Number 11 batsmen

[Guest HariSampath]

Probably the most hilarious event in an innings is the arrival of the number 11 at the crease. The tail batting is always funny, but when it is "9, 10 and Jack", and the last man , number 11 gets in, its something special. He comes in, walks confidently and purposefully, takes guard ( why ???) , has a word with his batting partner, probably assuring him that he will take care of everything, does some gardening, looks around the field, practices a cover drive ,smiles broadly at the fielders......and swipes across the line first ball, stumps shattered....rehearses the shot before walking away as if he got unlucky. I had seen so many genuine number 11 batsmen and have read of several more and incidents related to their batting and jokes. But I have heard that there had never been a greater example of a number 11 than England spinner Eric Hollies. Hollies could never bat and he knew it. He actually did't even have a bat for himself and once he used to have one with a nail driven through it, but his teammates absolutely forbade him from using the ghastly specimen. He then used to be padded up and when his turn came at the fall of the 9th wkt, he used to borrow a bat from one of his team mates and take it in. On one instance when he had asked someone for a bat, his team mate predictably asked " why Eric? " No fast bowler would ever dream of bowling a bouncer to Hollies, that would have been something like hitting a baby on the head with a iron rod. Sometimes a few bowlers, out of goodness of heart used to bowl a full toss on his leg stump, which somehow Hollies managed to drag on to his stumps. It was said , as the greatest tribute to his batsmanship as a # 11 was the horse that used to drag the roller between innings always got up and stretched itself when Hollies walked out to bat Any more number 11 batsmen and memorable innings ?

[Mr. Wicket]

Any more number 11 batsmen and memorable innings ?

I'd have quite a few innings to speak of, but I blinked through many of them. Mind you, Chris Martin makes Eric Hollies look almost batsmanesque. Hollies actually made it to double figures in his 15 inning-long career and averaged a mighty five. Martin still averages three runs less than him (yes, 2.08 :D), aftr 46 innings has a highest score of 7 and to this date has taken more than twice as many wickets as he has scored runs. 52 runs, 110 wickets - and I expect the gap to keep spreading. Muralitharan's one of my favourite number 11s to watch, especially against a fast bowler with his clownish hitting. I do fear for the umpires though. I suspect one of these days he will step on an umpire's foot if he's not careful when backing away to square leg. On the flip side, McGrath's probably the most impressive genuine number 11 I've seen in a while. I remember him being almost Martin-level bad when he debuted, but the work he put in was amazing - actually developing a technique and a couple of shots, and later producing some pretty handy knocks (that little unbeaten cameo at Old Trafford in 2005 when Aus saved the test at 9 down sticks out). And of course, you had the standard McGrath humour to go with the batting improvement - complaining about all his not-outs being "great innings being nipped in the bud thanks to his useless partners". Best of all, he actually lived up to that when he made a test 50 vs. NZ. :D

[Mr. Wicket]

BTW, great thread Hari. Good to have someone with your knowledge and appreciation for the game's history chiming in. Some other superb number 11s I've enjoyed for their sheer haplessness were Courtney Walsh, Devon Malcolm, Phil Tufnell (did you ever see him try and play Shane Warne by falling down on the pitch?) and Venkatesh Prasad - and I've heard a great deal about just how Chandra could out-unbat all of them. Oh, and I would be disappointed if I didn't bring up the Number 11 that Never Was. At the MCG in 2003, he produced probably the greatest dismissal of runless desperation I've ever seen. Against Australia, of course. He hit his first ball to mid off and was so eager to get off the mark that he sped off for a single straight away. He was run out by about 4-5 feet. :D

[Guest HariSampath]

I'd have quite a few innings to speak of, but I blinked through many of them. Mind you, Chris Martin makes Eric Hollies look almost batsmanesque. Hollies actually made it to double figures in his 15 inning-long career and averaged a mighty five. Martin still averages three runs less than him (yes, 2.08 :D), aftr 46 innings has a highest score of 7 and to this date has taken more than twice as many wickets as he has scored runs. 52 runs, 110 wickets - and I expect the gap to keep spreading. Muralitharan's one of my favourite number 11s to watch, especially against a fast bowler with his clownish hitting. I do fear for the umpires though. I suspect one of these days he will step on an umpire's foot if he's not careful when backing away to square leg. On the flip side, McGrath's probably the most impressive genuine number 11 I've seen in a while. I remember him being almost Martin-level bad when he debuted, but the work he put in was amazing - actually developing a technique and a couple of shots, and later producing some pretty handy knocks (that little unbeaten cameo at Old Trafford in 2005 when Aus saved the test at 9 down sticks out). And of course, you had the standard McGrath humour to go with the batting improvement - complaining about all his not-outs being "great innings being nipped in the bud thanks to his useless partners". Best of all, he actually lived up to that when he made a test 50 vs. NZ. :D

lol, Murali and McGrath were great 11s, I am also reminded of India's BS Chandrasekhar who was perhaps the worst ever player at that spot, hated batting and almost always never lasted 2-3 balls.

[Guest HariSampath]

BTW, great thread Hari. Good to have someone with your knowledge and appreciation for the game's history chiming in. Some other superb number 11s I've enjoyed for their sheer haplessness were Courtney Walsh, Devon Malcolm, Phil Tufnell (did you ever see him try and play Shane Warne by falling down on the pitch?) and Venkatesh Prasad - and I've heard a great deal about just how Chandra could out-unbat all of them. Oh, and I would be disappointed if I didn't bring up the Number 11 that Never Was. At the MCG in 2003, he produced probably the greatest dismissal of runless desperation I've ever seen. Against Australia, of course. He hit his first ball to mid off and was so eager to get off the mark that he sped off for a single straight away. He was run out by about 4-5 feet. :D

LOL, I was sure you would bring in Agarkar as a deserving candidate for all time great 11s . I had seen Chandra so many times, I am also reminded of Dilip Doshi, whom Imran Khan had once challenged that he will never have to bowl a second ball to :D. Mullaly was one such great although I do remember him hitting boundaries to win an Ashes game... Monty Panesar is a good candidate too

[chanakya]

Walsh Was my favorite number 11. How can one back away from the ball and hang the bat out for an edge at the same time, Not to forget his booming drive which never connected.

[Ram]

Brilliant thread ! :two_thumbs_up: And come on guys , Agarkar is no number eleven ! He's got a century in Lords for God's sake !:D

[Cricketics]

Phil Tufnell.. he had his own style of batting.. a gem and a real match winner(for oppositions) batting @ no. 11 walsh is a good pick for this too.. that way of coming in front food with bat staying behind his body and looking to duck the ball was hilarious

[King Tendulkar]

Walsh was quality The best leave in cricket history. Another great 11 was Devon Malcolmn. A proper number 11. Great number 11s are less then in years gone before. There used to be some great 11s! Malcolmn and Walsh were my favs

[ludhianvi]

It was said , as the greatest tribute to his batsmanship as a # 11 was the horse that used to drag the roller between innings always got up and stretched itself when Hollies walked out to bat :D

That was an interesting read :hysterical: And Munaf Patel is quite a character as well when he bats

[Bongosamaj]

Walsh was the most humorous #11 i've seen. I remember one match vs England where Walsh completely misread Gough and tried to play a hook to a yorker-length ball, promptly bowling himself with his bat higher than his head when the off stump went cartwheeling. Even the normally reserved and gentlemanly Stewart couldn't keep a straight face and Walsh himself had a big grin on his face as he walked away.

[observer1]

vrv singh, gentlemen, is another contender - he is in the muralitharan mould. pity he is a better batsman than bowler

[fineleg]

vrv singh' date=' gentlemen, is another contender - he is in the muralitharan mould. pity he is a better batsman than bowler[/quote'] VRV singh :hysterical: Even better or worse? is Munaf Musa Patel :haha:

[coffee_rules]

Talking about #11s, do you know who has made the most runs in a test innings at #11?

[Holysmoke]

zak

[Guest Hiten.]

Prasad anyone ? :banghead: Bhen da bhai, couldn't score 2 runs vs Zim, and India lost (WC 99) :banghead:

[Dravid]

lol at the aggy hater :hahaha: what about the 100 at lords and fastest 50 to go along with many little comeos? true 11s can only dream about it :D #11? sree :D

[Guest BossBhai]

-- Removed on request of the user --

[Stryker]

im surprised no one has mentioned Nehra yet.

[Tapioca]

Chris Martin batting coaching DVD : [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qu4oVX-YHE]YouTube - Pulp Sport Chris Martin 'Learn to bat'[/ame]