been made by Sourav Ganguly, and Ganguly himself later admitted that it had been a mistake. The controversy was put to rest when Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and coach John Wright spoke to the media after the team's victory and 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. Tendulkar was operated upon for his injured shoulder. In July 2006, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that Tendulkar had overcome his injury problem following a 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 criticized 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.

in 2008, where he finished not out on 154]] 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 career. 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

In the first test of a three-test series against South Africa at home, Tendulkar made a duck in the first innings. He missed the rest of the series, which was drawn 1–1, with an injury.

Sri Lanka Series

Before the three-Test series in Sri Lanka in mid-2008, Tendulkar needed just 177 runs to go past Brian Lara's record of 11,953 runs in test cricket. However, he failed in all six innings, scoring a total of just 95 runs. India lost 1–2.

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.

Sri Lanka ODIs

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. In the first three ODIs, Sachin made 5, 6 and 7. Then he was injured again.

New Zealand Series

India's next assignment was the away series against New Zealand. It consisted of three Tests and five ODIs. In the ODI series, Tendulkar started off with 20 in the first match followed by 61 in the second. Then he made a 163 not out in the third ODI, an innings ended by stomach cramps that forced him to retire hurt. India made 392 and won easily. Sachin was out of the next two ODIs due to injury but India won the series 3–1 with one game washed out. 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.

Compaq Cup in Sri Lanka

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.

ICC Champions Trophy 2009

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 Windies, as India were eliminated after beating the Windies and finishing third in their group.

India-Australia ODI Series

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 just 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. He described it as one of his best innings but said it could have been better had India won the match.

Sri Lanka Series

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 a fifty in the second. India won the series 2–0.

Bangladesh Test Series

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.

Series against South Africa in 2010

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 subsequent ODI series, Tendulkar was run out in the first ODI for four runs, but made a strong comeback in the second match, scoring a brisk hundred off just 90 balls. This also took his tally of hundreds to 46 in ODIs and 93 in tests and ODIs combined. He finished the match on 200*, thus becoming the first batsman in the history of ODI cricket to score a double century, eclipsing Saeed Anwar's 194 against India and Charles Coventry's 194* versus Bangladesh.

Indian Premier 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.

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.

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 has taken 44 test match wickets and is the ninth 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. After a thorough investigation, the International Cricket Council revoked the official status of the match and the ban on Tendulkar was lifted. Tendulkar's ball tampering charges and Sehwag's ban for excessive appealing triggered a massive backlash from the Indian public and even the Indian parliament.

Controversy over Ferrari customs waiver

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 (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 (Rs 1.13 Crores or 120% on the car value of Rs 75 Lakhs). 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. Tendulkar has been seen taking his Ferrari 360 Modena for late-night drives in Mumbai.

In popular culture

Fan following

, a die hard fan of Tendulkar who earned the privilege to get tickets to all home games of India for lifetime]] Tendulkar's entry into world cricket was very much hyped up by former Indian stars and those who had seen him play. By scoring his first half-century in his second match and his first century aged 17, 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.

Business interests

Tendulkar's immense popularity has led him to numerous profitable business dealings in the past. Sachin Tendulkar was an early pioneer in India on cricket business dealings when he signed a then record sports management deal with Worldtel in 1995, the value of the deal being 30 crore rupees over five years. His next contract with WorldTel in 2001 was valued at 80 crores over five years. In 2006, he signed a contract with Saatchi and Saatchi's ICONIX values at 180 crores over three years.

Making use of his popularity, Tendulkar has opened two restaurants: 'Tendulkar's' (Colaba, Mumbai) and 'Sachin's' (Mulund, Mumbai). Sachin owns these restaurants in partnership with Sanjay Narang of Mars Restaurants. He has also got a new restaurant in Bangalore called Sachin's.

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.

Product and brand endorsements

Sachin Tendulkar endorses the following products:

* Pepsi: 1992–Present Canon: 2006–2009 Airtel: 2004–2006 Nazara Technologies: 2005–2008. License for Mobile Content development based on Sachin.

Reliance Communications sub-licensed brand 'Sachin Tendulkar' to update the user of the latest 2007 Cricket World Cup scores and news in Sachin's voice. Hutch – ICC's prime communication sponsor protested calling Reliance's plan as 'ambush marketing', a charge that Reliance Communication denies.

Britannia: 2001–2007 HomeTrade: 2001–2002 Sunfeast: 2007–2013/14 National Egg Coordination Committee (NECC): 2003–2005 Boost: 1990–Present Action Shoes: 1995–2000 Adidas: 2000–2010 Fiat Palio: 2001 to 2003 Reynolds: 2007–Present TVS: 2002–2005 ESPN Star Sports: 2002–Present G-Hanz: 2005–2007 Sanyo BPL: 2007–Present AIDS Awareness Campaign: 2005 Colgate-Palmolive Philips 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 (50) 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 best 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. 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 run scorer in an ODI and became the first male cricketer to score double century in ODI. He scored 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.

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 Cricket, 1994. In October 2010 he was awarded for Outstanding Achievement in Sport and the Peoples Choice Award at The Asian Awards in London.

See also

List of International cricket centuries by Sachin Tendulkar

Indian cricket team

Indian national cricket captains

Wisden Cricketers of the Year

List of One-day International records

Notes

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 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:Recipients of the Padma Vibhushan Category:Mumbai (Indian Premier League) cricketers Category:Recipients of the Arjuna Award Category:Recipients of the Maharashtra Bhushan Award

Playername	Kapil Dev
Country	India
Fullname	Kapil Dev Ramlal Nikhanj
Living	true
Dayofbirth	6
Monthofbirth	1
Yearofbirth	1959
Placeofbirth	Chandigarh
Countryofbirth	India
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right arm fast medium
Role	All-rounder
International	true
Testdebutdate	16 October
Testdebutyear	1978
Testdebutagainst	Pakistan
Testcap	141
Lasttestdate	19 March
Lasttestyear	1994
Lasttestagainst	New Zealand
Odidebutdate	1 October
Odidebutyear	1978
Odidebutagainst	Pakistan
Odicap	25
Lastodidate	17 October
Lastodiyear	1994
Lastodiagainst	West Indies
Club1	Haryana
Year1	1975 – 1992
Club2	Worcestershire
Year2	1984 – 1985
Club3	Northamptonshire
Year3	1981 – 1983
| columns	4
Column1	Test
Matches1	131
Runs1	5248
Bat avg1	31.05
100s/50s1	8/27
Top score1	163
Deliveries1	27740
Wickets1	434
Bowl avg1	29.64
Fivefor1	23
Tenfor1	2
Best bowling1	9/83
Catches/stumpings1	64/–
Column2	ODI
Matches2	225
Runs2	3783
Bat avg2	23.79
100s/50s2	1/14
Top score2	175*
Deliveries2	11202
Wickets2	253
Bowl avg2	27.45
Fivefor2	1
Tenfor2	n/a
Best bowling2	5/43
Catches/stumpings2	71/–
Column3	FC
Matches3	275
Runs3	11356
Bat avg3	32.91
100s/50s3	18/56
Top score3	193
Deliveries3	48853
Wickets3	835
Bowl avg3	27.09
Fivefor3	39
Tenfor3	3
Best bowling3	9/83
Catches/stumpings3	192/–
Column4	LA
Matches4	309
Runs4	5461
Bat avg4	24.59
100s/50s4	2/23
Top score4	175*
Deliveries4	14947
Wickets4	335
Bowl avg4	27.34
Fivefor4	2
Tenfor4	n/a
Best bowling4	5/43
Catches/stumpings4	99/–
Date	24 January
Year	2008
Source	http://www.cricinfo.com/india/content/player/30028.html Cricinfo

Kapil Dev Ramlal Nikhanj () () (born 6 January 1959, Chandigarh), better known as Kapil Dev, is a former Indian cricketer. He captained the Indian cricket team which won the 1983 Cricket World Cup. Named by Wisden as the Indian Cricketer of the Century in 2002, Kapil Dev was also India's national cricket coach for 10 months between October 1999 and August 2000.

Kapil was a right-arm pace bowler noted for his graceful action and potent outswinger, and was India's main strike bowler for most of his career. He also developed a fine inswinging yorker during the 1980s, which he used very effectively against tail-enders. As a batsman, he was a natural striker of the ball who could hook and drive effectively. A naturally aggressive player, he often helped India in difficult situations by taking the attack to the opposition. Nicknamed The Haryana Hurricane, he represented the Haryana cricket team in domestic cricket. He retired in 1994, holding the world record for the most number of wickets taken in test cricket, a record subsequently broken by Courtney Walsh in 2000. At the time, he was also India's highest wicket taker in both major forms of cricket, Tests and ODIs). He is the only player in the history of cricket to have taken more than 400 wickets and scored more than 5,000 runs in test cricket, making him one of the greatest all-rounders to have played the game. On 8 March 2010, Kapil Dev was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame

Early life

Born in a Punjabi family to Ram Lal Nikhanj and Raj Kumari Lajwanti (maiden name), Kapil Dev was the sixth of seven siblings. His parents had emigrated from a Kahuta village near Rawalpindi during Partition, whereafter Ram Lal Nikhanj settled in Chandigarh and into a prosperous building and timber business. Kapil Dev was a student at D.A.V. School and joined Desh Prem Azad in 1971.

Domestic career

Kapil Dev made an impressive debut for Haryana in November 1975 against Punjab with a 6 wicket haul, restricting Punjab to just 63 runs and helping Haryana to victory. Kapil finished the season with 12 wickets in 3 matches.

In the 1976–77 season opener against Jammu & Kashmir, he had a match haul of 8/36 to win the match for his team. While his contributions for the rest of the season was ordinary, Haryana qualified for the pre quarterfinals. Kapil Dev achieved his then best innings haul of 7/20 in just 9 overs in the second innings to skittle Bengal for 58 runs in under 19 overs. Although Haryana lost to Bombay in the quarter finals, his form made the nation sit up and take notice.

Kapil began his 1977–78 season claiming 8/38 in the first innings against Services. With 3 wickets in the second innings, he took his maiden 10-wicket haul in first-class cricket, a feat he would later achieve twice in Test cricket. With 23 wickets in 4 matches, he was selected for the Irani Trophy, Duleep Trophy and Wills Trophy matches.

For the 1978–79 season, Haryana had a repeat encounter with Bengal in the pre-quarterfinal match after a lackluster bowling season from Kapil Dev (12 wickets from 4 matches), riding on the performance of the season's leading wicket-taker – Rajinder Kaul. Kapil Dev however scored 2 half-centuries in the group stage matches. In the pre-quarterfinal match, he rose to the occasion by taking a 5-wicket haul in the first innings. Poor batting by Haryana in the second innings meant Bengal could avenge their loss from 2 seasons back by scoring the required 161 runs for the loss of just 4 wickets. Kapil Dev stood out in the Irani Trophy match scoring 62 runs coming in at number 8. He also took 5 catches in the game where Karnataka was defeated by the Rest of India XI. Kapil Dev arrived in the national spotlight with a trademark standout performance in the finals of the Duleep Trophy taking a first innings haul of 7/65 in 24 overs. Kapil was included in the North Zone squad for Deodhar Trophy and Wills Trophy for the first time. He played his first Test match in the season against Pakistan

In the 1979–80 season, Kapil showed his batting talent with a maiden century against Delhi when he scored his career best 193. In the pre-quarterfinal match, where he captained Haryana for the first time against Uttar Pradesh, he took a five wicket haul in the second innings to advance to quarter finals where they lost to Karnataka. With Kapil cementing his place in the Indian national squad, his appearances in domestic matches dwindled.

Haryana: 1990–91 Ranji champions

In the 1990–91 Ranji season, Haryana rode into the semi-finals on the back of the bowling performance of Chetan Sharma and the batting performance of Amarjit Kaypee. Kapil took centre stage in the semi-final against Bengal, where he led his team to a mammoth score of 605 runs by scoring 141 as well as taking 5 wickets.

The finals of the 1991 season will be remembered for the number of international cricketers who were part of the match with Kapil Dev, Chetan Sharma, Ajay Jadeja and Vijay Yadav turning up for Haryana and Bombay cricket team represented by Sanjay Manjrekar, Vinod Kambli, Sachin Tendulkar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Chandrakant Pandit, Salil Ankola and Abey Kuruvilla. Deepak Sharma (199), Ajay Jadeja (94) and Chetan Sharma (98) helped Haryana to a score of 522 while Yogendra Bhandari (5 wickets) and Kapil Dev (3 wickets) restricted Bombay to 410 runs in the first innings. A crucial 41 from Kapil and top scorer Banerjee (60) took Haryana to 242 runs, setting Bombay a target of 355 runs. After the initial wickets, Vengsarkar (139) and Tendulkar (96) fought back for the Bombay team. After Tendulkar's dismissal, Haryana took the final 6 wickets for 102 runs and Vengsarkar and Bombay were stranded 3 runs short of the target. Kapil won his maiden and only Ranji Trophy championship.

International career

Early Years (1978–1982)

Kapil made his Test cricket debut in Faisalabad, Pakistan on 16 October 1978. Although his match figures were unimpressive, the numbers did not convey any measure of Kapil's contribution in the match. With his speed and bounce, he brought glee to the Indian players as the Pakistani batsmen were startled with bouncers that struck their helmets on more than one occasion. Kapil also captured his maiden wicket of Sadiq Mohammad with his trademark outswinger. He showcased his all-rounder talent when he scored India's fastest Test half-century off 33 balls and 2 sixes in each of the innings during the 3^rd Test match at National Stadium, Karachi, although India lost the match and the series 2–0. In the ensuring series against a visiting West Indies team, he scored his maiden Test century (126) at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi in just 124 balls and had a steady bowling performance (17 wickets at 33.00). Ominous signs of Kapil's liking for England showed up in the ensuring series, his first outside the sub-continent. Kapil picked up his first 5-wicket haul and all of England's wickets, although it came at a huge cost (48 overs and 146 runs conceded) as England scored a mammoth 633 and won the match comfortably. Kapil finished the series with 16 wickets though his batting haul of 45 runs (Average: 7.5) was unimpressive. His debut in ODI Cricket happened in the earlier tour of Pakistan where his individual performance was ordinary and it stayed the same as both Kapil and India had a poor campaign at the 1979 Cricket World Cup.

Kapil Dev established himself as India's premier fast bowler when he took two 5-wicket hauls and ended the home series against Australia with 28 wickets (Average: 22.32) and also 212 runs that included a half-century. Kapil Dev gained fame in the 6-Test home series against Pakistan in the 1979–80 season when he led India to 2 victories against the visitors – once with the bat (69) at Wankhede Stadium, Bombay (Now Mumbai) and the second time with bat and ball (10-wicket haul in match – 4/90 in the first innings and 7/56 in the second innings, 84 in 98 balls with his bat) at Chepauk, Madras (Now Chennai). Kapil rates his all-round performance in this match as his best bowling effort in his career, and his second innings figure of 7/56 was his best to-date.

India's tour of Australia in 1980–81 had the looks of the familiar Indian series as India were 1–0 down and were defending a meagre 143 runs and Kapil Dev virtually ruled out with a groin injury. When Australia finished the fourth day at 18/3, Kapil willed himself to play the final day with pain-killing injections and removed the dangerous Australia middle order. Kapil won the match for India with the innings bowling performance of 16.4–4–28–5, a bowling performance that figures in his five best bowling performance. Kapil Dev was ready for the 1981–82 home series against England where his five-wicket haul won the first test at Wankhede Stadium, Bombay (Now Mumbai). Kapil scored 318 runs (Average: 53, 1 century, 1 fifty) and took 22 wickets (2 5-wicket hauls) and walked away with the Man of the Series honours. England saw more of Kapil in the ensuing series at home against the Indian cricket team in the 1982 season when he opened with a 5-wicket haul and 130 runs in a losing cause at Lord's. Kapil Dev finished the 3-match series with 292 runs (Ave: 73, 3 fifties) and 10 Wickets and bagged the Man of the Series again.

Facing Sri Lanka for the first time, Kapil helped himself to a five-wicket haul to kick start the 1982–83 season. In the following tour to Pakistan, Kapil and Mohinder Amarnath were the only bright spots in a series dominated by rival all-rounder Imran Khan (40 wickets and 1 century). Kapil took a 5/102 haul in the second Test at National Stadium, Karachi, 7/220 in the third Test at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad and 8/85 at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore while he received little support from other team members. After this disastrous tour, Kapil was made the captain of the Indian cricket team in place of Sunil Gavaskar.

