Day: November 13, 2021

Dubai, November 13, 2021 (PPI-OT):Following the ICC Hall of Fame announcement on 13 November 2021, former teammates have written open letters to the inductees, with their reactions to the news.

To Jan,

To be inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame is perhaps the biggest accolade you can have in the game. Being celebrated along with some of the greatest players is one of the things that you hope one day maybe you’ll experience. When I learned you were to join the list of names, I was just over the moon for you, because someone like you just has to be recognised and deserves that recognition – I couldn’t be happier.

Hearing the news made me smile as much as I have done in a long time and I couldn’t wait to write this letter to you. You are undoubtedly one of the greats of the game, and I feel so lucky and privileged to have played with you. It was an honour sharing the field with you for England, because you influenced me so much during the early part of my career, and a lot of what you did and what I witnessed has helped me in later years.

I idolised you if I’m honest. I watched you play in the World Cup in England, and I can’t forget my first ever game going to watch England was in Finchampstead when my dad took me to watch you play. That’s the first time I saw you live.

I was a bit of a geek growing up, and I’d heard so much about you, so I always knew that Jan Brittin was the best England batter of her generation, and since that day I first watched you score runs, I was just in awe of you.

Once I started playing, we would play against each other quite a bit in club cricket. Then in 1996, once I got called up to represent England, I had the absolute pleasure of opening the batting with you in my first Test match. I remember walking out to bat, and you always called me kiddo, and you said: ‘You take the first ball, kiddo.’ I don’t think as a 16-year-old you could have had any better compliment than that, just before you take the first ball in your first Test.

You gave me a huge amount of confidence and believed in me. For anyone, you always want your idol to live up to everything you hoped they would do when you’re growing up and you certainly did that. I just feel so lucky to have played and have learned from, in my opinion, the best.

You were just a great player, a great person, and someone who I hugely looked up to and it’s right that you held a number of records within the game. In fact you still hold a few – you are still England women’s leading Test run-scorer, and I don’t think you’ll ever be beaten.

I played in your last few matches in the Test series against Australia, perhaps my fondest memories of watching you play. Despite your broken finger, you battled through to play some of the best cricket I’ve seen, which emphasises the toughness of your character, and your quality right up to the very end. There was a real resilience around you that made you in my view England’s greatest batter and everything that I looked up to and wanted to be myself.

You were a great role model for me and someone I feel very fortunate to have played with at the back end of your career. Everyone I spoke to then, and since always talks about you with the utmost admiration. When we said our final goodbye to you at your funeral, seeing everyone there talking so fondly and telling us all the great stories about you confirmed your status as a legend on and off the field.

Around the world, you were one of the best. Winning the World Cup in 1993 I’m sure would be considered your biggest achievement. Top-scoring with 48 in the final was the crowning glory for you, and it was great to watch England during that wonderful year.

I can’t just talk about you as a batter however! You were a better fielder at 36 than I was at 16! You were just so fit and professional. I remember my first World Cup tour with you. It was the first time we wore trousers – we can probably thank you for that – and you took some wonderful catches being the excellent fielder you were. I’d like to say you were probably a generation too early really in terms of your approach to the game.

I often talk about you to some of the players I work with now. I’ve never forgotten what you did for me and I don’t think a lot of the players in my era have.

I’ve always looked back on you as the standout female cricketer. Rachael Heyhoe Flint is always rightly remembered as the pioneer, but I think you were the player everyone looked up to and wanted to be. I certainly did and I know a number of my peers did as well.

You were just so elegant to watch. I remember my dad loved watching you but then again, we all did, my whole family did. We used to go to games and I didn’t want to get you out!

Thank you for being you and living up to everything I wanted as my idol, to play three years with you was just the best and the best introduction to international cricket I could ever, ever have had.

Congratulations Jan, your memory will live on in us all.

Charlotte

For more information, contact:
Headquarters,
International Cricket Council (ICC)
Street 69, Dubai Sports City,
Sh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE
Phone: +97-143828800
Fax: +97-143828600
E-mail: enquiry@icc-cricket.com
Website: www.icc-cricket.com

Dubai, November 13, 2021 (PPI-OT):Following the ICC Hall of Fame announcement on 13 November 2021, former teammates have written open letters to the inductees, with their reactions to the news.

To Mahela,

Many congratulations on being inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame. This is a great honour for any cricketer – to be recognised for achievements over a long period of time.

