Sunil Gavasaker The Legend of Indian Cricket

Basit Ali, in his young days.

Life Lines of Darren Gough in Dec 2000

This life lines of Darren Gough was published in “The Cricketer” in Dec 2000



Most Memorable day in Cricket:

My first one day international and my first test match, both against New Zealand in 1994. My ambition in life was to play for my country and I felt very proud. The Sydney Test if scoring 51 was great taking 6 for 49 was even better. It was my first five wicket haul in test cricket and put me on the honors board. When I got my 5^th wicket I said a little prayer

Worst Day in Cricket:

England A vs. Natal on South Africa’s A tour. Martin Bicknell broke down after two over’s which left us with just three bowlers. I ended with figures of one for 139 off 39 over’s.

Cricketing Heroes:

Ian Botham, Sir Richard Hadlee, Malcom Marshall

Greatest Influence on Cricket:

My wife Anna. She made me realize that to get to the top you have to work hard.

Current Player you Admired:

Allan Donald

Young Cricketers for the Future to Play for England:

Michael Vaughan, Chris Silverwood, Richard Johnson, Mal Loye

Cricketing Ambitions:

Play Well for England in Test Cricket

Favorite Grounds:

Lord’s for its history and great lunches; New Road, Worcester, Newlands in Cape Town, MCG in Australia

Least Favorite Ground:

Middleborough, I never bowl well there and it’s always cold.

Complaint against Cricket:

Once bouncer per over, two runs for a no ball not enough in the game compared to other sports, moreover 20 minutes not long enough for tea.

Most embarrassing moment in life:

Having to make a speech at my wedding

Hobbies and interest:

Golf, Football, Watching Movies

Favorite Pastime:

Going to the movies, eating out, relaxing at home with my wife

Other Sports you followed:

Football off course

Other Sports People you admired:

Kevin Costner, Nick Faldo, Glenn Hoddle, Wayne Morton, the Yorkshire physio.

Favorite Car:

Ford Mondo 1.8TD and Ford Sierra 2.0i GHIA

Favorite Food:

Mexican and Italian

Preferred Clothes:

Jeans and T-Shirt

Newspaper you Read:

Today

Favorite holidays Spot:

Oreland, America, Perth, and Cape Town

Motto in life:

Treat others as you would as expect others to treat you.

You’re Favorite Hotel:

The Swallow, Birmingham

How in your wildest dreams would you most like to spend a day/night?

I would win a million at a casino, retire from cricket and live a life of pleasures. And I would like to fly a jet fighter.

Your Favorite Magazine:

I like The Cricketer International

Any Pet Hates:

My dog chewing

Funniest moment in Cricket: Rolling Peter Hartley in to bowl in a shopping trolley the innings after he had just bowled 41 over’s before play along with Martyn Moxon our cap.

Sarfraz Ahmed is first Pakistani Wicket-keeper to Score 3 Tons in a Calendar year

Pakistani cricket captain Misbah-ul-Haq congratulates Sarfraz Ahmed for his century during the fourth day of the second Test match between Pakistan and New Zealand at Dubai International Stadium in Dubai on November 20, 2014. Pakistan were 392-9 at lunch. Resuming at 281-6, Pakistan furthered their innings with Sarfraz Ahmed scoring a fighting century with 111 not out and added 80 for the unfinished tenth wicket stand with Rahat Ali who is 16 not out in the extended two-and-half hour session.  He's first Pakistani Wicket-keeper to Score 3 Tons in a Calendar year. Sarfraz Ahmed Last 10 Innings: 48, 55, 52*, 103, 55, 109, 15*, 19*, 13* & 112 Average: 96.83.

Misbah-ul-Haq Equals Fastest Test Hundred

No one can believe, that a 40 years old guy can make a fastest Test hundred. Misbah-ul-Haq converted the fastest fifty in Test cricket just off 21 balls and register his name into the joint-fastest century off 56 balls on the fourth day in Abu Dhabi. But Misbah-ul-Haq did it brilliantly against Australia in the 2nd test at Abu Dhabi on Nov 02, 2014. Before that he done a fastest fifty in the history of test cricket. So it likes a dream that Pakistan captain holds the two respected records of test cricket, and make his name on the top of list. This is simply unbelievable for whole world, especially for Pakistan fans. He has been criticizing due to his famous word "Tuk Tuk". A magnificent inning played by him, which he can proud himself through out his career. We should give a huge applause to Misbah for this special inning. We're sure now he'll get the respect as he deserve.

Fastest Hundred in The History of Test Cricket

 Fastest Fifties in the History of Test Cricket

Misbah-ul-Haq converted the fastest fifty in Test cricket - off 21 balls - into the joint-fastest century - off 56 balls - on the fourth day in Abu Dhabi on Nov 02, 2014© Getty Images

Misbah-ul-Haq Smashes Fastest fifty in the history of Test cricket.

What a Great Knock by Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq scored Fastest Fifty in the history of Test Cricket, just made in 20 balls against Australia in the second test at Abu Dhabi on Nov 02, 2014. Jack Kallis of South Africa previously has the record in 24 balls against Zimbabwe at Cape Town in 2004-05. A brilliant inning.