Captain: 1983 World Cup Champions (1982–1984)

Kapil Dev debuted as India's captain in the 1982–83 season against Sri Lanka (before the Pakistan tour) when Gavaskar was rested. His first assignment as regular captain was the tour of West Indies, where the biggest accomplishment was a lone ODI victory. Kapil (72) and Gavaskar (90) led India to a huge score – 282/5 in 47 overs and Kapil's 2 wickets aided India to restrict West Indies for 255 and a victory that Indian cricketers claim gave them the confidence to face the West Indies team in 1983 Cricket World Cup. Overall, Kapil Dev had a good series in West Indies as he scored a century to save the second test match as well as picking up 17 wickets (Average: 24.94).

1983 World Cup Performance

Kapil entered the World Cup with an ordinary individual record – 32 Matches, 608 Runs (Average: 21), 34 wickets. India's solitary victory in the previous two World Cups was against East Africa in 1975. Riding on Yashpal Sharma (89 Runs), Roger Binny and Ravi Shastri (3 wickets each), India inflicted the West Indies' first-ever defeat in the World Cup. Following a victory against Zimbabwe, India lost the next two matches – Australia (despite Kapil Dev's best career figures of 5/43) and West Indies. India now needed victories against Australia and Zimbabwe to advance to semi-finals.

India faced Zimbabwe at Nevill Ground, Royal Tunbridge Wells on 18 June 1983 under overcast conditions. India won the toss and elected to bat. Disaster struck as the top order started a procession back to the dressing room as Gavaskar (0), Kris Srikkanth (0), Mohinder Amarnath (5) and Sandeep Patil (1) leaving India at a precarious 9/4 that turned to 17/5 when Yashpal Sharma (9) was dismissed. Batting with the lower order batsmen, Kapil Dev stabilized the side with a 60-run partnership with Roger Binny (22 runs) and a 62-run partnership with Madan Lal. When Syed Kirmani walked in at 140/8, Kapil Dev had scored his half-century and went on to score his century off 100 balls. Together with Kirmani (22 runs), Kapil put on an unbeaten 126 runs for the 9th wicket – a current world record, and finished not out with 175 runs off 138 balls, an innings that included 16 boundaries and 6 sixes. The innings figures in the Top 10 ODI Batting Performances compiled by Wisden in February 2002 at No. 4. India won the match by 31 runs. After a win against Australia, India entered the semi-finals.

In the semi-finals India faced the English cricket team. Kapil helped curtail the lower-order after England lost regular wickets to Roger Binny and Mohinder Amarnath. He took 3 wickets as India limited England to 213 and the middle order of Mohinder Amarnath (46 runs), Yashpal Sharma (61), Sandeep Patil (51*) ensured victory and entry into the finals to take on the mighty West Indies cricket team who were looking for a hat-trick of World Cup titles. West Indies restricted India for 183 runs, with only Kris Srikkanth (38 runs) providing some scoring relief. Despite losing Gordon Greenidge, West Indies steadied their innings to 57/2 on the back of quick scoring by Viv Richards and looked comfortable. Richards played one too many aggressive shots when he skied a pull shot from Madan Lal that Kapil caught at deep square leg after running for over 20 yards. The catch is attributed as the turning point in the 1983 WC Final and is regarded as one of the finest in ODI Cricket. West Indies collapsed from 50/1 to 76/6 and finally were bowled out for 140 with Kapil picking up the wicket of Andy Roberts. Kapil Dev had upset Clive Lloyd's West Indies to win their maiden and to-date only World Cup and he led from the front with 303 runs (Average: 60.6), 12 wickets (Average: 20.41) and 7 catches in 8 matches – a truly all-round performance.

Post World Cup

After the World Cup, India hosted the West Indies cricket team and felt their fury as the tourists won the Test series 3–0 and the ODI Series 6–0. Kapil Dev achieved his best test bowling performance in a loss at Motera Stadium, Ahmedabad with a return of 9/83. His bowling performance in the test and ODI series was let down by his poor batting performance. The selectors ended the Kapil's reign by reappointing Gavaskar as captain in early 1984.

Difficult captaincy

Kapil was reappointed captain in March 1985, and guided India on a Test series win over England on their tour in 1986. This period saw one of the most famous matches played during his reign, the second Tied Test, in which he was named joint-man of the match with Australian batsman Dean Jones.

Kapil was retained as captain for the 1987 Cricket World Cup. In their first match, Australia scored 268 against India. However, after the close of innings, Kapil Dev agreed with the umpires that the score should be increased to 270 as one boundary during the innings had been mistakenly signalled as a four and not a six. In their reply, India scored 269 falling short of Australia's score by one run. In the Wisden Cricketer's Almanack, it was reported that "Kapil Dev's sportsmanship proved the deciding factor in a close-run match". India went on to reach the semi-final of the 1987 World Cup, where they lost to England. Kapil faced the blame for India's defeat as he holed out to deep mid-wicket triggering a collapse that led to the unexpected loss. He did not captain India again, even though he was the Vice-captain for India's tour to Pakistan in 1989.

The captaincy period was on the whole a difficult one for him as it was mired with reports of differences with Gavaskar, as well as his own inconsistent form as a bowler. However, both men have since insisted that these reports were exaggarated. Above all the controversy, Kapil's performance was better when he was the Captain, than as a player underline that, he enjoyed and suited captaincy.

Bowling Style

By the end of 1983, Kapil already had about 250 Test wickets in just five years and looked well on his way to becoming one of the most prolific wicket-takers ever. However, his bowling declined following knee surgery in 1984, as he lost some of his majestic jump at the crease. Despite this setback, he never missed playing a single test or one-day game on fitness grounds (save for his disciplinary ouster in the 3rd test at Calcutta during the 1984/85 series against England). He continued to be effective, if not devastating, for another ten years and became the second bowler ever to take 400 wickets in Test cricket in 1991–92 when he took Mark Taylor's wicket in a home series versus Australia.

Final years

Kapil continued as India's lead pace bowler under a succession of captains in the early 1990s. He was involved in a notable incident during the Lord's Test Match of 1990, when he hit off-spinner Eddie Hemmings for four sixes in succession to take India past the follow-on target. This match also featured the highest test score by an Englishman, 333 by Graham Gooch. The incident was cited by Richie Benaud as an example of Kapil's entertainment value, and contributed to him selecting Kapil as one of the six greatest all-rounders of all time, ahead of such luminaries as Wasim Akram and Andrew Flintoff. He was also cited by umpire Dickie Bird as being one of the greatest all-rounders of all-time.

He also became a valuable batsman in the ODI version of the game, being used as a pinch-hitter to accelerate the run-scoring rate, usually in the final ten overs, and relied upon to stabilise the innings in lieu of a collapse. He played in the 1992 Cricket World Cup, which was his last, under the captaincy of Mohammad Azharuddin. He led the bowling attack with younger talents like Javagal Srinath and Manoj Prabhakar, who would eventually succeed him as India's leading pace bowlers. He formally retired in 1993, after formally breaking Richard Hadlee's record for most Test wickets - Hadlee sent a message of congratulations immediately after Kapil took the record-breaking wicket

Post retirement

India's National Cricket Coach

Kapil was appointed coach of the Indian national cricket team in 1999, succeeding Anshuman Gaekwad. In his term, India won just one test match (at home against New Zealand) and had two major series losses in Australia (3–0) and at home against South Africa (2–0) and in general considered a disappointment. At the height of the match fixing allegation by Manoj Prabhakar — a charge that was dismissed later, Kapil resigned from his position as national coach. Stung by the betting controversy, he announced his farewell stating that "I bid adieu to the game that gave me so much and then took a great deal of it away on the mere hearsay of a third party". After a brief interval, he was succeeded as coach by former New Zealand batsman John Wright, who became India's first foreign coach.

Return to Cricket

After a period of silence away from the public eye, Kapil returned to cricket when Wisden announced him as one of the sixteen finalists for the Wisden Indian Cricketer of the Century award in July 2002. Kapil pipped long time team-mate Gavaskar and crowd favourite Tendulkar to win the award and claimed the moment as "my finest hour". and was the bowling coach in the preparatory camp prior to India's tour of Pakistan in March 2004. In October 2006, Kapil Dev was nominated as the chairman of National Cricket Academy for a 2 year period.

In 2005, he acted in a brief role in the Cult Movie Iqbal written by Vipul K Rawal where he played himself. Initially the director was not keen on approaching him, however the writer Vipul K Rawal put his foot down as the role was written especially keeping him in mind.

In May 2007, Kapil joined the upstart Indian Cricket League (ICL) floated by Zee TV (which the IPL copied) as the chairman of executive board, defending his decision as complimenting BCCI's structure rather than opposing it – "We are not looking to create a rival team but helping the Indian board to find more talent". In June 2007, BCCI responded by revoking the pension for all players who have joined ICL, including Kapil. on 21 August 2007, Kapil was removed from the chairmanship of the National Cricket Academy, a day after he addressed a formal press conference of the new Indian Cricket League.

Joining Territorial Army

On September 24, 2008 Kapil Dev joined the Indian Territorial Army and was commissioned as a Lieutenant Colonel by General Deepak Kapoor, Chief of the Army Staff

Personal life

He was introduced to Romi Bhatia by a common friend in 1979 and proposed to her in 1980. The couple married in 1980 and had a daughter, Amiya Dev, on 16 January 1996.

After retirement from cricket in 1994, Kapil Dev took up golf. Kapil was the only Asian founding member of Laureus Foundation in 2000. Ian Botham and Viv Richards were the other two cricketers on the founding member council of 40. Steve Waugh was added to the Academy members in 2006 when it was expanded from 40 to 42. He has written three autobiographical works. By God's Decree came out in 1985 and Cricket my style in 1987. He released his most recent autobiography, titled Straight from the Heart in 2004 (ISBN 1403-92227-6).

Business Interests

In 2005, Kapil picked up 5% stake in Zicom Electronics

* Kapil owns the Kapil's Eleven (2006) restaurants in Chandigarh and Patna. He also owns the Kaptain's Retreat Hotel (1983; renovated and reopened in 2002) in Chandigarh.

Kapil established a company Dev Musco Lighting Pvt Limited in partnership with Musco Lighting to install floodlights in major stadiums and sports venues in India. Floodlight projects include PCA Stadium, GCA Stadium, Brabourne Stadium, Barabati Stadium, Sector 16 Stadium.

Kapil has made cameo appearances in the films Iqbal, Chain Khuli ki Main Khuli and Mujhse Shadi Karogi

Endorsements

Kapil Dev has been actively courted by Indian businesses during and after his cricketing days as brand ambassador for their products because of the charisma that personifies the cricketer. Though not the first Indian cricketer to endorse brands, he was the first star brand on Indian Television with his Palmolive da jawab nahin (Translation: Palmolive has no match). He also appears consistently on Headlines Today as a guest speaker. Other endorsments include:

Pamolive Shaving cream

BSA-SLR bicycles

Hero Honda bikes

Hajmola – 1995

Crocin Pain Relief – 2005.

Boost (1980s & 1990s)

Sony SET Max – 2002. Birla Sun-Life Insurance – 2006 Chadha Group – 2006 Kinetic – 2002 Eastman Group – 2007 Standard Chartered – 2003 Rado – 2000 Jaypee Greens – 2002 Omaxe Construction – 2003 Haier – 2007

Records

Test cricket

* In early 1994, he became the highest Test wicket-taker in the world, breaking the record held by Sir Richard Hadlee. Kapil's record was broken by Courtney Walsh in 1999.

* Kapil is the only player to have achieved the all-rounder's double of 4,000 Test runs and 400 Test wickets.

ODI cricket

In 1988, Kapil overtook Joel Garner to become the highest wicket-taker in ODI cricket. His final career tally of 253 wickets remained a record until it was broken by Wasim Akram in 1994.

* According to the ICC cricket ratings for all-rounders in ODI cricket, Kapil's peak rating of 631 is the highest rating ever achieved. He reached this mark on 22 March 1985 after a World Series final against Pakistan in Australia.

Achievements

Awards

1979–80 – Arjuna Award

1982 – Padma Shri

1983 – Wisden Cricketer of the Year

1991 – Padma Bhushan

2002 – Wisden Indian Cricketer of the Century | Benson & Hedges World Series Cup (Australia, New Zealand) | 1985–86 | 202 Runs (9 Innings); 20/391; 7 Catches |}

Man of the Match Awards :{| border=1 cellpadding=3 cellspacing=1 width=80% |- ! S No ! Opponent ! Venue ! Season ! Match Performance |- style="background:cornsilk;" | 1 | New Zealand | Woolloongabba, Brisbane | 1980–81 | 75 (51b, 9x4, 3x6); 10–0–37–1; 1 Catch |- style="background:cornsilk;" | 2 | West Indies | Albion Sports Complex, Berbice, Guyana | 1982–83 | 72 (38b, 7x4, 3x6); 10–0–33–2; 2 Catches |- style="background:cornsilk;" | 3 | Zimbabwe | Nevill Ground, Tunbridge Wells | 1983 | 175* (138b, 16x4, 6x6); 11–1–32–1; 2 Catches |- style="background:cornsilk;" | 4 | England | VCA Ground, Nagpur | 1984–85 | 54 (41b, 3x4, 4x6); 10–1–42–1 |- style="background:cornsilk;" | 5 | New Zealand | Woolloongabba, Brisbane | 1985–86 | 54* (53b, 5x4); 10–1–28–1 |- style="background:cornsilk;" | 6 | England | Sharjah | 1986–87 | 64 (54b, 5x4, 1x6); 8–1–30–1 |- style="background:cornsilk;" | 7 | New Zealand | Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore | 1987–88 | 72* (58b, 4x4, 1x6); 10–1–54–0 |- style="background:cornsilk;" | 8 | Zimbabwe | Gujarat Stadium, Ahmedabad | 1987–88 | 41* (25b, 2x4, 3x6), 10–2–44–2 |- style="background:cornsilk;" | 9 | West Indies | Sharjah | 1989–90 | 41 (50b, 2x4, 1x6); 7.4–1–19–2 |- style="background:cornsilk;" | 10 | New Zealand | Basin Reserve, Wellington | 1989–90 | 46 (38b, 4x4, 1x6); 9.5–1–45–2 |- style="background:cornsilk;" | 11 | South Africa | Kingsmead, Durban | 1992–93 | 30 (37b, 5x4); 10–4–23–3 |}

References

External links

Kapil Dev - Official Site

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{| class="toccolours collapsible collapsed" style="width:100%;" |- ! colspan="2" | Achievements of Kapil Dev |- | colspan="2" | |- | colspan="2" | |}

{| class="toccolours collapsible collapsed" style="width:100%;" |- ! colspan="2" | Kapil Dev in Cricket World Cup |- | colspan="2" | |- | colspan="2" | |- | colspan="2" | |- | colspan="2" | |}

Category:India Test cricketers Category:Indian cricket captains Category:Indian Test captains Category:Indian cricketers Category:India One Day International cricketers Category:Indian cricket coaches Category:Cricket administrators Category:Haryana cricketers Category:North Zone cricketers Category:One Day International hat-trick takers Category:Northamptonshire cricketers Category:Worcestershire cricketers Category:Wisden Cricketers of the Year Category:World Cup cricketers of India Category:Cricketers at the 1979 Cricket World Cup Category:Cricketers at the 1983 Cricket World Cup Category:Cricketers at the 1987 Cricket World Cup Category:Cricketers at the 1992 Cricket World Cup Category:Recipients of the Arjuna Award Category:Recipients of the Padma Bhushan Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri Category:Punjabi people Category:People from Chandigarh Category:1959 births Category:Living people Category:Coaches of the Indian national cricket team Category:International Cricket Council Hall of Fame inductees Category:People from Haryana Category:Panjab University alumni Category:Wisden Leading Cricketers in the World

Playername	Ian Botham
Caption	Botham batting at Trent Bridge, 1983
Country	England
Fullname	Sir Ian Terence Botham
Nickname	Beefy, Guy the Gorilla
Living	true
Dayofbirth	24
Monthofbirth	11
Yearofbirth	1955
Placeofbirth	Heswall, Cheshire
Countryofbirth	England
Heightft	6
Heightinch	2
Role	All-rounder
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm fast-medium
International	true
Testdebutdate	28 July
Testdebutyear	1977
Testdebutagainst	Australia
Testcap	474
Lasttestdate	18 June
Lasttestyear	1992
Lasttestagainst	Pakistan
Odidebutdate	26 August
Odidebutyear	1976
Odidebutagainst	West Indies
Odicap	33
Lastodidate	24 August
Lastodiyear	1992
Lastodiagainst	Pakistan
Club1	Durham
Year1	1992–1993
Club2	Worcestershire
Year2	1987–1991
Club3	Queensland
Year3	1987–1988
Club4	Somerset
Year4	1974–1986
Deliveries	balls
Columns	4
Column1	Tests
Matches1	102
Runs1	5200
Bat avg1	33.54
100s/50s1	14/22
Top score1	208
Deliveries1	21815
Wickets1	383
Bowl avg1	28.40
Fivefor1	27
Tenfor1	4
Best bowling1	8/34
Catches/stumpings1	120/–
Column2	ODI
Matches2	116
Runs2	2113
Bat avg2	23.21
100s/50s2	0/9
Top score2	79
Deliveries2	6271
Wickets2	145
Bowl avg2	28.54
Fivefor2	0
Tenfor2	n/a
Best bowling2	4/31
Catches/stumpings2	36/–
Column3	FC
Matches3	402
Runs3	19399
Bat avg3	33.97
100s/50s3	38/97
Top score3	228
Deliveries3	63547
Wickets3	1172
Bowl avg3	27.22
Fivefor3	59
Tenfor3	8
Best bowling3	8/34
Catches/stumpings3	354/–
Column4	LA
Matches4	470
Runs4	10474
Bat avg4	29.50
100s/50s4	7/46
Top score4	175*
Deliveries4	22899
Wickets4	612
Bowl avg4	24.94
Fivefor4	3
Tenfor4	n/a
Best bowling4	5/27
Catches/stumpings4	196/–
Date	22 August
Year	2007
Source	http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/1/1529/1529.html

{{ infobox Football biography 2 | fullname = | playername = | position = Centre forward | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = | years1 = 1978–1980 | years2 = 1980–1985 | clubs1 = Yeovil Town | clubs2 = Scunthorpe United | caps(goals)1 = 17 (1) | caps(goals)2 = 11 (0) }} Sir Ian Terence Botham, OBE (born 24 November 1955) is a former England Test cricketer and Test team captain, and current cricket commentator. He was a genuine all-rounder with 14 centuries and 383 wickets in Test cricket, and remains well known by his nickname "Beefy". While a controversial player both on and off the field at times, Botham also held a number of Test cricket records, and still holds the record for the highest number of wickets taken by an England bowler.