It is something we cricketers truly strive for. We have been lucky enough to have done something we love, passionately, throughout our careers. So, to be included among the all-time greats in such fashion is something truly incredible and to be cherished forever.

It’s a lifetime award and it shows the respect you have gained over the years from your friends, competitors and the ICC, so seeing your name added to the list is special.

As for me, I was surprised to be the first Sri Lankan inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame. Now you, my friend, are getting inducted. It makes me so very proud because I know what you have done for Sri Lankan and world cricket over the course of your career – you are something special.

Looking back at your playing career, there are so many highlights. You played a brilliant innings in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2011 Final – an unbeaten hundred against India. That was a special innings, even if we did not end up winning the trophy.

I can remember another innings that you played in a Test match: 166 against Bangladesh in 2008. It is a memorable one because it came in the second innings on a pitch aiding turn and which was really difficult to bat on.

That’s what was great about you. You played so many wonderful innings and were always happy to be in the team, getting a lot of runs. There was less pressure on me to take wickets because once you put on all those runs, my job became easy. That is why you are one of the most important players in Sri Lankan cricket history.

More than that though, you are a great human being and a very soft, kind guy away from cricket. In sport, everyone sees that champions are always very competitive. On the field, you had this ability to switch on, you were a great person to be around and play with.

You were much quieter than me! You know I talk a lot and there were a few others in the dressing room to do the talking but you were quieter, you concentrated so much on the game at the time, you were glued to the match even while in the dressing room.

When you became captain, it was your calmness that was key because some players can get so excited. But when you get excited, you can make wrong decisions, so it was that calmness that put you in the right place – I think that is why you are doing a fabulous job as coach.

It isn’t just for one individual moment that you are being inducted into the Hall of Fame, it’s a reward for the toil over the years and everything you contributed for Sri Lanka.

Those are all taken into consideration when choosing who is inducted and the ICC thinks it is right that you are the next Sri Lankan to be chosen, to join Kumar Sangakkara and me in the Hall of Fame.

You have been selected because as a captain you were very successful, you consistently delivered as a batter and then as a fielder, you took a lot of catches ­- more than anyone else. You have done everyone in Sri Lanka proud.

You were very young when you first came into the team in 1997. I was already there for a few years and when you first entered the group, you were very shy and quiet.

But in the first match, whenever you got a chance, you delivered. That’s a talent and everyone saw what you had in your batting and thought you were going to be the future – we all knew straightaway.

I remember thinking at the time that you were going to be one of the best batters in Sri Lanka. You started as you meant to go on, and you stayed that way until you retired.

Like many sub continental players, you were a very good player of spin, and in those conditions, you were so hard to get out. Early on in the innings, maybe the fast bowlers had a chance but once you got set, it was very difficult to ever get you out because you had the talent, the ability and you could bat for long.

If anyone questions that, they just need to remember the 374 you scored against South Africa in 2006, which showed that you could stay at the crease for as long time as anyone else and score big runs.

You excelled at fielding, particularly in the slips. You could stay there and take catches all day, while you were also very good at silly point. For that, my friend, I am very grateful.

I bowled a lot in Test cricket, so you took a lot of catches off my bowling. It was fitting that you took the catch to get me my final wicket. There must have been something special between us because ‘caught Jayawardene bowled Muralitharan’ happened more than any other bowler-fielder combination in Test cricket history.

The reason they chose you as Sri Lanka captain is because you are a special cricketer. Even though there were a lot of senior players who could have been picked for that job, you were selected because of your cricketing brains and you were able to calm us down in the field.

You are one of the game’s great thinkers – you have already excelled as a coach because of it and having worked in international cricket for 20 years that experience of knowing how to handle situations is there. As a coach, you have to think like a captain so it should it be no surprise that you have made that transition so easily.

Looking back on the fun we had, I fought with you in the field – always asking for the ball to be given to me when I wanted to take a wicket! Sometimes you felt it was not the right time to go to me, so I would just force you and fight you to take the ball and try to bowl. Those are things that happen in cricket and it is something all bowlers do, and the best thing is, I always won!

I would like to wish you all the best for the future and just want to say – keep going, don’t give up. What you have achieved as a player and as a coach is amazing.

Make sure that by the end of your career, we are in awe of you as a coach in the same way we remember you as a player ­- one of the all-time greats.

