Awesome purple patches from players through history that don't get much recognition

[Hicheal Michael]

Mark Butcher averaged 46 from 2001 - 2003 after he changed his technique.

 

[Starfighter]

Clarrie Grimmett took 66 wickets at 17.5 or so in nine tests in 30/31-31/32. He averaged over thirty in his previous three series and would average sixty in his next series. Probably doesn't get much recognition because those two series were against a moderate SA side and a poor WI one. He then followed up with 69 wickets in his last two series, apparently SA fancied him even less second time around.

After having taken 100 wickets at 33.36 in 26 tests since debut and 76 at 39.97 in 23 tests between 46/47 and 1950, Alec Bedser took 131 wickets at 17.22 in 23 matches from 50/51 to the end of the 1954 season, only failing against NZ in 50/51 and averaging under eighteen in four consecutive series.

 

[SteveNZ]

If so, it'd be the first block to have a full follow-through.

Why all the relentless negativity about a display of genuine batting class?

You're barking up the wrong tree here. I genuinely love everything about Chris Martin. The bloke, the bowler, the batsman, the small supermarket owner, the stoner he was when he started his career, the whole box and dice.

 

[Pap Finn Keighl]

Lara
Undisputed number 1 odi batsman straight 7 years in 90s

 

[NotMcKenzie]

You're barking up the wrong tree here. I genuinely love everything about Chris Martin. The bloke, the bowler, the batsman, the small supermarket owner, the stoner he was when he started his career, the whole box and dice.

That's a long response time for something that totally doesn't matter; and I could say your taking my apparently impugning your Chris Martin fanaticism (or whatever) too seriously. And still, why downplay his batting class...?

Incidentally, I found a video showing two Chris Martin fours I haven't seen before.

 

[a massive zebra]

Wow that third four is actually a good shot!

When watching Chris Martin bat, I usually got the impression that he couldn't see the ball. Not so there!

 

[h_hurricane]

ATG # 11 this guy ! Part of his legend is that he was not good enough to use the lumber jack option.

 

[Borges]

Kilowatt and stephen are having historic and extended purple patches of their own in the Kohli thread. But perhaps, that has already got too much recognition.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

I'm pretty sure Chris Martin is blind when when he has a bat in his hands. It's almost like Bran warging.

 

[stephen]

I'm pretty sure Chris Martin is blind when when he has a bat in his hands. It's almost like Bran warging.

He always said he couldn't really see the ball. They did visual acuity tests and he always came in last.

 

[Malcolm]

Ishant Sharma averages 22.5 with the ball since April 2017.

 

[mr_mister]

Stuart Law hit a century in his 3rd ODI then never got another in his 54 match career where he averaged a paltry 26

However he hit 204 runs @ 51 striking at 85 in the '96 world cup, including 2 pretty important innings in the QF and SF

Very small scale but some interesting tidbits. Perhaps unlucky to not get another go in '99

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

That brings the start of Vinod Kambli's career to the discussion.

 

[mr_mister]

Another cool example of players lifting for world cups is Ridley Jacobs. Averaged 23 from 147 ODIs. But from 2 world cups combined he pulled out an average of 66, mainly thanks to his '99 performance

In the '99 WC he hit 205 runs @ 102.5. But to add some context to that Lara scored 104 runs from one extra innings and the combined total team runs for the entire tournament was a smidge over 700, including extras. In his last two innings he scored an unbeaten 129 out of the team's 268 runs.

Only blemish on this record was he struck at 50 for the tournament, basically because he had to constantly steady a sinking ship. More a curiosity than a blemish I suppose. He hit a 143 ball 49* when he carried the bat against Australia when his teammates fell to pieces and the WI were all out for 110. Was just a class above his teammates for that tournament

 

[a massive zebra]

Neil Harvey started his career spectacularly but matured into a merely good Test player.

First 9 Tests: 959 runs at 106.55 with 6 centuries
Last 70 Tests: 5190 runs at 43.98 with 15 centuries

Frank Worrell also

First 22 Tests: 2046 runs at 63.93 with 7 centuries
Last 29 Tests: 1814 runs at 39.43 with 2 centuries

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Another cool example of players lifting for world cups is Ridley Jacobs. Averaged 23 from 147 ODIs. But from 2 world cups combined he pulled out an average of 66, mainly thanks to his '99 performance

In the '99 WC he hit 205 runs @ 102.5. But to add some context to that Lara scored 104 runs from one extra innings and the combined total team runs for the entire tournament was a smidge over 700, including extras. In his last two innings he scored an unbeaten 129 out of the team's 268 runs.

Only blemish on this record was he struck at 50 for the tournament, basically because he had to constantly steady a sinking ship. More a curiosity than a blemish I suppose. He hit a 143 ball 49* when he carried the bat against Australia when his teammates fell to pieces and the WI were all out for 110. Was just a class above his teammates for that tournament

That technique wasn't like Sanga; but he was dogged.

 

[trundler]

Neil Harvey started his career spectacularly but matured into a merely good Test player.

First 9 Tests: 959 runs at 106.55 with 6 centuries
Last 70 Tests: 5190 runs at 43.98 with 15 centuries

Frank Worrell also

First 22 Tests: 2046 runs at 63.93 with 7 centuries
Last 29 Tests: 1814 runs at 39.43 with 2 centuries

Those get the attention they deserve 'round here I'd say.

Lawrence Rowe had a similarly remarkable start to his career I think.

 

[a massive zebra]

Lance Gibbs was outstanding for an extended period, but his bowling eventually lost the zip of his earlier years and he became much less penetrative as a result.

First 34 Tests: 151 wickets at 23.47 with a strike rate of 72.2
Last 45 Tests: 158 wickets at 34.45 with a strike rate of 102.5

 

[trundler]

Geez, strike rate of over 100 in the second half. Cricket was very slow paced back then wasn't it?

 

[Red]

Yeh, an average of 34 looks so bizarre with a SR of 102