Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Full name | Allan Joseph Lamb | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Langebaan, Cape Province, Union of South Africa | 20 June 1954|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nickname | Legga, Lambie | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bowling | Right-arm medium | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Role | Batsman | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
National side | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Test debut(cap 494) | 10 June 1982 v India | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last Test | 18 June 1992 v Pakistan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
ODI debut(cap 64) | 2 June 1982 v India | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last ODI | 24 August 1992 v Pakistan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1972/73–1992/93 | Western Province | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1978–1995 | Northamptonshire | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1987/88 | Orange Free State | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Source:Cricinfo,30 November 2009 |
Allan Joseph Lamb (born 20 June 1954) is a South African-born former English cricketer,who played for the first-class teams of Western Province and Northamptonshire. Making his Test debut in 1982,he was a fixture in the Test and One-Day International team for the next decade. He represented England at three World Cups. He served as captain of Northamptonshire,and also captained England in three Test matches.
Allan Lamb was born to British parents in Langebaanweg,Union of South Africa. His father Mickey was a journeyman club bowler. Lamb attended Wynberg Boys' High School and Abbots College. He has one son called Richard.
In January 1973,Allan made his first team debut at the age of 18 when he played for the Western Province in the Currie Cup. He batted at number three and made 59 and 36 against the Eastern Province. [1] He then had a two-year absence from the game and joined the National Service in the South African Air Force building airfields before returning to the club. Western Province then experimented with Lamb as an opener,at 5 and 6 but 4 was always his true and regular position in the batting order for Western Province. Lamb then had one year playing for Orange Free State,where he scored his highest first-class score of 294,before moving back to the Western Province for the rest of his South African domestic career.
Lamb came to England along with two young other cricketers,Peter Kirsten and Garth Le Roux,in search of fame and a county contract and it was Northamptonshire who signed Lamb as a relatively unknown overseas player in 1978. Lamb ended the 1980 season with 1,797 runs and first place in the national batting averages with 66.55. [2] He also took the Gold Award for his match-winning 72 in the Benson and Hedges Cup final against Essex. He was also a member of the 1992 NatWest Trophy winning team. In his final season as captain in 1995 he very nearly took Northamptonshire to their first County Championship with 12 wins in their final 17 matches. [3] [4] Lamb spent 18 seasons at the County Ground between 1978 and 1995,and scored more than 30,000 runs in 600 appearances for the club across first-class and limited overs cricket. [5] In 2001,Northamptonshire honoured him by naming a room in the club's Indoor Centre 'The Allan Lamb Room'. [6] [7] In a 2020 poll he was named Northamptonshire's greatest player of all time. [8]
In 1970,South Africa were banned from international cricket indefinitely because of its government's policy of apartheid. The South-African born Lamb emigrated to England. Named a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1981,Lamb made his test debut against India in 1982,and after having made his ODI debut a few days earlier. [9]
England hosted India for a 3 Test series. Lamb made his debut for the first Test at Lords. [10] England won the match by 7 wickets and Lamb was not out when the winning runs were scored. He retained his place for the next two Tests,scoring his maiden Test century in the 3rd Test. [11]
Lamb played all three Tests of the series against Pakistan. England won the series 2-1 and would be their last series win against Pakistan for 18 years. Lamb scored 48 in 6 innings, [12] beginning a low run of scores against them.
Lamb's first overseas International tour was the 1982/83 Ashes. He played all 5 Tests scoring 414 at 41. [13]
Lamb scored 392 in the 4 Tests,the second most in the series with an unbeaten century in the first and last Tests. [14]
In the return 3-match series,Lamb could only manage 82 runs in 4 innings.
