Neil Mallender

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Neil Mallender England (ENG)

Batting style	Right-hand bat
Bowling type	Right-arm fast-medium
	Tests	First-class
Matches	2	345
Runs scored	8	4709
Batting average	2.66	17.18
100s/50s	-/-	1/10
Top score	4	100*
Balls bowled	449	53215
Wickets	10	937
Bowling average	21.50	26.31
5 wickets in innings	1	36
10 wickets in match	-	5
Best bowling	5/50	7/27
Catches/stumpings	-/-	111/-
Test debut: 17 October 2003 Last Test: 26 February 2004 Source: [1]

Neil Alan Mallender (born August 13, 1961, Kirk Sandall, Yorkshire) is a former English cricketer.

A right-arm fast-medium bowler and a right-hand lower order batsman who improved as his career progressed, Mallender played first class cricket in England for Northamptonshire (1980 to 1986 and 1995 to 1996), and for Somerset (1987 to 1994). He also played for Otago (1983-84 to 1992-93), captaining the side in 1990-91 and 1991-92.

On several occasions, Mallender was considered as an emergency selection during England tours to New Zealand, but he did not make his Test debut until 1992, in the home series against Pakistan. He was the 556th player to represent England when he made his debut, selected for the 4th Test on a dubious pitch under overcast skies at Headingley in July 1992.

Mallender proved to be an inspired selection, bowling with controlled swing and pace and able to lure the Pakistani batsmen, unfamiliar with the conditions, into rash strokes. He returned 5-50 in the second innings and 8-122 in the match and to help England to square the series 1-1. He was also selected for the 5th Test, at The Oval, where he opened the bowling, but he took only two lower-order wickets in the match, which Pakistan won decisively. He was then not selected for the winter tour to Sri Lanka and India, and never played Test cricket again.

He later became an international umpire, officiating in 3 Tests in 2003-4, and 22 [One-day Internationals between 2001 and 2003. He was a member ofr the Elite international panel in 2004.

When playing he was known as "The Ghost" because of his wan complexion and light blonde hair.