He is generally regarded as a great all-rounder, particularly in Test cricket, but actually received his knighthood in recognition of his sterling work for charity.

A talented footballer as well as a cricketer, Botham made 11 appearances in The Football League.

On 8 August 2009, Botham was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.

Early life

Botham was born in Heswall, Wirral to Herbert Leslie Botham (who worked for Westland) and Violet Marie Collett (a nurse). Both his mother and father played cricket. He went to Milford Junior School in Yeovil, Somerset, where his "love affair" with sport began, and played for Somerset Under-15s. He left Bucklers Mead Comprehensive School at 15, being only interested in playing cricket for Somerset, although he also had an offer to play football with Crystal Palace F.C. From an early age he was always single-minded. When informed that Botham wanted to be a sportsman, the careers mistress at his school said to him "Fine, everyone wants to play sport, but what are you really going to do?".{interviewed BBC Radio 4 Fiona Glover November 20th 2010 "Saturday Live"}.

Domestic career

In first-class cricket, he scored 19,399 runs at 33.97, took 1,172 wickets at 27.22 and held 354 catches. He played for Durham, Somerset and Worcestershire, as well as a season (1987–88) in Australia playing for Queensland.

Botham began his first-class career in 1974 with Somerset. In that year, when playing against Hampshire and facing the West-Indian fast bowler Andy Roberts, a bouncer hit him straight in the mouth. He spat out teeth and simply carried on. In 1986 he resigned from Somerset County Cricket Club, to protest the sacking of his friends Viv Richards and Joel Garner, and joined Worcestershire, playing for them between 1987 and 1991. In 1992, he joined County Championship newcomers Durham before retiring midway through the 1993 season, his last match being Durham's match against the touring Australians..

International career

Botham made his Test debut for England on 28 July 1977 in the Third Test against Australia. He went on to enjoy a Test career spanning 15 years, in which he played in 102 matches. Botham finished his Test career with 5,200 runs at an average of 33.54, taking 383 wickets at an average of 28.40, and holding 120 catches. He is generally recognised as one of England's greatest Test players. He was also England's captain for 12 Tests in 1980 and 1981. As captain Botham is generally considered to have been unsuccessful. His tenure was brief and under his captaincy the team achieved no wins, 8 draws and 4 losses. In his defence, 9 of his matches as captain were against the best team of the time, the West Indies, who won 12 out of the next 13 Tests played against England.

Compared with many of cricket's greatest players, most of whom were specialists, Botham's averages are fairly ordinary but this overlooks Botham's all-rounder status, which is not commonly achieved at world-class level. Of note, Botham's first 202 wickets came at 21.20 per wicket, while his final 181 cost on average 36.43 apiece; the first average is one that would make Botham one of the greatest bowlers of the modern era, ranking alongside the West Indian greats Curtly Ambrose (career average 20.99), Malcolm Marshall (career average 20.94), and Joel Garner (career average 20.97), but the second average depicts a player who, as a specialist bowler, would be unable to sustain a place in many Test teams. This difference can be largely attributed to a back injury which limited Botham's bowling pace and his ability to swing the ball.

Botham's batting - although never the equal of his bowling abilities - declined as well, with a batting average of 38.80 for his first 51 Tests substantially higher than the 28.87 he managed in his last 51 Tests, again a number that would be considered unsatisfactory for a specialist batsman in most Test sides.

Despite the obvious decline in his form, Botham retained his reputation of playing to extremes and so, if he played well, he could seem to win a match on his own. He was renowned as a big-hitting batsman, though with a classical technique of playing straight, and as a fast-medium paced swing bowler who could be very effective when atmospheric conditions favoured his style.

Records

Botham holds a number of Test records as an all-rounder, including being the fastest (in terms of matches) to achieve the "doubles" of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets, 2,000 runs and 200 wickets, and 3,000 runs and 300 wickets. He briefly held the world record for the greatest number of Test wickets, although his tally has subsequently been passed by several players. He still holds the record for the highest number of Test wickets taken by an England player (383).

Botham scored a century and took 5 wickets in an innings in the same Test match on 5 occasions; no-one else has managed this feat more than twice. In 1980, playing against India, he became the first player to score a century and take ten wickets in a Test match (Alan Davidson was the first to score 100 runs and take 10 wickets in a Test but that did not include a century).

During the 1981 Ashes, Botham set a record of six sixes in a single Ashes Test Match at Old Trafford. That record remained unbroken until 7 August 2005 when Andrew Flintoff scored five in the first innings and four in the second innings of the second Test at Edgbaston, and again until 12 September 2005, when Kevin Pietersen hit seven sixes in the second innings of the last Test at The Oval.

One day internationals

Botham's ODI career included 116 games from 1976 to 1992. He made his debut on August 26 against the West Indies at Scarborough. He finished with a batting average of 23.21 (nine 50s, no 100s, cumulative score of 2113 runs), and a bowling average of 28.5 (strike rate 43.24, 145 wickets in total, best figures 4/31).

1981 Ashes Tour: Botham's Ashes

In 1980 Botham had been appointed captain of the England team. However, his captaincy was not a happy one; he lost form and the team did not do well. There was also an incident in the 1980 centenary Test against Australia at Lord's where several frustrated Lord's pavilion members threw punches at him, after what they saw as his alliance with the umpires (Dickie Bird and David Constant) to unnecessarily delay play on a dry, sunny, Saturday (it had rained heavily the previous night).

He resigned the captaincy after a loss and a draw in the first two Tests of the 1981 Ashes series. The resignation itself was the cause of controversy, with Alec Bedser, the Chairman of the selection panel, making it clear to the media that Botham would have been fired in any event. Botham himself refers to the event as his "dismissal" in his autobiography. In this Test, the Second Test played at Lord's and his last as England captain, Botham was dismissed for a pair. He returned to an embarrassed silence in the pavilion and after the previous year's events at the centenary Test, this possibly was the final straw. For the rest of his cricketing career, Botham always refused to acknowledge the pavilion members when he played at Lord's.

Mike Brearley, the captain Botham had replaced, took over the reins for the Third Test scheduled for 16 to 21 July, at Headingley. Australia won the toss and elected to bat. They batted all day Thursday and most of Friday, declaring after tea at 401 for 9, John Dyson having made 102 and Botham having taken 6 for 95. The England openers Graham Gooch and Geoff Boycott survived the remaining few overs, and England finished the day on 7 for no wicket.

The next day, Saturday, was a disaster for England: Gooch was out in the first over of the day, and although Boycott and Brearley then attempted to dig in, they were both out before lunch. None of the other batsmen got going at all with the exception of Botham who top scored with 50 — his first half century since his first Test as captain 13 matches earlier. England were all out in the third session for 174. Australia enforced the follow on and piled on the pressure; Gooch was out for 0 on the third ball of the first over caught by Terry Alderman off the bowling of Dennis Lillee. By the close, England had struggled to just 6 for 1, still 221 behind Australia.

Sunday 19 July was a rest day and the papers roasted the lamentable England performance. Morale was not improved by the news that Ladbrokes were offering 500-1 against England winning the match. Controversially, the Australian wicket keeper Rod Marsh and opening bowler Dennis Lillee both placed bets on England to win, claiming that 500-1 were silly odds on any two-horse race.

On Monday morning the 500-1 odds began to look ungenerous as first Brearley, then David Gower and Mike Gatting all fell cheaply to reduce England to 41 for 4. Boycott was still anchored at the other end however and he and Peter Willey added 50 runs before lunch. In the afternoon however, Willey was out for 33 and England were in deep trouble at 105 for 5 as Botham went in to bat. Matters did not improve as first Geoff Boycott and then Bob Taylor were soon dismissed. At 135 for 7 an innings defeat looked almost certain.

By all accounts, both teams' players thought Australia would win the match. When Graham Dilley joined him at the crease, Botham reportedly said, "Right then, let's have a bit of fun...". With able support from Dilley (56) and Chris Old (29), Botham hit out and by the close of play was 145 not out with Bob Willis hanging on at the other end on 1 not out. England's lead was just 124 but there was hope. On the final day's play there was time for just four more runs from Botham before Willis was out and Botham was left on 149 not out. Wisden rated this innings as the 4th best of all time.

Willis' real contribution was with the ball. After Botham took the first wicket, Willis skittled Australia out for just 111, finishing with figures of 8 for 43 – rated by Wisden as the 7th best bowling performance of all time. England had won by just 18 runs. It was only the second time in history that a team following on had won a Test match.

The next Test match, at Edgbaston, looked almost as hopeless for England. In a low scoring match (no-one made a score over 48), Australia needed 151 to win. At 105-5, things looked a little worrying for them, but an Australian win was still the most likely result. Botham then took 5 wickets for 1 run in 28 balls to give England the win by 29 runs. Later, Brearley said that Botham had not wanted to bowl and had to be persuaded to do so.

The Old Trafford Test was less of a turnaround and more of a team performance than the previous two Tests, but Botham again was England's hero, scoring 118 in what Lillee claimed was a better innings than his Headingley heroics. Botham had joined Chris Tavaré with the score at 104-5. Botham then scored 118 in a partnership of 149 before he was dismissed. He hit six sixes in this innings, three off Lillee's bowling, two of them in the same over. Remarkably, even though he seemed to take his eye off the ball while hooking some fearsome Lillee bouncers, his sheer power and strength carried the ball over the boundary ropes. In total Botham batted for 5 hours shorter than Tavaré and yet scored 40 more runs. England won the match, then drew the last match at The Oval (Botham took 6 wickets in the first innings) to take the series 3-1. Unsurprisingly, Botham was named man of the series, scoring 399 runs and taking 34 wickets.

Football career

A talented footballer as well as cricketer, Botham had to choose very early in his career whether to play professional football or cricket. At one point during his career, in an effort to get fit after an injury, he joined football club Scunthorpe United in March 1980, where he played as a centre half and made 11 appearances in the Football League. He also had a spell at Yeovil Town. and was accused of racism and ball-tampering by Imran Khan. He also fell out publicly with other players, including England opener Geoff Boycott and Somerset captain Peter Roebuck and Australian batsman Ian Chappell, which culminated in a punch-up in an Adelaide Oval car-park during the 2010–11 Ashes series His private life has also made occasional dramatic appearances in Britain's tabloid newspapers, with at least one extramarital affair prompting a public apology to his wife Kathy. Botham was also sacked from the Queensland team after being arrested for assault of a fellow airline passenger.

Charity walks

Botham has also been a prominent fundraiser for charity undertaking a total of 12 long-distance charity walks. His first, in 1985, was a 900-mile trek from John o' Groats to Land's End. His efforts were inspired after a visit to Taunton's Musgrove Park Hospital for treatment on a broken toe, when he took a wrong turn into a children's ward and was shocked to learn that some of the children had only weeks to live. He has since raised more than £12 million, with the charity Leukaemia Research among the causes to benefit.

Honours

2010 Botham was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science from the University of Lincoln.

2008 Botham was awarded an honorary doctorate in Sports Science by Leeds Metropolitan University.

2008 Botham was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Bath.

2007 Botham was knighted by the Queen in the Queen's Birthday Honours, again in recognition of his cricket achievements and his sustained efforts in raising money for Leukaemia research (see above). The ceremony took place at Buckingham Palace on 10 October 2007

2004 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award.

2003 First ever President of Leukaemia Research, the UK's leading blood cancer charity.

1992 Botham was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to cricket and for his charity work in the Queen's Birthday Honours.

1988 Awarded Pipe Smoker of the Year

1981 Voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

1978 Elected one of Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year.

Test centuries and five-wicket innings

Botham achieved the double of making a century and taking 5 wickets in an innings in the same Test match 5 times. Only three other players have achieved this feat more than once; Gary Sobers, Mushtaq Mohammad and Jacques Kallis, who have each done it twice. He is the only man to have made a century and take 8 wickets in an innings in the same Test match, 108 and 8/34 against Pakistan at Lord's in 1978. Botham was also the first of only two men to make a century and take 10 wickets in the same Test match, the other being Imran Khan. Botham did this in the Centenary Test in Bombay in 1979-80 (114, 6/58 and 7/48), the last match before he became England captain. In the 25 Tests he played before he became captain he made 6 centuries and took 5 wickets in an innings 14 times, including 10 in a match 3 times, an astonishing record.

{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;" !colspan=13|Ian Botham's 14 Test Centuries and 27 Test Five Wickets Hauls |- ! No !! 100s !! No !! 5 Wt!! Test !! Opponents !! Season !! Venue !! City !! Country !! Result |- | || || 1 || 5/75|| Third Test || || 1977 || Trent Bridge || Nottingham || England || England won by 7 wickets |- | || || 2 || 5/21 || Fourth Test || || 1977 || Headingley Stadium || Leeds || England || England won by an innings and 85 runs |- | 1 || 103 || 3 || 5/73 || Second Test || || 1977-78 || Lancaster Park || Christchurch || New Zealand || England won by 174 runs |- | || || 4 || 5/109|| Third Test || || 1977-78 || Eden Park || Auckland || New Zealand || Match Drawn |- | 2 || 100 || || || First Test || || 1978 || Edgbaston Cricket Ground || Birmingham || England || England won by an innings and 57 runs |- | 3 || 108 ||5 || 8/34 || Second Test || || 1978 || Lord's Cricket Ground || London || England || England won by an innings and 120 runs |- | || || 6 || 6/34 || Second Test || || 1978 || Trent Bridge || Nottingham || England || England won by and innings an 119 runs |- | || || 7
8 || 6/101
5/39 || Third Test || || 1978 || Lord's Cricket Ground || London || England || England won by 7 wickets |- | || || 9 || 5/70 || First Test || || 1979 || Edgbaston Cricket Ground || Birmingham || England || England won by an innings and 83 runs |- | || || 10 || 5/35 || Second Test || || 1979 || Lord's Cricket Ground || London || England || Match Drawn |- | 4 || 137 || || || Third Test || || 1979 || Headingley Stadium || Leeds || England || Match Drawn |- | || || 11
12 || 6/78
5/98 || First Test || || 1979-80 || WACA Ground || Perth || Australia || Australia won by 138 runs |- | 5 || 119* || || || Third Test || || 1979-80 || Melbourne Cricket Ground || Melbourne || Australia || Australia won by 8 wickets |- | 6 || 114|| 13
14 || 6/58
7/48 || Centenary Test || || 1979-80 || Wankhede Stadium || Bombay || India || England won by 10 wickets |- | 7 || 149* || 15 || 6/95 || Third Test || || 1981 || Headingley Stadium || Leeds || England || England won by 18 runs |- | || || 16 || 5/11 || Fourth Test || || 1981 || Edgbaston Cricket Ground || Birmingham || England || England won by 29 runs |- | 8 || 118 || || || Fifth Test || || 1981 || Old Trafford Cricket Ground || Manchester || England || England won by 103 runs |- | || || 17 || 6/125
4/128 || Sixth Test || || 1981 || Kennington Oval || London || England || Match Drawn |- | || || 18 || 5/61 || First Test || || 1981-82 || Wankhede Stadium || Bombay || India || India won by 138 runs |- | 9 || 142 || || || Sixth Test || || 1981-82 || Modi Stadium || Kanpur || India || Match Drawn |- | || || 19 || 5/46 || First Test || || 1982 || Lord's Cricket Ground || London || England || England won by 7 wickets |- | 10 || 128 || || || Second Test || || 1982 || Old Trafford Cricket Ground || Manchester || England || Match Drawn |- | 11 || 208 || || || Third Test || || 1982 || Kennington Oval || London || England || Match Drawn |- | || || 20 || 5/74 || Third Test || || 1982 || Headingley Stadium || Leeds || England || England won by 3 wickets |- | 12 || 103 || || || Fourth Test || || 1983 || Trent Bridge || Nottingham || England || England won by 165 runs |- | 13 || 138 || 21 || 5/59 || First Test || || 1983-84 || Basin Reserve || Wellington || New Zealand || Match Drawn |- | || || 22 || 8/103 || Second Test || || 1984 || Lord's Cricket Ground || London || England || West Indies won by 9 wickets |- | || || 23 || 5/72 || Fifth Test || || 1984 || Kennington Oval || London || England || West Indies won by 172 runs |- | || || 24 || 6/90 || First Test || || 1984 || Lord's Cricket Ground || London || England || Match Drawn |- | || || 25 || 5/109 || Second Test || || 1985 || Lord's Cricket Ground || London || England || Australia won by 4 wickets |- | || || 26 || 5/71 || Fourth Test || || 1985-86 || Queen's Park Oval || Port of Spain || Trinidad and Tobago || West Indies won by 10 wickets |- | 14 || 138 || || || First Test || || 1986-87 || Brisbane Cricket Ground || Brisbane || Australia || England won by 7 wickets |- | || || 27 || 5/41 || Fourth Test || || 1986-87 || Melbourne Cricket Ground || Melbourne || Australia || England won by an innings and 14 runs |}