Lamb’s poor run of form continued as he scored 78 runs in 5 innings. [15]
Lamb’s first encounter with the West Indies and he began his streak of good form against them. While England lost 5-0 the first and only time England had suffered a home defeat like this,he was their leading scorer with 386 runs including a series-high three centuries. [16]
Sri Lanka’s first Test match in England and Lamb scored a century in a drawn match. [17]
A Five Test tour of India that England won 2-1 after losing the first Test. Lamb scored 241 at 40 with a highest score of 67. [18] Lamb bowled one over and captured his only Test wicket when he had Manoj Prabhakar lbw in the Third Test. [19]
Lamb’s first Ashes series at home and his first Ashes win. The series stood at 1-1 after four Tests,before England won the final two Tests. Lamb scored 256 at 36 with a highest score of 67. [20] His most significant if fortuitous intervention in the series however came in the field during the fifth Test in a tense climax when a shot from Australian wicketkeeper Wayne Phillips hit Lamb's boot and bounced to David Gower who claimed a catch. Controversially Phillips was given out,a decision which arguably changed the course of the series. [21]
A 5 Test series against the West Indies resulted in another 5–0 defeat. Lamb was just one of 5 tourists to play all 5 Tests. He scored 224 at 22.4 with a highest score of 62. [22]
Lamb only played the first two Tests of the series scoring 65 at 16 as England lost the Test series 2–0.
Despite England retaining the Ashes in Australia,it wasn't the best of series for Lamb who could only manage 144 runs at 18. [23]
Back in the side after a year’s absence,Lamb returned to face the might of the West Indies. It was a difficult summer for England using four Captains across the five Tests. Lamb was the second highest English run scorer with 254 at 42. He scored a century in the Second Test at Lords. [24] Injured in the fourth Test,Lamb couldn't play in the final match of the series. This would actually be the end of a West Indian period of domination stretching back as far as the 1960s and was the last West Indian series win in England. [25]
Lamb returned for the one-off Test against Sri Lanka and scored 63 in the win. [26]
Now 35,Lamb was very much an elder statesman of the team. In the opening Test at Headingley,Lamb scored his only Ashes century. Injured,he was unable to take any further part in the series. [27]
This tour was a signature moments of Lamb’s career. He scored 132 in the opening Test,which England won by 9 wickets. This was the first win of Lamb’s career against the West Indies and the only time he was Man of the Match in a Test. [28] It was England’s first Test Victory over the West Indies since 1974. [29] The second Test was abandoned and the third was a draw. Chasing 151 to win,England could only manage 5/120 from 33 overs. [30] Lamb was captain for the Fourth Test and scored 119 as England lost by 164 runs. [31] He was also captain for the Fifth and final Test which the West Indies won by an innings and 32 runs. [32]
England hosted New Zealand for a Three Test series. Lamb played in all 3 Tests scoring 129 at 32.35
India then toured for 3 Tests and Lamb scored 2 centuries. With 364 at 60,he was the third highest English run scorer of the series. [33]
Lamb captained England for the First Test which England lost by 10 wickets. [34] Lamb missed the next 2 Tests with injury but came back for the final 2 where his 91 in Perth was his highest Test score in Australia. In the final 2 Tests,Craig McDermott dismissed him all four times. [35]
Lamb’s final Test series against the West Indies. Ironically Lamb would have his worst series against West Indies only averaging 12.57 with a high score of 29, [36] but it was his best series team wise as England would draw the series 2-2. England won the opening Test by 115 runs, [37] just the second win and one and only in England that Lamb would experience against the West Indies. Lamb was dropped for the Fifth Test which England won. [38]
Recalled for the Tour of New Zealand,this was Lamb’s final overseas tour. He began the series with 93 and finished it with 142 his highest Test score. [39] Lamb was the leading run scorer of the series with 338 at 67.60. [40]
Lamb’s final Test series. Played with the wounds of England’s World Cup Final loss to Pakistan still fresh there was a lot of bad blood in the series. It was the end of an era with it and the final Test series for stalwarts such as Ian Botham,David Gower and Derek Pringle. Lamb’s final Test was at Lord’s,a match England narrowly lost by 2 wickets. [41]
Lamb’s style of play was well suited to the limited over game and he was a staple of the English side for 10 years. He quickly enjoyed success in the format,making 99 in his second match,making him only the second man to be dismissed for 99 in a one-day international. [42] In his third one-day international he made the first of his four centuries,118,which remained his highest score in the format. As of May 2022,he is still has the 10th most runs for England with 4010 runs. Lamb played in two World Cup finals and one semi final. On the 1986/87 Tour of Australia,Lamb was a member of the side that was the World Series Cup and America’s Cup Challenge.
