Duncan Fletcher
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| Duncan Fletcher | ||||
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 Zimbabwe |
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| Personal information | ||||
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| Batting style | Left-handed batsman | |||
| Bowling style | Right-arm fast-medium | |||
| Career statistics | ||||
| Tests | ODIs | |||
| Matches | - | 6 | ||
| Runs scored | - | 191 | ||
| Batting average | - | 47.75 | ||
| 100s/50s | - | 0/2 | ||
| Top score | - | 71* | ||
| Overs | - | 50.1 | ||
| Wickets | - | 7 | ||
| Bowling average | - | 31.57 | ||
| 5 wickets in innings | - | 0 | ||
| 10 wickets in match | - | n/a | ||
| Best bowling | - | 4/42 | ||
| Catches/stumpings | - | 0/- | ||
- For the American Senator and lawyer, see Duncan U. Fletcher
Duncan Andrew Gwynne Fletcher OBE (born 27 September 1948) is a former Zimbabwean cricketer, former captain of the Zimbabwean cricket team and former coach of the English cricket team. Fletcher is largely credited with rejuvenating the fortunes of the then flagging English team, with the team rising from bottom of the Test rankings to second under his tenure as coach.
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[edit] Early life
Fletcher was born in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia (now Harare, Zimbabwe) and was one of five brothers in a Rhodesian farming family described as 'ruggedly sporty'.[1]
[edit] Career as player
Fletcher was Zimbabwe's first-ever One Day International captain, leading them to their famous victory at the 1983 cricket World Cup over Australia, winning the Man of the Match award for his individual performance [2]. Fletcher also captained Zimbabwe to victory in the 1982 ICC Trophy.
[edit] Career as coach
Under Fletcher the England cricket team achieved famous series victories away to Sri Lanka, Pakistan and South Africa between 2000-2004. In 2004 England won an English record equalling 7 consecutive tests, beating New Zealand 3-0 and West Indies 4-0 at home respectively. His most famous and largest achievement however came in September 2005 he became the first coach of the English team to win an Ashes series for 18 years when England secured 2-1 victory over Australia.
On 13 September 2005 Fletcher was awarded British citizenship after a five year wait. Although both his parents and all his grandparents were ethnically English, i.e., of English/British descent, Fletcher had been denied citizenship by virtue of the fact he spent most of his time abroad - touring with the England team. After the Ashes series win of 2005, the Home Secretary, Charles Clarke, intervened to award Fletcher his long-sought citizenship [3].
Fletcher received heavy criticism from all quarters after preferring Ashley Giles to Monty Panesar as England's main spinner in the first two Tests of the 2006-07 Ashes series; Giles took three wickets in two Tests, while Panesar, when given the chance in the third Test, took five wickets in the first innings and three wickets in the second innings. Following defeat to Australia by 206 runs in the third test on 18 December 2006 which saw England relenquish the Ashes 15 months after gaining them, the England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed that Fletcher's position as head coach was under review. Despite a brief reprieve in early 2007 when England won the Commonwealth Bank Series, Fletcher came under increased criticism as England performed poorly in the World Cup, which culminated in a nine wicket loss to South Africa in which the team were booed off the field by England's Barmy Army. It was later announced, on 19 April 2007, that his 8 year tenure as coach was to end following England's final Super 8 match against the West Indies on Saturday 21 April 2007.
England's test record improved almost as soon as Fletcher took over in 1999, however the fortunes of the one-day side plummeted under Fletcher and ironically the only major success in one day cricket under the Fletcher era came a mere three months before his exit, as England won the Commonwealth Bank Series by defeating Australia early in 2007.
[edit] Trivia
Fletcher's sister, Ann Grant captained the Zimbabwe women's field hockey team which won the gold medal in the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.
His brother, Allan Fletcher, played seven first-class games for Rhodesia in the late 1970s.
Fletcher played a key role in the much publicised Vaughngate controversy in the 2005 Ashes defeat by Australia. Some pundits say that the selectors and English public never forgave him and this played an integral part in the ECB's decision to sack him in 2007.
In 2005 Fletcher became the first coach of the England cricket team to win an Ashes series against Australia for 18 years, with England winning the home series 2-1. However in the return series just 16 months later, Fletcher led England to their first Ashes whitewash (5-0) defeat since the 1920/21 tour of Australia.
In November 2007 Fletcher confirmed that he was considering a switch to rugby, stating "I'd like to be a rugby consultant. I have some ideas...I love my rugby, I would rather watch rugby than cricket. I'm passionate about it, it's the game I'd like to have been involved in."
On 5th November 2007 Fletcher's autobiography 'Behind The Shades' was published.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Cricinfo page on Duncan Fletcher
- Duncan Fletcher article, - hero or culprit?
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