Personal life

In 1976 in the borough of Doncaster, Botham married (Kathy) Kathryn Waller whom he first met in June 1974. After their marriage they lived until the late 1980s in Epworth near Scunthorpe. He has two daughters Becky (born November 1985) and Sarah, and a son Liam (born August 1977). Sarah works for Sky as a production assistant, and Liam was a professional cricketer and rugby player, before becoming a commentator for Sky Sports. They, their son, his wife and three children, now live in Ravensworth in North Yorkshire. Botham is a big football supporter and follows Chelsea F.C. and Rangers F.C.. Botham is a supporter of the Conservative Party

Bibliography

Former cricketer Ian Botham talks to Sir David Frost about his new autobiography "Head on".

See also

List of England Test cricket records

Notes

External links

Ian Botham photos, biography & statistics at sporting-heroes.net

All Rounders at Cricket Archive

Ian Botham at Cricket Archive

Category:1955 births Category:Living people Category:BBC Sports Personality of the Year winners Category:English cricketers Category:England Test cricketers Category:England One Day International cricketers Category:English cricket captains Category:Wisden Cricketers of the Year Category:Somerset cricketers Category:Somerset cricket captains Category:Worcestershire cricketers Category:Durham cricketers Category:Cricketers at the 1979 Cricket World Cup Category:Cricketers at the 1983 Cricket World Cup Category:Cricketers at the 1992 Cricket World Cup Category:Queensland cricketers Category:Doping cases in cricket Category:Cricket commentators Category:British sports broadcasters Category:English footballers Category:Association football central defenders Category:Yeovil Town F.C. players Category:Scunthorpe United F.C. players Category:People from Heswall Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire Category:Knights Bachelor Category:Cricket players and officials awarded knighthoods Category:The Football League players Category:Sportspeople of multiple sports Category:International Cricket Council Hall of Fame inductees Category:Wisden Leading Cricketers in the World

Playername	Garfield Sobers
Country	West Indies
Fullname	Garfield St Aubrun Sobers
Nickname	Gary (or Garry)
Living	true
Dayofbirth	28
Monthofbirth	7
Yearofbirth	1936
Placeofbirth	Bridgetown
Countryofbirth	Barbados
Heightft	5
Heightinch	11
Batting	left-handed batsman (LHB)
Bowling	left-arm fast medium (LFM) slow left-arm orthodox (SLA) slow left-arm chinaman (SLC)
Role	all-rounder
International	true
Testdebutdate	30 March
Testdebutyear	1954
Testdebutagainst	England
Testcap	84
Lasttestdate	5 April
Lasttestyear	1974
Lasttestagainst	England
Odidebutdate	5 September
Odidebutyear	1973
Odidebutagainst	England
Odicap	11
Club1	Barbados
Year1	1952–1974
Club2	South Australia
Year2	1961–1964
Club3	Nottinghamshire
Year3	1968–1974
| columns	4
Column1	Test
Matches1	93
Runs1	8032
Bat avg1	57.78
100s/50s1	26/30
Top score1	365*
Deliveries1	21599
Wickets1	235
Bowl avg1	34.03
Fivefor1	6
Tenfor1	0
Best bowling1	6/73
Catches/stumpings1	109/–
Column2	ODI
Matches2	1
Runs2	0
Bat avg2	0.00
100s/50s2	0/0
Top score2	0
Deliveries2	63
Wickets2	1
Bowl avg2	31.00
Fivefor2	–
Tenfor2	n/a
Best bowling2	1/31
Catches/stumpings2	1/–
Column3	FC
Matches3	383
Runs3	28314
Bat avg3	54.87
100s/50s3	86/121
Top score3	365*
Deliveries3	70789
Wickets3	1043
Bowl avg3	27.74
Fivefor3	36
Tenfor3	1
Best bowling3	9/49
Catches/stumpings3	407/–
Column4	LA
Matches4	95
Runs4	2721
Bat avg4	38.32
100s/50s4	1/18
Top score4	116*
Deliveries4	4387
Wickets4	109
Bowl avg4	21.95
Fivefor4	1
Tenfor4	n/a
Best bowling4	5/43
Catches/stumpings4	41/–
Date	13 September
Year	2007
Source	http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/52946.html Cricinfo

The Hon. Sir Garfield St Aubrun Sobers AO, OCC (born 28 July 1936 in Bridgetown, Barbados) is a former cricketer who captained West Indies. His first name of Garfield is variously abbreviated as Gary or Garry. He is widely regarded as one of cricket's greatest ever all-rounders, having excelled at all the essential skills of batting, bowling and fielding. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1975 for his services to cricket. He became a dual Barbadian-Australian citizen through marriage in 1980.

1936–1954: Early years

Sobers was born Garfield St Aubrun Sobers on 28 July 1936 to Shamont and Thelma Sobers of Walcott Avenue, Bay Land, St Michael, Bridgetown, Barbados, and was the fifth of six children. Sobers was only five when his father died at sea in January 1942, after his ship was torpedoed by a German U-boat. He therefore made his first-class debut on 31 January 1953, aged only 16. Batting at number nine, he scored 7 not out in his only innings but made an immediate impression as a bowler, taking 4/50 and 3/92.

A full year passed before Sobers, now 17, made his second first-class appearance, again playing against a touring team. He batted at number five against Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), scoring 46 and 27; and took two wickets in the match. He had shown enough talent in these two matches to be selected for West Indies and his third first-class appearance was his Test debut.

International cricket career

1954–1957: Early Test career

Sobers had progressed quickly and made his Test debut in March 1954, aged 17, against England at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica for the Fifth and final Test, after Alf Valentine had fallen ill. Sobers was selected as a bowler, despite only mediocre performances against England for Barbados. He made a good impression by taking 4/75 in England's first innings, including a wicket in his opening over. Sobers also scored 14 not out and 26 batting at number nine; however, England won the match by nine wickets.

Australia toured the West Indies in 1954-55, and their all-rounder Keith Miller thought that Sobers would become a better batsman than bowler despite batting in the lower-order. Sobers was not selected for the First Test, which the West Indies lost by nine wickets. However, he regained his place for the Second Test in Port of Spain, Trinidad. The match was a high-scoring draw, with Sobers scoring 47 and eight not out. He was barely used with the ball, bowling three overs for ten runs, as Australia amassed a first-innings total of over 600. Sobers was given a further opportunity in the next Test in Georgetown, Guyana (British Guiana at the time) in South America. Despite scoring only 12 and 11 with the bat, he took three wickets in the Australians' first innings. Nevertheless, Australia won by eight wickets. West Indian captain and opening batsman Jeff Stollmeyer twisted his ankle after treading on a ball ahead of the Fourth Test in Barbados, "triggering huge debate about who should open." Eventually, Sobers was chosen to open the innings after Australia had amassed another total of over 600. Sobers had a suspicion he might be asked to do the job. "I couldn't see them sending in anyone else — I was a bowler with a little ability as a batsman and they wanted someone to help see off the shine and protect the three W's." Sobers struck his first three deliveries for boundaries, all from the bowling of Miller. In the fast-bowler's second over, Sobers hit him for another three fours. He was eventually dismissed for 43 out of a first-wicket partnership of 52 with JK Holt. The match was drawn, and Sobers took one wicket in the Australians' only innings, before scoring 11 in the West Indies second innings. The home team were again defeated in the Fifth and final Test in Jamaica. Sobers performed with the bat, however, scoring 35 not out and 64. Playing in all four Tests, he totalled 81 runs and two wickets. As a batsman, Sobers needed time to develop at Test level and, in nine Tests as a teenager, he scored only one half century, and averaged 29.33 with the bat.

He was sent home from New Zealand early to play an unofficial Test match against an England team that included feared fast-bowler Frank Tyson. After struggling to cope with Tyson's pace, Sobers managed to score a half-century, raising hope that he would be selected for the upcoming tour to England, something he considered unlikely after his lack of form. In the first trial match to help select the squad for the upcoming tour, Sobers scored a century in Trinidad. The matches also saw Sobers get his first look at West Indian cricket politics. Wes Hall and Frank Mason were competing for a single place in the touring party, and Sobers and Everton Weekes decided they "would take on Mason and knock him out of the firing line to try and get our fellow Bajan (countryman) Wes in the team." The pair attacked Mason, while they defended Hall in a tactic that paid off with Hall selected, despite Sobers believing Mason was the better bowler at the time. His performances with the bat throughout the five Test series were classed as mediocre, scoring 320 runs at 32, with three half centuries. On the bowling front, Sobers struggled, taking five wickets at 71. After England had scored 412, the West Indies were easily dismissed for 89 and 86 by the Surrey spinners Jim Laker and Tony Lock, who were playing on their home ground. Batting at number 3, Sobers made 39 and 42, while none of his colleagues passed 30 in either innings. In its summary of the tour, Wisden'' said: "(of the newcomers) Collie Smith, Sobers, Rohan Kanhai and Roy Gilchrist were particularly impressive"; adding that "to Sobers, a tall left-handed all-rounder, fell the distinction of hitting the highest score of the tour: 219 not out against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge. Sobers undoubtedly was a very fine stroke-player who should go far".

1958–1964: 365 not out

At this stage of his career, Sobers had frustrated his admirers by failing to convert good starts into high scores. He had reached double figures in 18 of his 22 Test innings, although his highest score was still only 66. But, in the three years following the 1957 tour, he fulfilled his promise. In his next 24 Tests, he scored 2,250 runs at the exceptionally high average of 93.75. In 1958, he scored his maiden Test century against Pakistan in Kingston and expanded it to an unbeaten 365, breaking the world record Test score of 364 set by England's Len Hutton in 1938. Sobers batted for 614 minutes and scored 38 fours but, unusually in such a large total, no sixes. At 21 years and 216 days, he is the youngest player to break the individual scoring record in Tests, and remains the youngest triple-centurion. He made 824 runs with three centuries in the five Tests against Pakistan, and followed this with 557 runs and three more centuries on the West Indies tour of India in 1958-59. Sobers underwent trauma following the death of Collie Smith in September 1959, but he continued to play cricket successfully. In the home Test series against England in 1959-60, he scored three centuries in five matches, totalling 709 runs.

Largely inspired by new West Indies captain Frank Worrell, who was a close personal friend, Sobers had an outstanding 1960-61 series in Australia. He scored a celebrated 132 on the first day of the First Test at Brisbane Cricket Ground, the match which resulted in the first Tied Test. Wisden confirmed that "some observers considered it the best hundred they had ever seen". Sobers scored 430 runs in the series, which Australia won 2-1, with two centuries; his fielding was outstanding and he took 12 catches. He felt he had "had a good series, starting badly but then coming on" and a very positive outcome for him was to receive an invitation from Don Bradman to play for South Australia in 1961–62.

Sobers took 15 wickets in the 1960-61 series, including a best analysis of 5/120, at an average of 39.20, and his bowling allowed Worrell to play an extra batsman in the final three Tests, thus using Sobers for the first time as a designated all-rounder, a role in which he became the dominant player in world cricket over the next decade, being awarded the Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World title eight times in 13 years. Sobers was never a prolific wicket-taker in Test cricket, and his average of three wickets per game in this series typified his whole career. Overall, he took 235 wickets in his 93 Tests at an average of 34.03 and was more effective when operating as a pace bowler. His best performance was 6/73 and, although he achieved five wickets in an innings six times, he never took ten in a match.

His success continued in the next two series at home to India in 1961-62 and away to England in 1963. He was elected Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1964, West Indies went on to win the series 2-1 and so claim the new Frank Worrell Trophy. This was the first time West Indies had beaten Australia in a Test series.

He enjoyed spectacular success in England in 1966 and was widely acclaimed as "King Cricket". In the five Tests he scored 722 runs at an average of 103.14 with three centuries, and had 20 wickets at 27.25, as well as taking 10 catches. West Indies won the series 3-1, with one match drawn. His status was celebrated at that time by the Trinidadian calypso artist Mighty Sparrow, with his song "Sir Garfield Sobers".

In 1966-67, Sobers captained the West Indies team to India in 1966-67 and they won the series 2-0 with one match drawn.

He lost a series for the first time in 1967-68 when West Indies were surprisingly beaten at home by England. Four matches were drawn and England won the Fourth Test at Queen's Park Oval following a controversial declaration by Sobers which enabled England to score the necessary 215-3 to win at just four runs an over.

In 1968-69, Sobers captained the West Indian cricket team in Australia in 1968-69 but they lost the series 3-1 and then drew a three-Test series in New Zealand 1-1.

In 1969, West Indies lost 2-0 in England with one match drawn.

Sobers captained West Indies for the five-Test home series versus India in 1970-71. India won the series 1-0 with four matches drawn. A year later, Sobers led West Indies in five home Tests against New Zealand and all five were drawn.

Sobers was succeeded as West Indies captain by Rohan Kanhai for the 1972-73 home series against Australia. Sobers did not play in that series but returned to play under Kanhai in England in 1973. He played his last Test in March 1974 at Queen's Park Oval against England.

Rest of the World XI

When South Africa was banned from international cricket because of the country's apartheid policy, the team's two lucrative tours to England in 1970 and to Australia in 1971–72 were cancelled. The cricket authorities responded by forming Rest of the World teams to play unofficial Test series in lieu and these teams included some leading South African players. Sobers was invited to captain the Rest of the World in both series.

In 1970, captaining the Rest of the World XI against England, he took 6/21 on the opening day of the First (unofficial) Test at Lord's with pace bowling, the ball swinging and seaming at high speed. He then scored "a magnificent" 183 and helped bowl out England in the second innings using his left arm wrist spin. In the Fourth Test at Headingley, Sobers scored 114 and 59 as his team won by two wickets. He reached his century in 129 balls and after a rest day, reached 254 in 326 balls. It was "one of the most magnificent innings seen on the Melbourne Cricket Ground" and his "superb display of forceful cricket" lasted 376 minutes and included two sixes and 33 fours.

League cricket in England

Sobers spent several seasons in English league cricket. Having completed his first tour of England with West Indies in 1957, he followed the advice of his mentor Frank Worrell and became the professional at Radcliffe Cricket Club in the Central Lancashire League, staying for five seasons from 1958 to 1962. This experience enabled him to hone his skills in varying conditions and Sobers says that playing in the league furthered his cricket education. He enjoyed considerable success at Radcliffe. In 1961, he achieved a rare "double" by scoring 1008 runs and taking 144 wickets, his performances being instrumental in Radcliffe winning both the league's championship title and its supplementary Wood Cup competition.