Chasing 234 at the SCG,England needed 18 from the final over. [43] Bruce Reid with figures of 9-3-26-1 was to bowl the final over. At that stage Lamb was 59 from 97 balls and yet to hit a boundary. [44] Batting with Phillip DeFreitas,the first ball of the final over was hit for 2,although DeFreitas would have been run out with a better throw. The second ball was hit for 4,Lamb’s first boundary of the innings. The third ball was hit for 6. The fourth ball was 2,but only after a bad throw resulted in an overthrow. The fifth ball was hit for 4 to seal a 3 wicket victory with one ball remaining. Lamb scored all 18 runs by himself. That over would be the subject of a cheeky banner used for the next match between the two sides which read "Can Bruce Reid please call Allan Lamb on 24624".
This is still the second most runs scored in the final over of an ODI match to win. [45]
Lamb’s first World Cup innings was a century against New Zealand at The Oval. [46] England topped its group but were knocked out by eventual winners India in the semi-finals.
England began the tournament with a game against the West Indies. Chasing 244,England needed 91 from the last 10,34 from the last 3 and then 14 from the final over. [47] With a 2,4,4 wides,1 no-ball and single and then a 4,England secured the two wicket victory with three balls spare. [48] England finished second in its group and avenged its semi-final defeat from four years earlier with a 35 run victory over India to advance to the final. With an unbeaten 32 from 29,Lamb helped guide England to 254. [49] The final was against Australia. Australia batting first let loose at the end of their innings scoring 65 from the final 6 overs - runs that would prove vital in a total of 5/253. Australia won by 7 runs with Lamb scoring 45 in the final.
In his third world cup,England were one of the strongest teams and Lamb couldn't make his way into the XI during the first half of the tournament but played the final four games. England defeated South Africa in a controversial semi-final affected by rain - this was the only time Lamb played a match against his country of birth. He scored 31 in the final which England lost by 22 runs to Pakistan. His dismissal in the final by Wasim Akram is sometimes seen as a turning point in the match. [50]
Lamb's international career ended the following summer in controversy following another one-day international against Pakistan,when the umpires ordered the ball to be changed under Law 42,which deals with the condition of the ball. Lamb was subsequently involved in media allegations and legal action relating to ball-tampering in cricket. He was not thereafter picked for England again. [51]
Lamb only made his Test debut at 28 and would be a lynchpin of the English middle order for the next 10 years. Lamb’s record of 4656 runs at 36 with 14 centuries belies his ability and how good he was. He played in 79 tests of which England only won 21. They lost 32 and drew 26. In the 22 games Lamb was a member of the winning side,his average increased to 44.
Lamb played 122 One Day internationals of which England won 64,lost 55,tied 1 with 2 abandoned. Of his 14 Test hundreds,6 of them came against the West Indies in 22 matches. He only enjoyed 2 Test wins against the West Indies,but as of May 2022 still holds the England record for the most Test centuries against the West Indies,joint with Andrew Strauss,Alastair Cook and Colin Cowdrey. Unlike these other players,Lamb scored these centuries at a time when the West Indies were clearly the best Test team in the world.
Lamb relished the big stage and in the World Cup scored 656 runs at 50.46 - the 5th highest World Cup batting average for an English player.
Lamb was a member of two successful Ashes campaigns (in 1985 and 1986–87),but did not score a century in either series. His sole Ashes century came at Headingley in 1989 in a match England lost in disappointing fashion. In 20 Ashes matches he scored 1138 runs at an average of over 34.
He captained England in 3 Tests and lost them all,but he did score a century on debut as captain. He also captained England in four one-day internationals,of which they won one.