Sarfraz Ahmad 2nd Test Hundred off 80 balls against Australia at Dubai in Oct 2014

Sarfraz Ahmed got to his century in 80 balls against Australia at Dubai actually is the fourth fastest by a Pakistan batsman. The record is held by Majid Khan who scored a hundred off 74 balls against New Zealand in 1976. However, Boom Boom Shahid Afridi has scored two 78-ball hundreds. Across countries, this is the 18th fastest century in Tests where balls-faced data is available. Moreover one number of wicketkeepers who have made a faster Test hundred than Sarfraz. Who is none other than Adam Gilchrist scored a 57-ball hundred versus England at Perth in 2006. Whereas Safraz's innings was the 12th time a wicketkeeper posted a 100-plus score at a 100-plus strike rate in Tests, with seven of those being by Gilchrist.

Sarfraz Ahmed exults after his hundred, Pakistan v Australia, 1st Test, Dubai, 2nd day, October 23, 2014 @ Getty Image

One Of the Best all Time Catch in the Game of Cricket

Prosper Utesya hat-tricks against South Africa at Harare Sports Club

There’re two numbers of hat-tricks that have been taken by Zimbabwean bowlers in ODI cricket. Before that Eddo Brandes have taken hat-trick against England in 1997. Moreover there’re now two hat-tricks that have been taken against South Africa in ODI cricket, the only previous one being Lasith Malinga's famous four-in-four-balls at Guyana during the 2007 World Cup. Prosper Utseya is the first Zimbabwean bowler who have taken five wickets against South Africa in ODI 29 Aug 2014.  In all, Zimbabwean bowlers have taken 16 five-fors in ODI cricket, with Brian Vitori, Paul Strang, Henry Olonga and Eddo Brandes being the only bowlers to take more than one - they have taken two each.

Player	Match	Venue	Date
Jalal-ud-Din	Pakistan v Australia	Hyderabad (P)	20/09/1982
BA Reid	Australia v New Zealand	Sydney	29/01/1986
C Sharma	India v New Zealand	Nagpur	31/10/1987
Wasim Akram	Pakistan v West Indies	Sharjah	14/10/1989
Wasim Akram	Pakistan v Australia	Sharjah	4/5/1990
Kapil Dev	India v Sri Lanka	Calcutta	4/1/1991
Aaqib Javed	Pakistan v India	Sharjah	25/10/1991
DK Morrison	New Zealand v India	Napier	25/03/1994
Waqar Younis	Pakistan v New Zealand	East London	19/12/1994
Saqlain Mushtaq	Pakistan v Zimbabwe	Peshawar	3/11/1996
EA Brandes	Zimbabwe v England	Harare	3/1/1997
AM Stuart	Australia v Pakistan	Melbourne	16/01/1997
Saqlain Mushtaq	Pakistan v Zimbabwe	The Oval	11/6/1999
WPUJC Vaas	Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe	Colombo (SSC)	8/12/2001
Mohammad Sami	Pakistan v West Indies	Sharjah	15/02/2002
WPUJC Vaas	Sri Lanka v Bangladesh	Pietermaritzburg	14/02/2003
B Lee	Australia v Kenya	Durban	15/03/2003
JM Anderson	England v Pakistan	The Oval	20/06/2003
SJ Harmison	England v India	Nottingham	1/9/2004
CK Langeveldt	South Africa v West Indies	Barbados	11/5/2005
Shahadat Hossain	Bangladesh v Zimbabwe	Harare	2/8/2006
JE Taylor	West Indies v Australia	Mumbai (BS)	18/10/2006
SE Bond	New Zealand v Australia	Hobart	14/01/2007
*SL Malinga	Sri Lanka v South Africa	Guyana	28/03/2007
A Flintoff	England v West Indies	St Lucia	3/4/2009
MF Maharoof	Sri Lanka v India	Dambulla	22/06/2010
Abdur Razzak	Bangladesh v Zimbabwe	Dhaka	3/12/2010
KAJ Roach	West Indies v Netherlands	Delhi	28/02/2011
SL Malinga	Sri Lanka v Kenya	Colombo (RPS)	1/3/2011
SL Malinga	Sri Lanka v Australia	Colombo (RPS)	22/08/2011
DT Christian	Australia v Sri Lanka	Melbourne	2/3/2012
NLTC Perera	Sri Lanka v Pakistan	Colombo (RPS)	16/06/2012
CJ McKay	Australia v England	Cardiff	14/09/2013
Rubel Hossain	Bangladesh v New Zealand	Dhaka	29/10/2013
Prosper Utseya	Zimbabwe v South Africa	Harare	29/08/2014

Sunil Narine became first Bowler in T20 to bowl a Maiden Super Over.

West Indies off spinner Sunil Narine became the first bowler in T20 cricket history to bowl a maiden over in a super over. The match was Red Steel versus Guyana Amazon Warriors of the Caribbean Premier League at Providence on Thursday 21 August 2014. Earlier in the day, the Dwayne Bravo-led Red Steel franchise removed the words “Trinidad & Tobago” from their name on a minister's request. But the name change did not prove enough for the team. The scores were tied after the stipulated 20 overs a side, with Red Steel 118/8 and Guyana Amazon Warriors at 118/9. And then, the Steels came up against the wily spin of Sunil Narine.