While he was engaged at Radcliffe, Sobers underwent emotional trauma after a road accident in September 1959 on the A34 near Stoke-on-Trent which resulted in Collie Smith's death. Sobers was driving a car in which Smith and another West Indian Test player Tom Dewdney were passengers. Smith's back was broken by the collision and he died three days later. Sobers could not recall much about the crash and was fined 10 pounds for driving without due care and attention. He "began drinking more" and there were concerns, expressed by himself and others, that the experience might affect his cricket career. He got over the trauma by deciding that he would be letting his country down if he "disappeared into the mists of an alcoholic haze" and he resolved to play not just for Garfield Sobers but for Collie Smith as well, thus setting himself the task of playing for two men. He recovered well and, after an outstanding home Test series against England in 1959–60, he returned to Radcliffe where he continued as club professional for the next three seasons.

Sobers gives an insight into the life of the club professional in his autobiography. He was paid £500 a season by Radcliffe. That was a reasonable wage but he relied on matchday collections to augment it and a good performance would boost the collection. He sometimes received as much as £50 in a collection and "that represented a massive bonus". Radcliffe placed no restrictions on him and, when they had no game, he could play as a guest professional in other leagues throughout Lancashire and Yorkshire. He particularly liked playing in Yorkshire when he could because they would pay him £25 per appearance with a collection on top if he did well.

After touring England with West Indies in 1963, he moved to the North Staffordshire and South Cheshire League in 1964 to play for Norton Cricket Club, who duly won the league title. Sobers made 549 runs in 18 innings at 49.90, finishing second in the league averages behind only his amateur brother Gerald, also playing for Norton, who averaged 50.12. Gary Sobers did even better with the ball, his 97 wickets at 8.38 heading the league averages. 1965 saw a repeat performance with Norton again winning the league and, though Sobers only averaged 25.38 with the bat, he again topped the league bowling averages with 76 wickets at 8.03. Norton lost the league title in 1966 while Sobers was touring England with West Indies but regained it in 1967 when he returned. He was fourth in the 1967 league batting averages with 41.83 and third in the bowling with 95 wickets at 9.37 (the two bowlers with better averages took only 22 and 24 wickets).

Sheffield Shield with South Australia

In the 1961–62 Australian season which followed the 1960-61 West Indies tour, Sobers and his West Indian colleagues Wes Hall and Rohan Kanhai returned to Australia to take part in the Sheffield Shield. Sobers played for South Australia and had an enormous impact on attendances, causing an 89% increase with gate receipts rising "by two and a half times". He topped both the batting and bowling averages at South Australia, his best performance being against champions New South Wales at the Adelaide Oval when he scored 251 and took 3/51 and 6/72.

He was even more outstanding in 1963–64 when, largely due to his efforts, South Australia won the Sheffield Shield. Sobers was the season's leading runscorer with 973 at 74.84 and the leading wicket taker with 47 at 28.27.

Sobers spent three seasons with South Australia and in two he achieved the rare double of 1000 runs and 50 wickets.

Shell Shield with Barbados

Sobers played intermittently for Barbados throughout his first-class career. He made his first appearance in the new Shell Shield competition in February 1966. His last appearance for Barbados was in the 1973–74 Shell Shield match against Jamaica at Kensington Oval.

County Championship with Nottinghamshire

At the end of the 1967 English cricket season, it was agreed that each county club could immediately sign a non-English player for the 1968 season. Seven clubs approached Sobers and, on 14 December 1967, Nottinghamshire announced that he had signed for them and had been appointed club captain. Sobers stated that, although he had enjoyed his time in league cricket, he had a definite preference for the first-class game and he looked forward to restoring Nottinghamshire's fortunes. Though details were undisclosed, Wisden 1968 speculated that his contract would run for three years and be worth £7000 a year (a very high income at the time), including an apartment and a car. Sobers was playing as captain of Nottinghamshire against Glamorgan in Swansea; the unfortunate bowler was Malcolm Nash. This tally of 36 runs in an over broke a 57-year-old record of 34 runs, held by Ted Alletson. In 1984–85, Indian batsman Ravi Shastri equalled the record by scoring six sixes in an over while playing for Bombay versus Baroda. Sobers, wrote Benaud, was "a brilliant batsman, splendid fielder, particularly close to the wicket, and a bowler of extraordinary skill, whether bowling with the new ball, providing orthodox left-arm spin or over-the-wrist spin".

C L R James, when describing the batsmanship of Wilton St Hill, commented upon St Hill's ability to judge the ball early in its flight and so quickly decide which stroke to play. In James' view, only Don Bradman and Sobers were comparable with St Hill in having this capability of "seeing" the ball. Wisden 1969 described the "lightning footwork" of Sobers as he got into position for his stroke. Commenting upon Sobers' six sixes in an over against his team in 1968, Glamorgan captain Tony Lewis said: "It was not sheer slogging through strength, but scientific hitting with every movement working in harmony".

Though he mostly fielded close to the wicket, Sobers was an exceptional outfielder who was seen on one occasion, when he had fielded the ball on the boundary, to "bend his hand back almost parallel with his arm before flipping the ball a full seventy yards to the wicketkeeper".

Following his success as captain of West Indies on the 1966 tour of England, the 1967 edition of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack declared that for Sobers "(the 1966 Tests) were one triumph after another with bat and ball, as well as in the field as a master tactician and fantastic catcher close to the bat". Sobers' exploits in 1966 earned him the media-bestowed sobriquet of "King Cricket", which soon afterwards became the title of a book about him.

Personal life

Sobers was briefly engaged to Indian actress Anju Mahendru after he met her on the 1966-67 tour of India. He married Pru Kirby, an Australian, in September 1969. They had two sons, Matthew and Daniel, and an adopted daughter, Genevieve. The marriage ended in divorce in 1990 after the couple broke up in 1984, however Sobers acquired dual Australian citizenship through marriage in 1980. His own favourite sport is golf and he has been an enthusiastic gambler. He is the author of a children's novel about cricket, Bonaventure and the Flashing Blade, in which computer analysis helps a university cricket team become unbeatable.

Honours and legacy

In the 1975 New Year Honours List, Queen Elizabeth II created Sobers a Knight Bachelor for his services to cricket. The award was made in the British Diplomatic and Overseas section of the list, rather than on the nomination of the Government of Barbados, which had stopped putting forward recommendations for British honours. This caused the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office some unease, as shown by papers released by The National Archives in 2005. However, since Barbados had not yet introduced its own system of honours, the Prime Minister of Barbados was pleased that an honour would be forthcoming for Sobers.

The award was originally intended to be made in the 1975 Queen's Birthday Honours, but since there was a royal visit to Barbados planned for February 1975, it was moved forward to the New Year list so that Sobers could be knighted by the Queen in person during the visit. The very short turnaround between the decision to make the award and its announcement meant that the Governor-General of Barbados was not informed of the award before the public announcement, which caused some hurt feelings between London and Bridgetown.

Sobers was made a National Hero of Barbados by Prime Minister Owen Arthur in 1998. He is one of only ten people to have received this honour and the only recipient still living.

Sobers coached internationally, during a one time stint with Sri Lanka. In 2003 he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia, where he had played many first-class games for South Australia.

Cricket awards

Among the awards that Sobers won during his playing career were:

West Indian Cricket Cricketer of the Year: 1958–59

Wisden Cricketer of the Year: 1964

The Cricket Society Wetherall Award for the Leading All-Rounder in English First-Class Cricket: 1970

Walter Lawrence Trophy winner: 1974

Wisden Cricketer of the Century: 2000

In 2000 Sobers was named by a 100-member panel of experts as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Century. He received 90 votes out of a possible 100. The other four cricketers selected for the honour were Don Bradman (100 votes), Jack Hobbs (30), Shane Warne (27) and Viv Richards (25).

In 2004, the International Cricket Council (ICC) inaugurated the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy which is awarded annually to the player selected by ICC as its Player of the Year. The recommendation to name the award after Sobers was made by a panel consisting of Richie Benaud, Sunil Gavaskar and Michael Holding, who were asked by the ICC "to select an individual with whom to honour cricket's ultimate individual award".

In 2007 Wisden retrospectively selected the Leading Cricketer in the World for every year dating back to 1900, Sobers was selected for eight years (1958, 1960, 1962, 1964–66, 1968 and 1970). Only Sobers and Bradman (10) received the accolade more than three times.

External links

Garfield Sobers from the Barbados Government Information Service

Sir Garfield Sobers, Caribbean Community (CARICOM) website

Category:1936 births Category:West Indies One Day International cricketers Category:West Indies Test cricketers Category:West Indian cricket captains Category:West Indian cricketers Category:People from Bridgetown Category:Australian people of Barbadian descent Category:Australian people of Black African descent Category:Australian people of Caribbean descent Category:West Indian cricketers of 1945-46 to 1969-70 Category:Barbados cricketers Category:Nottinghamshire cricketers Category:Nottinghamshire cricket captains Category:South Australia cricketers Category:Commonwealth XI cricketers Category:International Cavaliers cricketers Category:Wisden Cricketers of the Year Category:Cricket players and officials awarded knighthoods Category:Knights Bachelor Category:Living people Category:International Cricket Council Hall of Fame inductees Category:Wisden Leading Cricketers in the World

Playername	Sir Donald Bradman
Country	Australia
Fullname	Donald George Bradman
Nickname	The Don, The Boy from Bowral, Braddles
Dayofbirth	27
Monthofbirth	8
Yearofbirth	1908
Placeofbirth	Cootamundra, New South Wales
Countryofbirth	Australia
Dayofdeath	25
Monthofdeath	2
Yearofdeath	2001
Placeofdeath	Kensington Park, South Australia
Countryofdeath	Australia
Heightm	1.70
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm leg break
Role	Batsman
International	true
Testdebutdate	30 November
Testdebutyear	1928
Testdebutagainst	England
Testcap	124
Lasttestdate	18 August
Lasttestyear	1948
Lasttestagainst	England
Club1	New South Wales
Year1	1927–34
Club2	South Australia
Year2	1935–49
Columns	2
Column1	Tests
Matches1	52
Runs1	6,996
Bat avg1	99.94
100s/50s1	29/13
Top score1	334
Deliveries1	160
Wickets1	2
Bowl avg1	36.00
Fivefor1	0
Tenfor1	0
Best bowling1	1/8
Catches/stumpings1	32/–
Column2	FC
Matches2	234
Runs2	28,067
Bat avg2	95.14
100s/50s2	117/69
Top score2	452*
Deliveries2	2114
Wickets2	36
Bowl avg2	37.97
Fivefor2	0
Tenfor2	0
Best bowling2	3/35
Catches/stumpings2	131/1
Date	16 August
Year	2007
Source	http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/4188.html Cricinfo

Sir Donald George Bradman, AC (27 August 1908 – 25 February 2001), often referred to as The Don, was an Australian cricketer, widely acknowledged as the greatest batsman of all time. Bradman's career Test batting average of 99.94 has been claimed to be statistically the greatest achievement in any major sport.

The story that the young Bradman practised alone with a cricket stump and a golf ball is part of Australian folklore. Bradman's meteoric rise from bush cricket to the Australian Test team took just over two years. Before his 22nd birthday, he had set many records for high scoring, some of which still stand, and became Australia's sporting idol at the height of the Great Depression.

During a 20-year playing career, Bradman consistently scored at a level that made him, in the words of former Australia captain Bill Woodfull, "worth three batsmen to Australia". A controversial set of tactics, known as Bodyline, was specifically devised by the England team to curb his scoring. As a captain and administrator Bradman was committed to attacking, entertaining cricket; he drew spectators in record numbers. He hated the constant adulation, however, and it affected how he dealt with others. The focus of attention on his individual performances strained relationships with some team-mates, administrators and journalists, who thought him aloof and wary. Following an enforced hiatus, due to the Second World War, he made a dramatic comeback, captaining an Australian team known as "The Invincibles" on a record-breaking unbeaten tour of England.

A complex, highly driven man, not given to close personal relationships, Bradman retained a pre-eminent position in the game by acting as an administrator, selector and writer for three decades following his retirement. Even after he became reclusive in his declining years his opinion was highly sought, and his status as a national icon was still recognised—more than 50 years after his retirement as a Test player, in 2001, the Australian Prime Minister John Howard called him the "greatest living Australian". Bradman's image has appeared on postage stamps and coins, and he was the first living Australian to have a museum dedicated to his life. On the centenary of his birth, 27 August 2008, the Royal Australian Mint issued a $5 commemorative gold coin with his image.

On 19 November 2009, Sir Don Bradman was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.

Early years

Donald Bradman was the youngest son of George and Emily (née Whatman) Bradman, and was born on 27 August 1908 at Cootamundra, New South Wales (NSW). He had a brother, Victor, and three sisters—Islet, Lilian and Elizabeth May. A water tank, mounted on a curved brick stand, stood on a paved area behind the family home. When hit into the curved brick facing of the stand, the ball rebounded at high speed and varying angles—and Bradman would attempt to hit it again. This form of practice developed his timing and reactions to a high degree. In more formal cricket, he hit his first century at the age of 12, playing for Bowral Public School against Mittagong High School.

Bush cricketer

In 1920–21, Bradman acted as scorer for the local Bowral team, captained by his uncle George Whatman. In October 1920, he filled in when the team was one man short, scoring 37 not out and 29 not out on debut. During the season, Bradman's father took him to the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) to watch the fifth Ashes Test match. On that day, Bradman formed an ambition. "I shall never be satisfied", he told his father, "until I play on this ground". Bradman left school in 1922 and went to work for a local real estate agent who encouraged his sporting pursuits by giving him time off when necessary. He gave up cricket in favour of tennis for two years, but resumed playing cricket in 1925–26.

Bradman became a regular selection for the Bowral team; several outstanding performances earned him the attention of the Sydney daily press. Competing on matting-over-concrete pitches, Bowral played other rural towns in the Berrima District competition. Against Wingello, a team that included the future Test bowler Bill O'Reilly, Bradman made 234. In the competition final against Moss Vale, which extended over five consecutive Saturdays, Bradman scored 320 not out. The New South Wales Cricket Association began a hunt for new talent. Mindful of Bradman's big scores for Bowral, the association wrote to him, requesting his attendance at a practice session in Sydney. He was subsequently chosen for the "Country Week" tournaments at both cricket and tennis, to be played during separate weeks. His boss presented him with an ultimatum: he could have only one week away from work, and therefore had to choose between the two sports. On 1 January 1927, he turned out for the NSW second team. For the remainder of the season, Bradman travelled the from Bowral to Sydney every Saturday to play for St George. In the final match of the season, he made his first century at the SCG, against the Sheffield Shield champions Victoria. Despite his potential, Bradman was not chosen for the Australian second team to tour New Zealand.

Bradman decided that his chances for Test selection would be improved by moving to Sydney for the 1928–29 season, when England were to tour in defence of the Ashes. Initially, he continued working in real estate, but later took a promotions job with the sporting goods retailer Mick Simmons Ltd. In the first match of the Sheffield Shield season, he scored a century in each innings against Queensland. He followed this with scores of 87 and 132 not out against the England touring team, and was rewarded with selection for the first Test, to be played at Brisbane. found his initial Test a harsh learning experience. Caught on a sticky wicket, Australia were all out for 66 in the second innings and lost by 675 runs (still a Test record). Following scores of 18 and 1, the selectors dropped Bradman to twelfth man for the Second Test. An injury to Bill Ponsford early in the match required Bradman to field as substitute while England amassed 636, following their 863 runs in the First Test. RS Whitington wrote, "... he had scored only nineteen himself and these experiences appear to have provided him with food for thought". Recalled for the Third Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Bradman scored 79 and 112 to become the youngest player to make a Test century, although the match was still lost. Another loss followed in the Fourth Test. Bradman reached 58 in the second innings and appeared set to guide the team to victory when he was run out. It was to be the only run out of his Test career. The losing margin was just 12 runs. bat, in the early 1930s. The "Don Bradman Autograph" bat is still manufactured today by Sykes' successor company, Slazenger.]] The improving Australians did manage to win the Fifth and final Test. Bradman top-scored with 123 in the first innings, and was at the wicket in the second innings when his captain Jack Ryder hit the winning runs. Bradman completed the season with 1,690 first-class runs, averaging 93.88, Bradman averaged 113.28 in 1929–30.

Although he was an obvious selection to tour England, Bradman's unorthodox style raised doubts that he could succeed on the slower English pitches. Percy Fender wrote:

The encomiums were not confined to his batting gifts; nor did the criticism extend to his character. "Australia has unearthed a champion," raved former Australian Test great Clem Hill, "self-taught, with natural ability. But most important of all, with his heart in the right place." and if the Australians were to exceed expectations, their young batsmen, Bradman and Jackson, needed to prosper. With his elegant batting technique, Jackson appeared the brighter prospect of the pair. However, Bradman began the tour with 236 at Worcester and went on to score 1,000 first-class runs by the end of May, the fifth player (and first Australian) to achieve this rare feat. In his first Test appearance in England, Bradman hit 131 in the second innings but England won the match. His batting reached a new level in the Second Test at Lord's where he scored 254 as Australia won and levelled the series. Later in life, Bradman rated this the best innings of his career as, "practically without exception every ball went where it was intended to go". Wisden noted his fast footwork and how he hit the ball "all round the wicket with power and accuracy", as well as faultless concentration in keeping the ball on the ground.