Malcolm Marshall dismissed him the most on 13 occasions and Geoff Lawson was next most with 8
Lord’s was Lamb’s most prolific ground scoring 959 at 43.59 with 4 centuries. [52]
At the Lord's test in 1984 against the West Indies,Lamb became the fourth man to bat on all five days of a Test match. [53]
Since retiring from all forms of cricket in 1995,Lamb has published his autobiography called Silence of the Lamb,which he released in 1996. In 1996 Lamb was involved in an unsuccessful libel action with Ian Botham against the former Pakistan cricketer Imran Khan relating to articles written about ball-tampering in cricket. [54] Lamb has also been involved television work including working on the British TV channels Sky Sports and Channel 5 as an analyst. Alongside Botham,Lamb has teamed up with English Beef and Lamb Executive to create an advertising campaign for Quality Standard Beef and Lamb in which they use their names,'Beefy' and 'Lamby' and cartoon characteristics as a selling point. He also starred in the instant classic 'What Rats Won't Do' a film which also starred Samantha Bond,Charles Dance and Harry Enfield. [55] He was also a contestant on a special Cricketers Edition of The Weakest Link ,where he was voted off in the second round. He created a sporting events and global travel company called Lamb Associates. [56]
Ian Terence Botham,Baron Botham,is an English cricket commentator,member of the House of Lords,a former cricketer who has been chairman of Durham County Cricket Club since 2017 and charity fundraiser. Hailed as one of the greatest all-rounders in the history of the game,Botham represented England in both Test and One-Day International cricket.
Michael Andrew Atherton is a broadcaster,journalist and a former England international cricketer. A right-handed opening batsman for Lancashire and England,and occasional leg-break bowler,he achieved the captaincy of England at the age of 25 and led the side in a record 54 Test matches. Known for his stubborn resistance during an era of hostile fast bowling,Atherton was described in 2001 as a determined defensive opener who made "batting look like trench warfare". He had several famed bouts with bowlers including South Africa's Allan Donald and Australia's Glenn McGrath. Atherton often played the anchor role at a time when England batting performances lacked consistency.
The Australia men's national cricket team represents Australia in men's international cricket. As the joint oldest team in Test cricket history,playing in the first ever Test match in 1877,the team also plays One-Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 International (T20I) cricket,participating in both the first ODI,against England in the 1970–71 season and the first T20I,against New Zealand in the 2004–05 season,winning both games. The team draws its players from teams playing in the Australian domestic competitions –the Sheffield Shield,the Australian domestic limited-overs cricket tournament and the Big Bash League.
Allan Robert Border is an Australian cricket commentator and former international cricketer. A batsman,Border was for many years the captain of the Australian team,and led his team to victory in the 1987 Cricket World Cup,the maiden world title for Australia. His playing nickname was "A.B.". He played 156 Test matches in his career,a record until it was passed by fellow Australian Steve Waugh. Border formerly held the world record for the number of consecutive Test appearances of 153,before it was surpassed in June 2018 by Alastair Cook,and is second on the list of number of Tests as captain.
Alan Philip Eric Knott is a former cricketer who represented England at international level in both Tests and One-Day Internationals (ODI). Knott is widely regarded as one of the most eccentric characters in cricket and as one of the greatest wicket-keepers ever to play the game. He was described by cricket journalist Simon Wilde as "a natural gloveman,beautifully economical in his movements and armed with tremendous powers of concentration".
Kepler Christoffel Wessels is a South African-Australian cricket commentator and former cricketer who captained South Africa after playing 24 Tests for Australia. Since retiring he has been a lawn bowls competitor.
Ian Ronald Bell is an English former cricketer who played international cricket in all formats for the England cricket team and county cricket for Warwickshire County Cricket Club. A right-handed higher/middle order batsman,described in The Times as an "exquisite rapier," with a strong cover drive,Bell was also an occasional right-arm medium pace bowler and a slip fielder. He was also noted for his sharp reflexes and often fielded in close catching positions. He scored twenty-two Test centuries and four One Day International (ODI) 100s.
