Dwayne Bravo

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Dwayne Bravo West Indies (WI)
Batting style	Right hand bat
Bowling type	Right arm medium fast
	Tests	ODIs
Matches	19	64
Runs scored	1113	871
Batting average	32.73	24.19
100s/50s	2/6	1/2
Top score	113	112*
Balls bowled	2913	2416
Wickets	39	69
Bowling average	39.48	30.84
5 wickets in innings	2	0
10 wickets in match	0	n/a
Best bowling	6/55	4/39
Catches/stumpings	16/0	26/0
As of March 30, 2007 Source: Cricinfo.com

Dwayne James John Bravo (born 7 October 1983 in Trinidad and Tobago) is a West Indian cricketer. A genuine all-rounder, Bravo is expected to play a significant role in attempts by the West Indies to return to international prominence in the sport.

Contents 1 Background 2 Controversy 3 Australia 2005-06 4 County Cricket

[edit] Background

Bravo is a right-handed batsman and right-arm medium-fast bowler who has already become one of the West Indies' more reliable one-day bowlers, able to contain batsman towards the end of the innings.

He showed promise against England at the home of cricket on his Test début, scoring 44 and 10 as well as taking three wickets, including that of now retired England veteran Graham Thorpe. He finished the Test series with 16 wickets together with 220 well-made runs. He did not bat on his One-Day International début, also against England, but took 2-31 with the ball.

[edit] Controversy

Bravo generated great controversy during West Indies' disastrous series against South Africa in May 2005 when he accused opposition captain Graeme Smith of directing a racist comment at him^{[citation needed]}. At the subsequent hearing no evidence could be found and charges were dropped against Smith, who immediately demanded an apology from the young all-rounder. Bravo, backed by the West Indies Cricket Board, refused to do so and received a hail of criticism from an angry South African press while being celebrated at home as a human rights campaigner. He has since moved on from the issue.

[edit] Australia 2005-06

On the West Indies tour of Australia in 2005, he was controversially not picked for the first Test at Brisbane in which the West Indies were beaten convincingly. He was recalled for the second Test in Hobart and in the Australians first innings he took 2/96. But his biggest contribution was in the West Indian second innings in which he made a superb 113, after coming in at a very difficult stage for the West Indies. This innings lifted the West Indies and helped them maintain some pride, forcing the Australians to bat for a second time in the match. In the third and final match of the series at Adelaide, Bravo scored 34 in the first innings. He bowled a superb spell in the Australians first innings when he firstly had Matthew Hayden out caught by Chanderpaul. He then got Ricky Ponting lbw late on in the second day.

But it was his bowling spell on the third day that caught the eye, firstly clean bowling Andrew Symonds for 9. He then should have had Adam Gilchrist caught behind by Ramdin for 0, only for Ramdin to drop the simplest of catches diving away to his left. Bravo didn't let that missed chance hinder him, rather he then tempted Adam Gilchrist with a wide delivery which Gilchrist slashed at and was caught superbly by Chanderpaul. The next ball he bowled he had an lbw shout against Shane Warne rightfully turned down by umpire Billy Bowden as it was missing off stump. The next ball he should have had Shane Warne lbw as the ball was going on to hit middle stump, although Billy Bowden once again turned down his appeal. The next ball, and the last ball before lunch, Shane Warne chipped the ball straight back down the ground about a metre or so wide of Bravo, and Bravo lept superbly, and took a one-handed diving catch to dismiss Warne.

After lunch he then took his sixth wicket of the innings dismissing Brett Lee for 9. He had been swinging the ball into Brett Lee, but on the wicket ball he nipped the ball away from Brett Lee and enticed the edge and Lee was caught by Ramdin which took Bravo's figures at the time to 6/64. He finished up with superb figures of 6/84.

He also played brilliantly in the ICC Champions Trophy 2006 & was instrumental in his team's big Wins over "Cricketing Giants" in Australia & India. Even though his side lost to England in a tense but inconsequential match,he made his First Ever ODI Century & scored a majestic 115 Not out & carried his bat throughout the West Indian innings after coming in at 35/1 with Shivnarine Chanderpaul gone.He also fielded very well & got a wicket in that loss to England.

[edit] County Cricket

Bravo is currently one of two overseas players at Kent County Cricket Club, England, furthering his experience in Cricket.

	West Indies squad - 2007 Cricket World Cup
1 Bradshaw | 2 Bravo | 3 Chanderpaul | 4 Collymore | 5 Gayle | 6 Lara | 7 Powell | 8 Pollard | 9 Ramdin | 10 Samuels | 11 Sarwan | 12 Simmons | 13 Dwayne Smith | 14 Devon Smith | 15 Taylor | Coach: King