In terms of runs scored, this performance was soon surpassed. In the Third Test, at Leeds, Bradman scored a century before lunch on 11 July, the first day of the Test match to equal the performances of Victor Trumper and Charlie Macartney. In the afternoon, Bradman added another century between lunch and tea, before finishing the day on 309 not out. He remains the only Test player to pass 300 in one day's play. His eventual score of 334 was a world-record, exceeding the previous mark of 325 by Andy Sandham. Bradman dominated the Australian innings; the second-highest tally was 77 by Alan Kippax. Businessman Arthur Whitelaw later presented Bradman with a cheque for £1,000 in appreciation of his achievement. The match ended in anti-climax as poor weather prevented a result, as it also did in the Fourth Test.

In the deciding Test at The Oval, England made 405. During an innings stretching over three days due to intermittent rain, Bradman made yet another multiple century, this time 232, which helped give Australia a big lead of 290 runs. In a crucial partnership with Archie Jackson, Bradman battled through a difficult session when England fast bowler Harold Larwood bowled short on a pitch enlivened by the rain. Wisden gave this period of play only a passing mention:

A number of English players and commentators noted Bradman's discomfort in playing the short, rising delivery. The statistics Bradman achieved on the tour, and in the Test matches in particular, broke records for the day and some have stood the test of time. In all, Bradman scored 974 runs at an average of 139.14 during the Test series, with four centuries, including two double hundreds and a triple. As of 2008, no-one has matched or exceeded 974 runs or three double centuries in one Test series; the record of 974 runs exceeds the second-best performance by 69 runs and was achieved in two fewer innings. Bradman's first-class tally, 2,960 runs (at an average of 98.66 with 10 centuries), was another enduring record: the most by any overseas batsman on a tour of England.

On the tour, the dynamic nature of Bradman's batting contrasted sharply with his quiet, solitary off-field demeanour. He was described as aloof from his teammates and he did not offer to buy them a round of drinks, let alone share the money given to him by Whitelaw.

Reluctant hero

In 1930–31, against the first West Indian side to visit Australia, Bradman's scoring was more sedate than in England—although he did make 223 in 297 minutes in the Third Test at Brisbane and 152 in 154 minutes in the following Test at Melbourne. However, he scored quickly in a very successful sequence of innings against the South Africans in the Australian summer of 1931–32. For NSW against the tourists, he made 30, 135 and 219. In the Test matches, he scored , , 2 and ; his 299 not out in the Fourth Test, at Adelaide, set a new record for the highest score in a Test in Australia. Australia won nine of the ten Tests played over the two series.

At this point, Bradman had played 15 Test matches since the beginning of 1930, scoring 2,227 runs at an average of 131. He had played 18 innings, scoring 10 centuries, six of which had extended beyond 200. with 856 (or 38.5% of his tally) scored in boundaries. Between these two seasons, Bradman seriously contemplated playing professional cricket in England with the Lancashire League club Accrington, a move that according to the rules of the day, would have ended his Test career.

Bodyline

Within the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), which administered English cricket at the time, few voices were more influential than "Plum" Warner's, who, when considering England's response to Bradman, wrote that it "must evolve a new type of bowler and develop fresh ideas and strange tactics to curb his almost uncanny skill". To that end, Warner orchestrated the appointment of Douglas Jardine as England captain in 1931, as a prelude to Jardine leading the 1932–33 tour to Australia, with Warner as team manager. Remembering that Bradman had struggled against bouncers during his 232 at The Oval in 1930, Jardine decided to combine traditional leg theory with short-pitched bowling to combat Bradman. He settled on the Nottinghamshire fast bowlers Harold Larwood and Bill Voce as the spearheads for his tactics. In support, the England selectors chose another three pacemen for the squad. The unusually high number of fast bowlers caused a lot of comment in both countries and roused Bradman's own suspicions. and that the Australian Board of Control had initially refused permission for him to write a column for the Sydney Sun. Jardine decided to give the new tactics a trial in only one game, a fixture against an Australian XI at Melbourne. In this match, Bradman faced the leg theory and later warned local administrators that trouble was brewing if it continued. He withdrew from the First Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground amid rumours that he had suffered a nervous breakdown. Despite his absence, England employed what were already becoming known as the Bodyline tactics against the Australian batsmen and won an ill-tempered match. Recovered from his indisposition, Bradman returned to the side in Alan Kippax's position. A world record crowd of 63,993 at the MCG saw Bradman come to the crease on the first day of the Second Test with the score at 2/67. A standing ovation ensued that delayed play for several minutes. Bradman anticipated receiving a bouncer as his first ball and, as the bowler delivered, he moved across his stumps to play the hook shot. The ball failed to rise and Bradman dragged it onto his stumps; the first-ball duck was his first in a Test. The crowd fell into stunned silence as he walked off. However, Australia took a first innings lead in the match, and another record crowd on 2 January 1933 watched Bradman hit a counter-attacking second innings century. His unbeaten 103 (from 146 balls) in a team total of 191 helped set England a target of 251 to win. Bill O'Reilly and Bert Ironmonger bowled Australia to a series-levelling victory amid hopes that Bodyline was beaten.

The Third Test at the Adelaide Oval proved pivotal. There were angry crowd scenes after the Australian captain Bill Woodfull and wicket-keeper Bert Oldfield were hit by bouncers. An apologetic Plum Warner entered the Australian dressing room and was rebuked by Woodfull. Woodfull's remarks (that "...there are two teams out there and only one of them is playing cricket") were leaked to the press, and Warner and others attributed this to Fingleton, however for many years (even after Fingleton's death) a bitter war of accusation passed between Fingleton and Bradman as to who was the real source of the leak. In a cable to the MCC, the Australian Board of Control repeated the allegation of poor sportsmanship directed at Warner by Woodfull. With the support of the MCC, England continued with Bodyline despite Australian protests. The tourists won the last three Tests convincingly and regained the Ashes. Bradman caused controversy with his own tactics. Always seeking to score, and with the leg side packed with fielders, he often backed away and hit the ball into the vacant half of the outfield with unorthodox shots reminiscent of tennis or golf. This brought him 396 runs (at 56.57) for the series and plaudits for attempting to find a solution to Bodyline, although his series average was just 57% of his career mean. Jack Fingleton was in no doubt that Bradman's game altered irrevocably as a consequence of Bodyline, writing:

The constant glare of celebrity and the tribulations of the season forced Bradman to reappraise his life outside the game and to seek a career away from his cricketing fame. Harry Hodgetts, a South Australian delegate to the Board of Control, offered Bradman work as a stockbroker if he would relocate to Adelaide and captain South Australia (SA). Unknown to the public, the SA Cricket Association (SACA) instigated Hodgetts' approach and subsidised Bradman's wage. Although his wife was hesitant about moving, Bradman eventually agreed to the deal in February 1934.

Declining health and a brush with death

In his farewell season for NSW, Bradman averaged 132.44, his best yet. Although he again started with a double century at Worcester, his famed concentration soon deserted him. Wisden wrote: At one stage, Bradman went 13 first-class innings without a century, the longest such spell of his career, prompting suggestions that Bodyline had eroded his confidence and altered his technique. He went on to make 140, with the last 90 runs coming in just 45 minutes. On the opening day of the Fourth Test at Headingley (Leeds), England were out for 200, but Australia slumped to 3/39, losing the third wicket from the last ball of the day. Listed to bat at number five, Bradman would start his innings the next day.

That evening, Bradman declined an invitation to dinner from Neville Cardus, telling the journalist that he wanted an early night because the team needed him to make a double century the next day. Cardus pointed out that his previous innings on the ground was 334, and the law of averages was against another such score. Bradman told Cardus, "I don't believe in the law of averages". In the event, Bradman batted all of the second day and into the third, putting on a world record partnership of 388 with Bill Ponsford. When he was finally out for 304 (473 balls, 43 fours and 2 sixes), Australia had a lead of 350 runs, but rain prevented them from forcing a victory. The effort of the lengthy innings stretched Bradman's reserves of energy, and he did not play again until the Fifth Test at The Oval, the match that would decide the Ashes.

In the first innings at The Oval, Bradman and Ponsford recorded an even more massive partnership, this time 451 runs. It had taken them less than a month to break the record they had set at Headingley; this new world record was to last 57 years. England would not recover them again until after Bradman's retirement.

Seemingly restored to full health, Bradman blazed two centuries in the last two games of the tour. However, when he returned to London to prepare for the trip home, he experienced severe abdominal pain. It took a doctor more than 24 hours to diagnose acute appendicitis and a surgeon operated immediately. Bradman lost a lot of blood during the four-hour procedure and peritonitis set in. Penicillin and sulphonamides were still experimental treatments at this time; peritonitis was usually a fatal condition. On 25 September, the hospital issued a statement that Bradman was struggling for his life and that blood donors were needed urgently.

"The effect of the announcement was little short of spectacular".

The captaincy was given to Vic Richardson, Bradman's predecessor as South Australian captain. Cricket author Chris Harte's analysis of the situation is that a prior (unspecified) commercial agreement forced Bradman to remain in Australia. Harte attributed an ulterior motive to his relocation: the off-field behaviour of Richardson and other South Australian players had displeased the South Australia Cricket Association (SACA), which was looking for new leadership. To help improve discipline, Bradman became a committeeman of the SACA, and a selector of the South Australian and Australian teams. He took his adopted state to its first Sheffield Shield title for 10 years, Bradman weighing in with personal contributions of 233 against Queensland and 357 against Victoria. He finished the season with 369 (in 233 minutes), a South Australian record, made against Tasmania. The bowler who dismissed him, Reginald Townley, would later become leader of the Tasmanian Liberal Party. A group of players who were openly hostile toward Bradman formed during the tour. For some, the prospect of playing under Bradman was daunting, as was the knowledge that he would additionally be sitting in judgement of their abilities in his role as a selector.

To start the new season, the Test side played a "Rest of Australia" team, captained by Bradman, at Sydney in early October 1936. The Test XI suffered a big defeat, due to Bradman's 212 and a haul of 12 wickets taken by leg-spinner Frank Ward. Bradman let the members of the Test team know that despite their recent success, the team still required improvement. toss at the start of the 1936–37 Ashes series. The five Tests drew more than 950,000 spectators including a world record 350,534 to the Third Test at Melbourne.]] Australia fell to successive defeats in the opening two Tests, Bradman making two ducks in his four innings, and it seemed that the captaincy was affecting his form. and Australia went on to victory. In 2001, Wisden rated this performance as the best Test match innings of all time.

The next Test, at the Adelaide Oval, was fairly even until Bradman played another patient second innings, making 212 from 395 balls. Australia levelled the series when the erratic left-arm spinner "Chuck" Fleetwood-Smith bowled Australia to victory. In the series-deciding Fifth Test, Bradman returned to a more aggressive style in top-scoring with 169 (off 191 balls) in Australia's 604 and Australia won by an innings. Australia's achievement of winning a series after losing the first two Tests has, of 1997, not been equalled in Test cricket.

End of an era

During the 1938 tour of England, Bradman played the most consistent cricket of his career. He needed to score heavily as England had a strengthened batting line-up, while the Australian bowling was over-reliant on O'Reilly. In scoring 2,429 runs, Bradman achieved the highest average ever recorded in an English season: 115.66. It was the slowest Test hundred of his career and he played a similar innings of 102 not out in the next Test as Australia struggled to another draw. Rain completely washed out the Third Test at Manchester.

Australia's opportunity came at Headingley, a Test described by Bradman as the best he ever played in. England batted first and made 223. During the Australian innings, Bradman backed himself by opting to bat on in poor light conditions, reasoning that Australia could score more runs in bad light on a good wicket than on a rain affected wicket in good light, when he had the option to go off. For the only time in his life, the tension of the occasion got to Bradman and he could not watch the closing stages of play, a reflection of the pressure that he felt all tour: he described the captaincy as "exhausting" and said he "found it difficult to keep going". In an attempt to relieve the burden on his bowlers, Bradman took a rare turn at bowling. During his third over, he fractured his ankle and teammates carried him from the ground. With Bradman injured and Fingleton unable to bat because of a leg muscle strain, Australia were thrashed by an innings and 579 runs, which remains the largest margin in Test cricket history. Unfit to complete the tour, Bradman left the team in the hands of vice-captain Stan McCabe. At this point, Bradman felt that the burden of captaincy would prevent him from touring England again, although he did not make his doubts public. In 1938–39, he led SA to the Sheffield Shield and made a century in six consecutive innings to equal the world record of CB Fry. Bradman totalled 21 first-class centuries in 34 innings, from the beginning of the 1938 tour of England (including preliminary games in Australia) until early 1939.

The next season, Bradman made an abortive bid to join the Victoria State side. The Melbourne Cricket Club advertised the position of club secretary and he was led to believe that if he applied, he would get the job. The position, which had been held by Hugh Trumble until his death in August 1938, was one of the most prestigious jobs in Australian cricket. The annual salary of £1,000 would make Bradman financially secure while allowing him to retain a connection with the game. On 18 January 1939, the club's committee, on the casting vote of the chairman, chose ex-Test batsman Vernon Ransford over Bradman.

The 1939–40 season was Bradman's most productive ever for SA: 1,448 runs at an average of 144.8. However, it was the end of an era. The outbreak of World War Two led to the indefinite postponement of all cricket tours, and the suspension of the Sheffield Shield competition.

Troubled war years

.]] Bradman joined the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) on 28 June 1940 and was passed fit for air crew duty. The RAAF had more recruits than it could equip and train and Bradman spent four months in Adelaide before the Governor-General of Australia, Lord Gowrie, persuaded Bradman to transfer to the army, a move that was criticised as a safer option for him.

Invalided out of service in June 1941, Bradman spent months recuperating, unable even to shave himself or comb his hair due to the extent of the muscular pain he suffered. He resumed stockbroking during 1942. In his biography of Bradman, Charles Williams expounded the theory that the physical problems were psychosomatic, induced by stress and possibly depression; Bradman read the book's manuscript and did not disagree. Had any cricket been played at this time, he would not have been available. Although he found some relief in 1945 when referred to the Melbourne masseur Ern Saunders, Bradman permanently lost the feeling in the thumb and index finger of his (dominant) right hand.

In June 1945, Bradman faced a financial crisis when the firm of Harry Hodgetts collapsed due to fraud and embezzlement. Bradman moved quickly to set up his own business, utilizing Hodgetts' client list and his old office in Grenfell Street, Adelaide. The fallout led to a prison term for Hodgetts, and left a stigma attached to Bradman's name in the city's business community for many years.

However, the SA Cricket Association had no hesitation in appointing Bradman as their delegate to the Board of Control in place of Hodgetts. Now working alongside some of the men he had battled in the 1930s, Bradman quickly became a leading light in the administration of the game. With the resumption of international cricket, he was once more appointed a Test selector, and played a major role in planning for post-war cricket.

"The ghost of a once great cricketer"

In 1945–46, Bradman suffered regular bouts of fibrositis while coming to terms with increased administrative duties and the establishment of his business. He played for SA in two matches to help with the re-establishment of first-class cricket and later described his batting as "painstaking". Batting against the Australian Services cricket team, Bradman scored 112 in less than two hours, yet Dick Whitington (playing for the Services) wrote, "I have seen today the ghost of a once great cricketer". Bradman declined a tour of New Zealand and spent the winter of 1946 wondering whether he had played his last match. With the English team due to arrive for the Ashes series, the media and the public were anxious to know if Bradman would lead Australia. His doctor recommended against a return to the game. Encouraged by his wife, Bradman agreed to play in lead-up fixtures to the Test series. After hitting two centuries, Bradman made himself available for the First Test at The Gabba.

Controversy emerged as early as the first day of the series. After compiling an uneasy 28 runs, Bradman hit a ball to the gully fieldsman, Jack Ikin. An appeal for a catch was denied in the umpire's contentious ruling that it was a bump ball. At the end of the over, England captain Wally Hammond spoke with Bradman and criticised him for not "walking"; "from then on the series was a cricketing war just when most people desired peace", Whitington wrote. Bradman regained his finest pre-war form in making 187, followed by 234 during the Second Test at Sydney. Australia won both matches by an innings. Jack Fingleton speculated that had the decision at Brisbane gone against him, Bradman would have retired, such were his fitness problems. In the remainder of the series, Bradman made three half-centuries in six innings, but was unable to make another century; nevertheless, his team won handsomely, 3–0. He was the leading batsman on either side, with an average of 97.14. Nearly 850,000 spectators watched the Tests, which helped lift public spirits after the war.