Michael Edward Killeen Hussey is an Australian cricket coach,commentator and former international cricketer,who played all forms of the game. Hussey is also widely known by his nickname 'Mr Cricket'. Hussey was a relative latecomer to both the one-day international and Test Australian teams,debuting at 28 and 30 years of age in the respective formats,with 15,313 first-class runs before making his Test debut. With his time representing Australia,Hussey won multiple ICC titles with the team:the 2007 Cricket World Cup,the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy,and the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy.
Mitchell Brian Johnson is a former Australian cricketer,who played all forms of the game for his national side. He is a left-arm fast bowler and left-handed batsman. He represented Australia in international cricket from 2005 to 2015. Johnson is considered to be one of the greatest fast bowlers of his era. With his time representing Australia,Johnson won multiple ICC titles with the team:the 2007 Cricket World Cup,the 2015 Cricket World Cup,the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy,and the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy.
Moeen Munir Ali is an English cricketer who serves as vice-captain for England in limited overs cricket. He played Test cricket for England between 2014 and 2023,when he became only the 16th person to hit 3,000 runs and take 200 wickets in Tests. In domestic cricket he represents Warwickshire,having previously played for Worcestershire. He has also played in multiple Twenty20 leagues,including for Royal Challengers Bangalore and Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League.
Stuart Christopher John Broad,is a former English cricketer who played Test cricket for the England cricket team and was One Day and Twenty20 International captain. Broad was a member of the England team that won the 2010 ICC World Twenty20.
The England cricket team toured Australia during the 1982–83 season,playing a five-Test series for The Ashes and a number of tour matches against Australian domestic teams before competing in a One-Day International (ODI) series against New Zealand for the Rothmans Cup. In between those competitions,England also participated in the Benson &Hedges World Series Cricket triangular ODI series against Australia and New Zealand.
Christopher John Llewellyn Rogers is a former Australian cricketer who played for the Australian national team. Rogers is a left-handed opening batsman. He spent ten years playing for Western Australia,before moving to play for Victoria in 2008. He played county cricket in England for ten years representing five first-class teams:Derbyshire,Leicestershire,Northamptonshire,Middlesex and Somerset. Rogers holds the record for most half centuries in consecutive innings.
Steven Peter Devereux Smith is an Australian international cricketer and former captain of the Australian national team. Regarded by some as the best Test batsman of the modern era,as well as one of the greatest in the history of the sport,Smith has drawn comparisons to Don Bradman for his high Test batting average and been labelled 'the best since Bradman'. Smith was a member of the Australian team that won the 2015 Cricket World Cup,the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup,and the 2023 ICC World Test Championship final.
Jonathan Marc Bairstow is an English cricketer who plays internationally for England in all formats. In domestic cricket,he represents Yorkshire,and has played in multiple Twenty20 leagues,including for Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League.
Joseph Edward Root,is an English international cricketer,who plays for the English cricket team and formerly captained the Test team. He also represents Yorkshire in English domestic cricket. Root is currently the leading run-scorer among all active batsmen and the tenth highest run-scorer of all time in Test cricket. He was part of the England team that won the 2019 Cricket World Cup where he top scored for England.
Danielle Nicole Wyatt is an English cricketer who plays for Sussex,Southern Vipers,Southern Brave and England. She plays as an all-rounder,batting right-handed and bowling right-arm off break. She made her England debut against India in Mumbai on 1 March 2010.
Rory Joseph Burns is an English cricketer who has played internationally for the England Test cricket team. In domestic cricket,he captains Surrey in first-class and List A cricket.
Samuel Matthew Curran is an English cricketer who plays for England in all formats. In domestic cricket,he represents Surrey,and has played in multiple Twenty20 leagues,including for Punjab Kings and Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League. On 23 December 2022,he was the subject of the highest bid in the history of Indian Premier League,when he was bought for £1.85 million by Punjab Kings.