Murali

For more information, contact:
Headquarters,
International Cricket Council (ICC)
Street 69, Dubai Sports City,
Sh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE
Phone: +97-143828800
Fax: +97-143828600
E-mail: enquiry@icc-cricket.com
Website: www.icc-cricket.com

Dubai, November 13, 2021 (PPI-OT):Aaron Finch says the aftermath of Australia’s heavy defeat to England helped propel his side into the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 final, where they face New Zealand. Finch’s side were soundly beaten by the ICC Cricket World Cup (50-over) champions in their third Group 1 game, going down by eight wickets.

Their campaign hinged on the five-day period that followed, allowing them to recover physically and redouble their tactical focus. “We were disappointed after that game, obviously,” said Finch. “We had a couple of days off to regroup after a gruelling couple of weeks of the tournament when we had to go through quarantine and really hard training.

“It gave us the chance to freshen up mentally and physically. We talked about staying committed to being aggressive. “We felt we were a bit timid against England and got outplayed in the power play, particularly with the way that Chris Woakes bowled.

“It was just about staying really aggressive. In this format, when you’re up against top opposition, you don’t get many opportunities to get into the game and you have to find every small edge. “We just reiterated that, as a team, that’s the way we wanted to go about the tournament.”

Since then, Australia overran Bangladesh and West Indies by eight wickets before a stunning five-wicket semi-final triumph over Pakistan, coming up on the rails to reach the final. It is the second time an Australian men’s team have reached the T20 World Cup final, reaching that stage for the first time in 2010 when they went down to England.

Australia’s results in the shortest form of the game have been patchy in recent years – they last won a bilateral series in February 2020 and lost five in a row coming into the tournament. “Everyone had written us off but we had a lot of confidence within in the way we were preparing and our strategy was coming together,” said Finch.

“We haven’t defied expectations, we came here with a clear plan to win the tournament and we’ve still got the squad to do that.” Similarly, it feels like New Zealand are pegged as dark horses every time they enter an ICC major event.

That doesn’t stack up with their record – they reached the finals of the last two Cricket World Cups, the semi-finals of the 2016 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and won the inaugural ICC World Test Championship. They proved their big-game mettle in the semi-finals with a five-wicket win over England.

Captain Kane Williamson said: “The side has been operating well as a collective and playing for each other. “We saw a pretty exciting semi-final, both semi-finals actually were somewhat similar. You see moments in games that are match-defining and games that can take quite a sharp turn when you have some key performances.

“That’s why the tournament has been exciting, you looked across the board and saw match-winners throughout and that every team could beat anyone on their day. “We’ve tried to learn and grow throughout and we have another opportunity to do that.”

New Zealand lost fast bowler Lockie Ferguson to injury before the tournament and now will be without batter Devon Conway for the final. Conway suffered a hand injury after punching his bat after being dismissed in the semi-final.

“The loss of Devon is a big one, he’s been a big part of all formats for us,” said Williamson.“ It’s a disappointing and freak thing to happen.” “For us, it’s keeping our focus on the task and all of our players are focused on the opportunity, to go out and adjust to a different venue and opposition tomorrow.”

For more information, contact:
Headquarters,
International Cricket Council (ICC)
Street 69, Dubai Sports City,
Sh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE
Phone: +97-143828800
Fax: +97-143828600
E-mail: enquiry@icc-cricket.com
Website: www.icc-cricket.com

Dubai, November 13, 2021 (PPI-OT):Ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 Final, Janette Brittin, Mahela Jayawardena and Shaun Pollock were announced as the newest inductees into the prestigious ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. These legends will be formally inducted by fellow ICC Hall of Famer, Sir Clive Lloyd at the much-anticipated final between New Zealand and Australia on Sunday 14 November before the game gets underway at the Dubai International Stadium.

The ICC Cricket Hall of Fame recognises the achievements of the legends of the game from cricket’s long and illustrious history. 106 players have been inducted since its launch in 2009, with Brittin, Jayawardena and Pollock as the latest inductees celebrated.

Today’s inductees played in 284 Tests, 814 ODIs and 67 T20 Internationals between them. Janet Brittin was a mainstay of the England Test team for 19 years, helping to pave the way for women’s cricket between 1979 and 1998.

Mahela Jayawardena retired as one of Sri Lanka’s greatest ever players, a key member of the team that won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2014 and reached four other major ICC finals.

Whilst South Africa’s Shaun Pollock was one of the finest bowling all-rounders the game has ever seen and was the first player to achieve the 3,000 run and 300 wicket doubles in both Test and ODI cricket.

ICC Acting CEO Geoff Allardice said: “The ICC Hall of Fame is our way of honouring and celebrating the greats of our game. Only the very best players are recognized for their contribution to cricket in this way. I would like to congratulate Mahela and Shaun on their induction into this illustrious group and it is a wonderful way to commemorate Janette’s life and career.”

Reacting to the news of Brittin’s induction, Angela Bainbridge, friend of Janette Brittin said: “I would like to extend my thanks to the ICC for the incredible honour they have bestowed on Jan by inaugurating her into the Hall of Fame.

I along with Jan’s parents Maggie and Kevin are incredibly proud of her and her achievements and this award recognises both the player and the person that she was. You could not wish to meet a more humble or talented player and she always gave 100% whether she played for club, county, or country.”

“Jan truly was a wonderful player and a fantastic role model for those that followed her. She would have loved to play in the professional forum that the girls enjoy today and would be proud of how they have all moved the game forward. It is sad that Jan is not able to collect this trophy herself, but her memory will live on.”

Mahela Jayawardena commented: “I am thrilled to have been inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame. It’s a very special honour to follow in the footsteps of legends Sanga and Murali from Sri Lanka and so many other great cricketers of the past.

“I am very grateful for the recognition and would like to enjoy and share the moment with all those that have helped me on my journey, including my family, friends, coaches, team-mates and, most importantly, Sri Lanka cricket fans who passionately supported and inspired me during my career.”

Shaun Pollock said: “I would like to thank the ICC for this recognition of my career. It’s an amazing honour to be included in the Hall of Fame alongside the very illustrious company that has already been inducted. It’s a real cherry on the top or maybe even a book end of what has been a thoroughly enjoyable cricketing experience and I’d like to thank my teammates who played such a massive part along the journey.”

Some career highlights of the latest inductees:

Janette Brittin

One of England’s most-successful batters with a Test career spanning 19 years

Made her Test debut against West Indies in 1979, aged 19

Scored maiden ODI century against an International XI in New Zealand in 1982

Top-scored with 46 not out in the 1988 World Cup final, a defeat to Australia at the MCG

Won World Cup in 1992, top-scoring again and taking the winning catch

In 27 Test matches, she averaged 49.61 for her record 1935 runs and scored five hundreds

In 63 ODIs, scored 2121 runs with an average of 42.42

ODI career included five centuries and a highest score of 138 not out in 1982

After her playing days, Brittin taught at Danes Hill School in Oxshott, Surrey

She kept up her associations with cricket and in particular with Surrey, where she coached younger players

She was awarded an MBE in 1999 but died in 2017 at the age of just 58.

Mahela Jayawardena

Made his Sri Lankan Test debut in 1997

Scored 66 Test debut runs towards Sri Lanka’s record total of 952-6 against India

Scored 11,814 Test runs at average of 50.05

In 448 ODIs, he scored 12,650 runs at 33, 37

Scored 1493 runs in 55 T20Is

Along with Kumar Sangakkara, scored world record partnership of 624 v South Africa in 2006

He was a key member of the team that won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2014

Played a part in Sri Lanka reaching four other major ICC finals

He became the first Sri Lankan to score 10,000 Test runs

His 374 against South Africa at Colombo in 2006 is a Sri Lankan record

As coach, he has led the Mumbai Indians to three IPL titles.

Shaun Pollock

The first player to achieve the 3,000 run / 300 wicket double in both Test and ODI cricket

Remains South Africa’s leading wicket-taker in all international cricket

Took 5-32 against England at Cape Town in his first Test series and followed up with the double of 66 not out and 4-34 in his first ODI

In 108 Tests, scored 3,781 runs at an average of 32.31, and took 421 wickets

Played in 303 ODIs, scoring 3,519 runs at 26.45 and took 393 wickets

Scored 86 runs in 12 T20Is, taking 15 wickets.

Spent more than five years as the top ranked ODI bowler in the ICC’s rankings

As captain, led South Africa to their first Test series victory in the Caribbean

For more information, contact:
Headquarters,
International Cricket Council (ICC)
Street 69, Dubai Sports City,
Sh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE
Phone: +97-143828800
Fax: +97-143828600
E-mail: enquiry@icc-cricket.com
Website: www.icc-cricket.com