Century of centuries and "The Invincibles"

India made its first tour of Australia in the 1947–48 season. On 15 November, Bradman made 172 against them for an Australian XI at Sydney, his 100th first-class century. The first non-Englishman to achieve the milestone, Bradman remains the only Australian to have done so. In five Tests, he scored 715 runs (at 178.75 average). His last double century (201) came at Adelaide, and he scored a century in each innings of the Melbourne Test. On the eve of the Fifth Test, he announced that the match would be his last in Australia, although he would tour England as a farewell.

Australia had assembled one of the great teams of cricket history. Bradman made it known that he wanted to go through the tour unbeaten, English spectators were drawn to the matches knowing that it would be their last opportunity to see Bradman in action. RC Robertson-Glasgow observed of Bradman that:

In the final Test at The Oval, Bradman walked out to bat in Australia's first innings. He received a standing ovation from the crowd and three cheers from the opposition. His Test batting average stood at 101.39. Facing the wrist-spin of Eric Hollies, Bradman pushed forward to the second ball that he faced, was deceived by a googly, and bowled between bat and pad for a duck. An England batting collapse resulted in an innings defeat, denying Bradman the opportunity to bat again and so his career average finished at 99.94; if he had scored just four runs in his last innings, it would have been 100. A story developed over the years that claimed Bradman missed the ball because of tears in his eyes, a claim Bradman denied for the rest of his life. Just as Bradman's legend grew, rather than diminished, over the years, so too has the reputation of the 1948 team. For Bradman, it was the most personally fulfilling period of his playing days, as the divisiveness of the 1930s had passed. He wrote:

With Bradman now retired from professional cricket, RC Robertson-Glasgow wrote of the English reaction "... a miracle has been removed from among us. So must ancient Italy have felt when she heard of the death of Hannibal".

After cricket

After his return to Australia, Bradman played in his own Testimonial match at Melbourne, scoring his 117th and last century, and receiving £9,342 in proceeds. In the 1949 New Year's Honours List, he was made a Knight Bachelor for his services to the game, being the only Australian cricketer ever to be knighted. The following year he published a memoir, Farewell to Cricket. Bradman accepted offers from the Daily Mail to travel with, and write about, the 1953 and 1956 Australian teams in England. The Art of Cricket, his final book published in 1958, is an instructional manual. His highest profile affiliation was with Argo Investments Limited, where he was chairman for a number of years. Charles Williams commented that, "[b]usiness was excluded on medical grounds, [so] the only sensible alternative was a career in the administration of the game which he loved and to which he had given most of his active life".

Bradman was honoured at a number of cricket grounds, notably when his portrait was hung in the Long Room at Lord's; until Shane Warne's portrait was added in 2005, Bradman was one of just three Australians to be honoured in this way. Bradman inaugurated a "Bradman Stand" at the Sydney Cricket Ground in January 1974; the Adelaide Oval also opened a Bradman Stand in 1990. Later in 1974, he attended a Lord's Taverners function in London where he experienced heart problems, He gave the keynote speech at the historic Centenary Test at Melbourne in 1977.

On 16 June 1979, the Australian government awarded Bradman the nation's second-highest civilian honour at that time, Companion of the Order of Australia (AC), "in recognition of service to the sport of cricket and cricket administration". In 1980, he resigned from the ACB, to lead a more secluded life.

Administrative career

In addition to acting as one of South Australia's delegates to the Board of Control from 1945 to 1980, Bradman was a committee member of the SACA between 1935 and 1986. It is estimated that he attended 1,713 SACA meetings during this half century of service. Aside from two years in the early 1950s, he filled a selector's berth for the Test team between 1936 and 1971.

Cricket saw an increase in defensive play during the 1950s. As a selector, Bradman favoured attacking, positive cricketers who entertained the paying public. He formed an alliance with Australian captain Richie Benaud, seeking more attractive play, with some success. He served two high-profile periods as Chairman of the Board of Control, in 1960–63 and 1969–72. During the first, he dealt with the growing prevalence of illegal bowling actions in the game, a problem that he adjudged "the most complex I have known in cricket, because it is not a matter of fact but of opinion".

In the late 1970s, Bradman played an important role during the World Series Cricket schism as a member of a special Australian Cricket Board committee formed to handle the crisis. He was criticised for not airing an opinion, but he dealt with World Series Cricket far more pragmatically than other administrators. Richie Benaud described Bradman as "a brilliant administrator and businessman", warning that he was not to be underestimated. As Australian captain, Ian Chappell fought with Bradman over the issue of player remuneration in the early 1970s and has suggested that Bradman was parsimonious:

I ... thought to myself, 'Ian, did you just ask Bradman to fill your wallet with money?' Bradman's harangue confirmed my suspicions that the players were going to have a hard time extracting more money from the ACB.

Later years and legacy

Cricket writer David Frith summed up the paradox of the continuing fascination with Bradman:

In the 1963 edition of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, Bradman was selected by Neville Cardus as one the Six Giants of the Wisden Century. This was a special commemorative selection requested by Wisden for its 100th edition. The other five players chosen were:

Sydney Barnes

WG Grace

Jack Hobbs

Tom Richardson

Victor Trumper

On 10 December 1985, Bradman was the first of 120 inaugural inductees into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. He spoke of his philosophy for considering the stature of athletes:

Although modest about his own abilities and generous in his praise of other cricketers, Bradman was fully aware of the talents he possessed as a player; there is some evidence that he sought to influence his legacy. During the 1980s and 1990s, Bradman carefully selected the people to whom he gave interviews,

The most significant of these legacy projects was a museum, opened in 1987 at the Bradman Oval in Bowral. This organisation was reformed in 1993 as a non-profit charitable Trust, called the Bradman Foundation. When the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame was created in 1996, Bradman was made one of its 10 inaugural members. In 2000, Bradman was selected by cricket experts as one of five Wisden Cricketers of the Century. Each of the 100 members of the panel were able to select five cricketers: all 100 voted for Bradman.

After his wife's death in 1997, Bradman suffered "a discernible and not unexpected wilting of spirit". The next year, on his 90th birthday, he hosted a meeting with his two favourite modern players, Shane Warne and Sachin Tendulkar, but he was not seen in his familiar place at the Adelaide Oval again. Hospitalised with pneumonia in December 2000, he returned home in the New Year and died there on 25 February 2001, aged 92.

A memorial service to mark Bradman's life was held on 25 March 2001 at St Peter's Anglican Cathedral, Adelaide. The service was attended by a host of former and current Test cricketers, as well as Australia's then prime minister, John Howard, leader of the opposition Kim Beazley and former prime minister Bob Hawke. Eulogies were given by Richie Benaud and Governor-General Sir William Deane. The service was broadcast live on ABC Television to a viewing audience of 1.45 million.

Bradman's life and achievements were recognised in Australia with two notable issues. Three years before he died, he became the first living Australian to be featured on an Australian postage stamp. After his death, the Australian Government produced a 20 cent coin to commemorate his life.

Family life

Bradman first met Jessie Martha Menzies in 1920 when she boarded with the Bradman family, to be closer to school in Bowral. The couple married at St Paul's Anglican Church at Burwood, Sydney on 30 April 1932. Bradman paid tribute to his wife numerous times, once saying succinctly, "I would never have achieved what I achieved without Jessie".

The Bradmans lived in the same modest, suburban house in Holden Street, Kensington Park in Adelaide for all but the first three years of their married life. They experienced much personal tragedy in raising their children. Their first-born son died as an infant in 1936, their second son, John (born in 1939) contracted polio, and their daughter, Shirley, born in 1941, had cerebral palsy since her birth. His family name proved a burden for John Bradman; he changed his last name to Bradsen by deed poll in 1972. Although claims were made that he became estranged from his father, it was more a matter of "the pair inhabit[ing] different worlds". After the cricketer's death, a collection of personal letters written by Bradman to his close friend Rohan Rivett between 1953 and 1977 was released and gave researchers new insights into Bradman's family life, including the strain between father and son.

Bradman's reclusiveness in later life is partly attributable to the on-going health problems of his wife, particularly following the open-heart surgery Jessie underwent in her 60s. Lady Bradman died in 1997, aged 88, from cancer. This had a dispiriting effect on Bradman, but the relationship with his son improved, to the extent that John resolved to change his name back to Bradman. Since his father's death, John Bradman has become the spokesperson for the family and has been involved in defending the Bradman legacy in a number of disputes. The relationship between Bradman and his wider family is less clear, although nine months after Bradman's death, his nephew Paul Bradman criticised him as a "snob" and a "loner" who forgot his connections in Bowral and who failed to attend the funerals of Paul's mother and father.

Style

during the 1936–37 series. The position of Bradman's left foot in relation to the stumps is an example of how he used the crease when batting.]]

Bradman's early development was shaped by the high bounce of the ball on matting-over-concrete pitches. He favoured "horizontal-bat" shots (such as the hook, pull and cut) to deal with the bounce and devised a unique grip on the bat handle that would accommodate these strokes without compromising his ability to defend. Employing a side-on stance at the wicket, Bradman kept perfectly still as the bowler ran in. His backswing had a "crooked" look that troubled his early critics, but he resisted entreaties to change. His backswing kept his hands in close to the body, leaving him perfectly balanced and able to change his stroke mid-swing, if need be. Another telling factor was the decisiveness of Bradman's footwork. He "used the crease" by either coming metres down the wicket to drive, or playing so far back that his feet ended up level with the stumps when playing the cut, hook or pull.

Bradman's game evolved with experience. He temporarily adapted his technique during the Bodyline series, deliberately moving around the crease in an attempt to score from the short-pitched deliveries. At his peak, in the mid-1930s, he had the ability to switch between a defensive and attacking approach as the occasion demanded. After the Second World War, he adjusted to bat within the limitations set by his age, becoming a steady "accumulator" of runs. However, Bradman never truly mastered batting on sticky wickets. Wisden commented, "[i]f there really is a blemish on his amazing record it is ... the absence of a significant innings on one of those 'sticky dogs' of old". Steve Waugh described Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan as "the Don Bradman of bowling", while former Australian Prime Minister John Howard was called "the Don Bradman of politics" by his Liberal Party colleague Joe Hockey.

Bradman has been the subject of more biographies than any other Australian, apart from the outlaw Ned Kelly. Bradman himself wrote four books: Don Bradman's Book–The Story of My Cricketing Life with Hints on Batting, Bowling and Fielding (1930), My Cricketing Life (1938), Farewell to Cricket (1950) and The Art of Cricket (1958). The story of the Bodyline series was retold in a 1984 television mini-series.

Bradman is immortalised in three popular songs from different eras, "Our Don Bradman" (1930s, by Jack O'Hagan), "Bradman" (1980s, by Paul Kelly), and "Sir Don", (a tribute by John Williamson performed at Bradman's memorial service). Bradman recorded several songs accompanying himself and others on piano in the early 1930s, including "Every Day Is A Rainbow Day For Me". In 2000, the Australian Government made it illegal for the names of corporations to suggest a link to "Sir Donald Bradman", if such a link does not in fact exist. Other entities with similar protection are the Australian and foreign governments, the British Royal Family and the Returned and Services League of Australia.

Statistical summary

Test match performance

.]]

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto 1em auto; width:80%;" |- !colspan=2|   !colspan=4| Batting !colspan=4| Bowling |- ! style="text-align:left;" | Opposition !| Matches !| Runs !| Average !| High Score !| 100 / 50 !| Runs !| Wickets !| Average !| Best (Inns) |- style="text-align:right;" | style="text-align:left;" | England || 37 || 5028 || 89.78 || 334 || 19/12 || 51 || 1 || 51.00 || 1/23 |- style="text-align:right;" | style="text-align:left;" | India || 5 || 715 || 178.75 || 201 || 4/1 || 4 || 0 || – || – |- style="text-align:right;" | style="text-align:left;" | South Africa || 5 || 806 || 201.50 || 299* || 4/0 || 2 || 0 || – || – |- style="text-align:right;" | style="text-align:left;" | West Indies || 5 || 447 || 74.50 || 223 || 2/0 || 15 || 1 || 15.00 || 1/8 |- style="text-align:right; border-top:solid 2px gray;" | style="text-align:left;" | Overall || 52 || 6996 || 99.94 || 334 || 29/13 || 72 || 2 || 36.00 || 1/8 |}

First-class performance

{| class="wikitable" ! !Innings !Not Out !Highest !Aggregate !Average !100s !100s/inns |- | Ashes Tests | align=center|63 | align=center|7 | align=center|334 | align=center|5,028 | align=center|89.78 | align=center|19 | align=center|30.2% |- | All Tests | align=center|80 | align=center|10 | align=center|334 | align=center|6,996 | align=center|99.94 | align=center|29 | align=center|36.3% |- | Sheffield Shield | align=center|96 | align=center|15 | align=center|452* | align=center|8,926 | align=center|110.19 | align=center|36 | align=center|37.5% |- | All First Class | align=center|338 | align=center|43 | align=center|452* | align=center|28,067 | align=center|95.10 | align=center|117 | align=center|34.6% |- | Grade | align=center|93 | align=center|17 | align=center|303 | align=center|6,598 | align=center|86.80 | align=center|28 | align=center|30.1% |- | All Second Class | align=center|331 | align=center|64 | align=center|320* | align=center|22,664 | align=center|84.80 | align=center|94 | align=center|28.4% |- | Grand Total | align=center|669 | align=center|107 | align=center|452* | align=center|50,731 | align=center|90.27 | align=center|211 | align=center|'''31.5% |- | colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"|Statistics from Bradman Museum. |}

Test records

Bradman still holds the following significant records for Test match cricket: Highest career batting average (minimum 20 innings): 99.94 Highest series batting average (5 Test series): 201.50 (1931–32) Highest ratio of centuries per innings played: 36.25% (29 centuries from 80 innings) Highest 5th wicket partnership: 405 (with Sid Barnes, 1946–47) Highest 6th wicket partnership: 346 (with Jack Fingleton, 1936–37) Highest score by a number 5 batsman: 304 (1934) Highest score by a number 7 batsman: 270 (1936–37) Most runs in one series: 974 (1930) Most centuries scored in a single session of play: 6 (1 pre lunch, 2 lunch-tea, 3 tea-stumps) Most runs in one day's play: 309 (1930) Most double centuries: 12 Most triple centuries: 2 (equal with Chris Gayle, Brian Lara and Virender Sehwag) Most consecutive matches in which he made a century: 6 (the last three Tests in 1936–37, and the first three Tests in 1938)

Bradman has averaged over 100 in seven different calendar years (*qualification 400 runs). No other player has achieved this in more than two calendar years.

Fastest player to reach 2000 (in 22 innings), 3000 (33 innings), 4000 (48 innings), 5000 (56 innings) and 6000 (68 innings) Test runs.

Cricket context

Bradman's Test batting average of 99.94 has become one of cricket's most famous, iconic statistics. Only seven players have surpassed his total, all at a much slower rate: Sachin Tendulkar (who required 159 innings to do so), Matthew Hayden (167 innings), Ricky Ponting (170 innings), Sunil Gavaskar (174 innings), Jacques Kallis (200 innings), Brian Lara (205 innings) and Steve Waugh (247 innings). His total of 12 Test double hundreds (in 15% of his innings) is the most achieved by any batsman. The next best is Brian Lara with 9 in 232 innings (4%), Walter Hammond with 7 in 140 innings (5%) and Kumar Sangakkara 6 in 110 innings (5%). The top performers in his selected sports are: The respective records are .366 and 30.1.

... Australian icon considered by many to be the pre-eminent sportsman of all time ... One of Australia's most beloved heroes, he was revered abroad as well. When Nelson Mandela was released after 27 years in prison, his first question to an Australian visitor was, "Is Sir Donald Bradman still alive?"

Notes

References

External links

Bradman Museum and Bradman Oval

Bradman Digital Library—State Library of South Australia

The Bradman Trail

Don Bradman on Picture Australia

Interview with Bradman 1930

Don Bradman — TV documentary — Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Some images of Don Bradman, including some showing Don Bradman's batting technique

Category:1908 births Category:2001 deaths Category:Australian cricketers Category:Australia Test cricketers Category:Australia national cricket team selectors Category:Australian cricket captains Category:Australian Cricket Hall of Fame inductees Category:Australian knights Category:Companions of the Order of Australia Category:Cricket administrators Category:Cricket players and officials awarded knighthoods Category:Deaths from pneumonia Category:Knights Bachelor Category:Infectious disease deaths in South Australia Category:International Cricket Council Hall of Fame inductees Category:Jubilee 150 Walkway Category:New South Wales cricketers Category:People from Bowral, New South Wales Category:South Australia cricketers Category:Sport Australia Hall of Fame inductees Category:St George cricketers Category:The Invincibles (cricket) Category:Wisden Cricketers of the Year Category:Wisden Leading Cricketers in the World

Playername	Dennis Lillee
Country	Australia
Fullname	Dennis Keith Lillee
Living	true
Dayofbirth	18
Monthofbirth	07
Yearofbirth	1949
Placeofbirth	Subiaco, Perth
Countryofbirth	Australia
Heightft	5
Heightinch	11.5
Batting	Right-hand batsman
Bowling	Right-arm fast
Role	Bowler
International	true
Testdebutdate	29 January
Testdebutyear	1971
Testdebutagainst	England
Lasttestdate	2 January
Lasttestyear	1984
Lasttestagainst	Pakistan
Odidebutdate	24 August
Odidebutyear	1972
Odidebutagainst	England
Lastodidate	18 June
Lastodiyear	1983
Lastodiagainst	West Indies
Club1	Northamptonshire
Year1	1988
Club2	Tasmania
Year2	1987–1988
Club3	Western Australia
Year3	1969–1984
| columns	4
Column1	Test
Matches1	70
Runs1	905
Bat avg1	13.71
100s/50s1	0/1
Top score1	73*
Deliveries1	18467
Wickets1	355
Bowl avg1	23.92
Fivefor1	23
Tenfor1	7
Best bowling1	7/83
Catches/stumpings1	23/–
Column2	ODIs
Matches2	63
Runs2	240
Bat avg2	9.23
100s/50s2	0/0
Top score2	42*
Deliveries2	3593
Wickets2	103
Bowl avg2	20.82
Fivefor2	1
Tenfor2	n/a
Best bowling2	5/34
Catches/stumpings2	67/–
Column3	FC
Matches3	198
Runs3	2337
Bat avg3	13.90
100s/50s3	0/2
Top score3	73*
Deliveries3	44806
Wickets3	882
Bowl avg3	23.46
Fivefor3	50
Tenfor3	13
Best bowling3	8/29
Catches/stumpings3	67/–
Column4	List A
Matches4	102
Runs4	382
Bat avg4	8.68
100s/50s4	0/0
Top score4	42*
Deliveries4	5678
Wickets4	165
Bowl avg4	19/75
Fivefor4	1
Tenfor4	n/a
Best bowling4	5/34
Catches/stumpings4	17/–
Date	14 January
Year	2009
Source	http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/1/1369/1369.html CricketArchive

Dennis Keith Lillee, AM, MBE (born 18 July 1949 in Subiaco, Western Australia) is a former Australian cricketer rated as the "outstanding fast bowler of his generation". Lillee was known for his fiery temperament, 'never-say-die' attitude and popularity with the fans.

In the early part of his career Lillee was an extremely quick bowler, but a number of stress fractures in his back almost ended his career. Taking on a strict fitness regime, he fought his way back to full fitness, eventually returning to international cricket. By the time of his retirement from international cricket in 1984 he had become the then world record holder for most Test wickets (355), and had firmly established himself as one of the most recognisable and renowned Australian sportsmen of all time.

On 17 December 2009, Lillee was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. Dennis Lillee has done great service to the art of Fast bowling by contributing immensely at the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai, India.

Test career

Aged 20, Lillee made his first-class debut for Western Australia in 1969-70 and impressed with his raw pace. At the end of the season, he toured New Zealand with an Australian second team and took 18 wickets at 16.44 average.

Debut

The following season, he made his Test debut in the Sixth Test at Adelaide in the 1970-71 Ashes series, taking 5/84 from 28.3 eight-ball overs. His first Test wicket was John Edrich, caught by Keith Stackpole for 130, but it was not until the Seventh Test at Sydney that John Hampshire became the first batsman to be "caught Marsh, bowled Lillee".In 1971–72 against a World XI at Perth, he destroyed a powerful batting lineup that included Garry Sobers, Clive Lloyd, Rohan Kanhai and Sunil Gavaskar by taking 8/29. Lillee followed this performance with a successful Ashes tour of England in 1972, when he "asserted himself as a great bowler". In a series that ended 2–2, he was the outstanding bowler on either team, taking 31 wickets at an average of 17.67. This earned him selection as one of Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year for 1973.

Back injury

During a Test against Pakistan in the 1972–73 season, Lillee felt sharp pain in his back for the first time, but continued to play. On the tour of the West Indies that followed, Lillee broke down completely and was diagnosed with stress fracture in his lower vertebrae. Forced out of cricket, he spent six weeks during the winter of 1973 wearing a plaster cast that encased his entire torso. In 1975, the University of Western Australia timed Lillee's bowling at 154.8 km/h.

Lillee and Thomson

Lillee toured England again in 1975. During the inaugural World Cup he captured eight wickets in five matches, including 5/34 against Pakistan at Leeds. His aggressive bowling was not always suited to the run-containing style required in the one-day game. In the subsequent four-Test series against England, Lillee claimed 21 wickets as his team finished winners by 1–0. With the bat, he made 73 not out at Lord's to rescue Australia from a difficult situation.

Another 27 wickets (at 26.37 average) followed in the summer of 1975–76 against the West Indies. At this time, Lillee was one of the most marketable personalities in Australia, but he was frustrated by the small amounts that he earned from the game. Outspoken in his opinions, he came into conflict with the game's administrators. Lillee suggested that a made-for-television exhibition series could be played each season with profits given to the players. John Cornell, his manager, took this idea to Kerry Packer, who later fashioned it into World Series Cricket (WSC).

An injury to Thomson early in 1976–77 forced Lillee to take on a greater workload during the six Tests of the season. He responded with 47 wickets including match figures of 10/135 against Pakistan at the MCG and 11/123 at Auckland against New Zealand. In the Centenary Test, his 11/165 was the decisive performance in Australia's victory. However, the extra exertion created "hot spots" in his back and not wanting to reaggravate his previous condition, he made himself unavailable for the 1977 tour of England.

World Series Cricket

Remaining in Australia to do television commentary on the tour, Lillee was isolated from the furore in England surrounding the plans for the breakaway professional competition, WSC. He was announced as one of the WSC players in May 1977. The Lillee image and personality were key components in WSC's innovative marketing of their games. However, he struggled on-field during the first season of WSC and in the winter of 1978 made further adjustments to his action. He also spent time working with ex-World professional sprint champion Austin Robertson, improving his running technique and fitness. In nine "Supertests" (four in Australia and five in the West Indies) during 1978–79, Lillee captured 46 wickets at 22.5 average, with a best of 7/23 against the West Indies XI at the SCG.

Cutting down his pace and the length of his run up, Lillee now concentrated on moving the ball off the seam with an occasional faster or slower ball for variation. During the season of his return to official cricket, Lillee collected 35 Test wickets in six matches against the West Indies and England, and gave Australia's bowling attack stability while the selectors experimented with the team. In the World Series Cup, his changed style helped to bring him 20 wickets (at 12.7 average) in eight ODIs, including 4/12 against West Indies and 4/28 against England, both at the SCG. However, the tour of Pakistan that followed was ruined for Lillee by flat batting pitches prepared by local curators to blunt his effectiveness. He managed just three wickets in three Tests.

Australian and world records

Against New Zealand and India in 1980–81, Lillee took 37 wickets in six Tests and was the leading bowler in the World Series Cup for the second successive season. He contributed 25 wickets to Australia's first victory in the competition. After breaking Richie Benaud's Australian Test record of 248 wickets, Lillee toured England in 1981 when his preparation was compromised by a viral infection. A return of 39 Test wickets (at 22.30) for series was the best of his career Despite possessing this potent attack, Australia lost the series by 1–3 when Ian Botham turned in a series of brilliant individual performances.

Granted a testimonial for 1981–82, Lillee's season got off to a poor start when he was involved in the infamous incident with Javed Miandad (see below) in the first Test of the summer. Suspended for two ODIs, the level of his on-field aggression was again criticised. However, he continued taking wickets: 15 in three Tests against Pakistan and 16 in three Tests against the West Indies. Against the latter, his 7/83 and 3/44 at the MCG in the first Test took him past the world record for the most Test wickets held by Lance Gibbs. His ODI season was less successful, with 12 wickets in 12 games. His best effort was 2/18 in ten overs against the West Indies during the third final of the World Series Cup, the only match in the final series Australia was able to win.

Retirement

Bowling as a first-change, Lillee had an uneventful tour of New Zealand in March and April 1982 before suffering a serious knee injury in the first Ashes Test at the WACA Ground in November of the same year. This forced him to miss the rest of the series and Australia's 2–1 victory, which reclaimed the Ashes. Returning to the team for the latter stages of the World Series Cup, Lillee was no longer an automatic choice to take the new ball. Nevertheless, his 11 wickets in six ODIs helped Australia win the tournament with a victory over New Zealand in the final.

His wicket-taking capacity was diminishing. During Australia's brief tour of Sri Lanka in 1983, Lillee took three wickets at Kandy in the inaugural Test between the two nations and went wicket-less in two ODIs. Later in the year, his ODI career finished during the third World Cup in England when he conceded 52 runs from 12 overs in the match against the West Indies at Lord's. Dropped from the team, Lillee acknowledged that he was not fully fit, but he remained motivated to continue in Test cricket by the number of people who had written him off.

During the first two Tests of 1983–84 against Pakistan at Perth, he took only one wicket and looked set to be dropped from the Test team as well. Fate intervened when Carl Rackemann, the man of the match from the second Test, was injured. This allowed Lillee to play the rest of the Test series and he finished with 20 wickets at 31.65. Along with Greg Chappell he announced his retirement during the final Test at Sydney, and took eight wickets, including a wicket with his last delivery in the match.

Caught Marsh bowled Lillee

Throughout his Australian career Lillee was also famous for his partnership with wicketkeeper Rod Marsh, and the scorecard entry 'c Marsh b Lillee' appeared 95 times in Tests, a partnership record between wicketkeeper and bowler that is yet to be broken. Coincidentally, both took 355 wickets. They also shared much success at first-class level, playing for West Australia.

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="2" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;" |+Most successful bowler & wicketkeeper/fielder combinations in Test cricket !| Team || Bowler || WK or Fielder* || Matches || Wickets |- | align=center|Australia || align=center|Dennis Lillee || align=center|Rod Marsh || align=center|69 || align=center|95 |- | align=center|Australia || align=center|Glenn McGrath || align=center|Adam Gilchrist || align=center|71 || align=center|90 |- | align=center|South Africa || align=center|Makhaya Ntini || align=center|Mark Boucher* || align=center|94 || align=center|84 |- | align=center|Australia || align=center|Brett Lee || align=center|Adam Gilchrist || align=center|65 || align=center|81 |- | align=center|South Africa || align=center|Shaun Pollock || align=center|Mark Boucher || align=center|88 || align=center|79 |- | align=center|West Indies || align=center|Malcolm Marshall || align=center|Jeff Dujon || align=center|68 || align=center|71 |- |} Statistics correct at 4 August 2009. Source:.

Controversy

Aluminium bat incident

During a Test at the WACA Ground in December 1979 between Australia and England, Lillee went to the crease with an aluminium bat manufactured by a company owned by a personal friend. There were no rules against using such a bat, but trouble began when Lillee hit a ball that went for three runs. Australian captain Greg Chappell thought that the ball should have gone for a four, and instructed Rodney Hogg to deliver a conventional wooden bat to Lillee. As this was happening, English captain Mike Brearley complained to the umpires that the bat was damaging the ball.

Lillee refused to change the bat. Brearley, Lillee, and the umpires held an animated discussion for almost ten minutes, before Chappell insisted that Lillee should change bats. In a fit of pique, Lillee threw "the offending lump of metal fully 40 yards towards the pavilion", and grudgingly took the wooden bat. He was not disciplined by the ACB for this incident. After the game, sales of the bat skyrocketed for a few months, before the laws of the game were amended, specifying that bats had to be made from wood.

Betting

At Headingley on the 1981 tour of England, Australia was in such a strong position at one stage of the third Test that bookmakers at the ground were offering odds of 500–1 on an England victory. These odds were flashed on the scoreboard during a break in the game and noticed by the Australian players. Lillee and Rod Marsh believed that the odds were so ludicrous that, via a third party, they each put a small wager on the outcome, later describing their actions as a "joke". Between them, they collected 7,500 pounds when England pulled off a comeback victory. Both men openly discussed the incident and received no official censure or sanction, although some criticised their actions. There has never been a suggestion that the bets compromised their efforts in the game. However, the issue has been re-examined in modern times following the match-fixing scandals that have plagued international cricket since the mid-1990s.

Lillee vs Miandad

Described by Wisden as "one of the most undignified incidents in Test history", the clash between Lillee and Pakistani batsman Javed Miandad occurred during the first Test at Perth in 1981.

Miandad turned Lillee behind square for a single, and in completing an easy run, he collided with the bowler. Eyewitnesses agreed that Lillee was to blame and most observed that he had deliberately moved into the batsman's path. The two players' versions of events differ ... As Lillee turned to go back to his mark he maintained that Miandad struck him from behind with his bat; Miandad countered with the claim that Lillee had kicked him as he passed. What isn't in doubt is that Lillee then turned to confront Miandad, and Miandad lifted his bat above his head as if to strike him. The unedifying images of Tony Crafter, the umpire, stepping in to hold back Lillee while Miandad wielded his bat like a deranged javelin thrower were beamed around the world.

... The media were in no doubt where the blame lay–with Lillee. Bob Simpson, the former Australian captain, wrote that it was "the most disgraceful thing I have seen on a cricket field". Keith Miller, in the Sydney Sunday Telegraph, added that Lillee "should be suspended for the rest of the season," and Ian Chappell added that Lillee's actions were those of "a spoiled, angry child".

But Greg Chappell, Australia's captain, supported Lillee and ... even suggested that it has all been part of a plot by Pakistan to entrap Lillee.

The Australian players–who sat in judgment on such matters in those days–announced that Lillee would be fined AU$200, a decision which attracted almost as much anger as the incident itself. The two umpires complained at the leniency of the punishment, and the Australian Board acted swiftly, reducing the fine to AU$120 but adding a two-match ban. Cynics noted that the punishment ensured that Lillee missed two fairly low-key one-day internationals, and none of the Tests.

After retirement

Lillee made a brief comeback to first-class cricket in 1987–88 for Tasmania, taking a wicket with his first ball. In 1988, he played eight matches for English county team Northants and suffered a severe ankle injury. In his recent autobiography, Lillee claimed that he played again as a preparation for a possible comeback to the Australian team that was suggested by the then captain Allan Border.

During the 1990s and in the early years of the 21st century Lillee has dedicated himself to educating and improving young fast bowlers, working closely with bowlers from all around the world. He is currently considered one of the finest fast bowling coaches in the world. Lillee continued playing competitive cricket until 1999 for the traditional ACB President's XI match against touring sides at Lilac Hill. In his final match he took three wickets and played alongside his son Adam.

He has also appeared in many TV commercials for items as diverse as carpets, work boots, glucosamine tablets to relieve osteoarthritis symptoms and solar power companies.

Since 2004 he has been the president of the Western Australian Cricket Association.

Honours, awards, records and accolades

He was one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1973.

He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1981.

He was one of the ten inaugural inductees into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in 1996.

He was selected in the official Australian Test Team of the Century.

He was awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2000. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day Honours of 2010.

He was immortalized in the Men at Work song "No Restrictions" (Cargo, 1983) with the line: "Hear the cricket calling, switch on the TV, sit and stare for hours, and cheer Dennis Lillee".

He was also mentioned in the Iain Campbell Smith song "Blue Guitar". In a lyric where the narrator is describing unlikely, fantastic events he sings "I hit a six off Dennis Lillee and I clean bowled Gavaskar". When performing in the United States, Smith will often change the lyric to "I scored thirty-seven points off of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar."

Footnotes

References

External links

HowSTAT! statistical profile of Dennis Lillee

Infamous Cricket Incidents - Dennis Lillee vs Javed Miandad

Dennis Lillee interviewed on Enough Rope (transcript), 28 April 2003

Lillee and Thomson interviewed (video), 2007

Category:Australian Cricket Hall of Fame inductees Category:Australia One Day International cricketers Category:Australia Test cricketers Category:Western Australia cricketers Category:Tasmania cricketers Category:Northamptonshire cricketers Category:Wisden Cricketers of the Year Category:World Series Cricket players Category:Cricketers at the 1975 Cricket World Cup Category:Cricketers at the 1983 Cricket World Cup Category:Australian cricket coaches Category:Western Australian Sports Star of the Year winners Category:People from Perth, Western Australia Category:1949 births Category:Living people Category:Western Australian Hall of Champions inductees Category:International Cricket Council Hall of Fame inductees Category:Wisden Leading Cricketers in the World Category:Recipients of the Australian Sports Medal Category:Members of the Order of Australia Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire