Mark Ramprakash

Mark Ramprakash MBE

Personal information
Full name	Mark Ravin Ramprakash
Born	(1969-09-05) 5 September 1969 Bushey, Hertfordshire, England
Nickname	Ramps, Bloodaxe, The Hips
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Batting style	Right-handed
Bowling style	Right arm off-spin
Role	Batsman
International information
National side	England
Test debut (cap 549)	6 June 1991 v West Indies
Last Test	3 April 2002 v New Zealand
ODI debut (cap 114)	25 May 1991 v West Indies
Last ODI	13 October 2001 v Zimbabwe
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1987–2000	Middlesex
2001–2012	Surrey (squad no. 77)
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA Matches 52 18 461 407 Runs scored 2,350 376 35,659 13,273 Batting average 27.32 26.85 53.14 40.22 100s/50s 2/12 0/1 114/147 17/85 Top score 154 51 301* 147* Balls bowled 895 132 4,177 1,734 Wickets 4 4 34 46 Bowling average 119.25 27.00 64.76 29.43 5 wickets in innings 0 0 – 1 10 wickets in match 0 n/a – – Best bowling 1/2 3/28 3/32 5/38 Catches/stumpings 39/– 8/– 261/– 136/–
Source: CricketArchive, 11 July 2013

Mark Ravin Ramprakash, MBE (born 5 September 1969) is a former English cricketer. A right-handed batsman, he initially made his name playing for Middlesex, and was selected for England aged 21. Despite being among the most gifted and heavily scoring English batsman of his generation at county level, he rarely performed to his full potential during a long but intermittent international career. He became a particularly prolific run scorer when he moved to Surrey in 2001, averaging over 100 runs per innings in two successive seasons (2006 & 2007).^[1] He is one of only 25 players in the history of the sport to have scored 100 first-class centuries.

In November 2012, he was announced as the batting coach for the England Lions in India.^[2] In January 2013 he was appointed as batting coach for Middlesex, on a two-year contract.^[3] In November 2014 he was appointed as England's batting coach. ^[4]

Early life and career

Mark Ramprakash was born in Bushey, Hertfordshire, and is of Indo-Caribbean and English descent. His father, born in the Caribbean, was Indo-Guyanese and his mother was English.^[5][6] He attended Gayton High School (now Harrow High School), and then Harrow Weald Sixth Form College. His first local club was Bessborough Cricket Club in Headstone Lane where he showed early promise as a fast bowler before concentrating on his batting. He played his first match for Middlesex aged just 17, scoring 63 not out against Yorkshire, and top-scoring with 71 in his second match against Essex at Chelmsford (he was still a sixth-form student at the time). He scored his maiden first-class century at Headingley against Yorkshire in 1989, and captained the England U-19 team. He came to national prominence when, at the age of 18, he won the man-of-the match award in the 1988 NatWest Trophy Final after his innings of 56 helped Middlesex beat Worcestershire.

Ramprakash at a young age had to choose between playing football for Watford FC and continuing his playing career in cricket. His choice was made easier after Watford moved to London Colney training centre shared with Arsenal and after losing 7–0 he chose to continue with cricket.

Bloodaxe

During his early days as a professional cricketer, Ramprakash had a reputation as something of a mercurial and stormy character. Nicknamed "Bloodaxe" by Middlesex team-mates for his short temper, Ramprakash's younger days contrasted with the laconic mellowness of his thirties.^[7] However, at times he continued to display the fiery temper, which has been compared to Mount Vesuvius, that many say prevented him from succeeding at international level.^[8]

Despite being asked to keep his aggression at bay by teammates, including Graham Gooch^[9] and Adam Hollioake^[10] he often struggled to control it, resulting in verbal attacks and famous dressing room tantrums,^[11] one of the most well-known being the demolition of the showers at The Oval.^[12]

Test career

Ramprakash was selected for his first Test match for England against the West Indies at Headingley in 1991. This was the same game in which Graeme Hick made his England Test debut, and like Hick, he struggled to impress, producing a series of scores in the 20s. He was dropped in 1992 after a number of poor performances. However, his consistent heavy scoring in county cricket meant that he was always on the fringes of selection.

He was recalled to the England team for the final Test of the 1993 Ashes series. With Australia already 4–0 up it was a dead rubber, but he produced his first substantial innings for England by scoring 64 to help the team grab a consolation victory. This booked him a place on the subsequent tour of the West Indies. However, another string of low scores meant he was dropped and out of the selectors' plans. Ramprakash was not selected in the touring party for the 1994–95 Ashes series, but was chosen as vice-captain for the England A tour to India. However, an injury to Graeme Hick meant that he was flown out to play in the final Ashes Test scoring a useful 72. He was in and out of the England team over the next few years, never assured of selection but still scoring very heavily for Middlesex.

A breakthrough of sorts came in the 1997–98 Test series against the West Indies when he scored 154 in the fifth Test in Barbados.^[13] It was his first Test century and it earned him regular selection for the England team for the next few years. While he scored a number of fifties against various teams (notably Australia), he only added one more century to his tally – 133 against Australia at The Oval in the 2001 Ashes series. He was not picked again after England's tour of New Zealand in March 2002.

During the build-up to the final Ashes Test of 2009, with the series poised at 1–1, Ramprakash was widely touted in the press as a possible choice to improve the struggling England middle order, with a number of pundits, including Alec Stewart, suggesting his selection.^[14] However, Jonathan Trott was selected instead,^[15] going on to score a Test century on debut.^[16]

At Surrey

In 2001, thoroughly disillusioned with the organisation at Middlesex, who were by then playing second division-level cricket, he joined London rivals Surrey. His form improved markedly as a result. In the 2003 season, he became the first player to have scored a century against all 18 county teams, and completed the set with a century against his former county Middlesex. Only Carl Hooper and Chris Adams have since achieved this feat.^[17]

Ramprakash became the first man to captain both Middlesex and Surrey when he stood in for the injured Mark Butcher at the start of the 2005 English cricket season. Butcher did not recover until the middle of August, and Ramprakash remained captain for most of the season. Ramprakash's move to Surrey seemed to backfire in 2005 when Surrey were relegated after a poor season. However, in their final Championship game, against Middlesex, who were also in danger of relegation themselves, Ramprakash gained consolation by hitting 252, sharing a Surrey record for a fifth-wicket partnership of 318 with Azhar Mahmood as Surrey made 686 for five declared, and duly won by an innings and 39 runs.

In 2006, Ramprakash, relieved of the unwanted burden of captaincy, displayed good form, making a career-best 292 against Gloucestershire in May, then improving that still further with 301 not out against Northamptonshire in early August. Later that month against Worcestershire he made 196 in the first innings, and in the process passed 2,000 runs in first-class cricket for the summer in only his 20th innings (a record^[18]). Ramprakash, the leading run scorer in 2006, was the first man to score 2,000 runs in a season since the Australian Mike Hussey in 2001, and the first Englishman to do it since Ramprakash himself back in 1995. He also became the first man to score over 150 runs in an innings in five consecutive matches.^[19] He ended with 2,278 runs at an average of 103.54, only the sixth man to average over one hundred over eight or more completed first-class innings in an English season.^[20][21] Surrey gained promotion back into the first division. His form led some commentators to say that the England selectors should consider him for that winter's Ashes tour: Mike Selvey called him "the best technician of his generation with a good record in trying circumstances in Australia" and said that he should be considered as a possible replacement for Marcus Trescothick.^[22] He was not, however, chosen. His 2006 form also won him the Professional Cricketers' Association Player of the Year Award^[23] and selection as one of five Wisden Cricketers of the Year.^[24]

His fine form continued in 2007, and Ramprakash was once again the most prolific batsman in county cricket. He finished the season with 2,026 first-class runs, including ten centuries, at an average of 101.30, becoming the only man to average over 100 in two consecutive English seasons.^[25] His twin hundreds in the final game of the season, against Lancashire, are widely said to have ended Lancashire's hopes of winning the championship.^[26] His form and professionalism led to further remarks that he should be recalled to the England side.^[27] Ramprakash himself stated that whilst he found this attention flattering, he had more or less abandoned any hope of being recalled to the England team, given the present selection policy targeted towards youth.

In 2008, Ramprakash scored a century in his first innings of the season – his third consecutive first-class century, all against Lancashire – and another (his 99th) two matches later. He finally scored his 100th 100 against Yorkshire at Headingley on 2 August 2008, becoming only the 25th player to reach this mark. It mirrored his very first century, also scored at Headingley. He hit 200 not out vs Somerset to get his 101st first-class hundred.

He was also in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons, when the England and Wales Cricket Board banned him for two County Championship matches, for losing his famous temper and repeatedly swearing at an umpire.^[28]

In 2009, there was, yet again, much media speculation that Ramprakash should receive an England call up for the final Test match of the 2009 Ashes series.^[29] He averaged 90 for Surrey in 2009.^[30]

In 2010, Ramprakash again emerged as county cricket's leading run-getter – albeit in the second division. After 16 matches and 28 innings he ended the season with 1595 runs at an average of 61.34, including 5 hundreds with a highest score of 248.

In 2011, Ramprakash was suspended by Surrey for their CB40 game with Northants after he showed "serious dissent" to umpires.^[31]

In 2012, Ramprakash was picked to captain MCC in their match against Lancashire opening the 2012 English cricket season.^[32]

By the time of his retirement^[33] as a cricketer from all forms of the game on 4 July 2012^[34] he had scored 114 hundreds, 16th in the all-time list of first-class century-makers, just three behind Sir Donald Bradman's 117.

In an article in the Daily Telegraph marking his retirement, entitled "Mark Ramprakash: A champion of elegance in helmet and pads", Jim White wrote "...with him will pass into history one of the most beautiful and stylish sights ever seen on a sporting field: Ramprakash taking a long pace forward out of the crease and driving a cricket ball boundary-wards... When he addressed the ball, with everything aligned, everything in the right place, he produced an image which can only be described as exquisite."^[35]

Ramprakash was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2013 New Year Honours for services to sport.^[36]

Coaching

In December 2012 he joined Middlesex as their new batting coach and it was reported at the time that he relished the opportunity of working with the players.^[37]

In May 2014 it was reported that Ramprakash was interested in replacing Graham Gooch as England's batting coach ^[38] and, after speculation, his appointed was announced in November 2014.^[39]

The Guardian's Mike Selvey has suggested that Ramprakash's own indifferent experience at international level will be an asset in coaching England's batsmen. With Nick Knight adding that Ramprakash "can empathise" with England players.^[40]

Outside cricket

In 2006, Ramprakash and Karen Hardy won the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing.^[21] The couple beat Matt Dawson, former England rugby player, and Lilia Kopylova in the final.^[41] Ramprakash was the second consecutive cricketer to win the show, following former England team mate Darren Gough.

He is also an ambassador for the British Asian Trust ^[42]

He is a supporter of the Arsenal Football Club and plays for the Arsenal Ex-Pros and Celebrities side.^[43]

On 9 March 2008, Ramprakash appeared on the CBBC show Hider in the House, setting up dad Ian Smeeton, with Ian's wife Wendy, two children Will and Pippa Smeeton, and their friend Dougy in Cambridge. He completed all his challenges.

In a special edition of Strictly Come Dancing for Sport Relief on 14 March 2008, Ramprakash and partner Kara Tointon were the winners after performing a samba. In 2008, he appeared on a special Strictly Come Dancing episode of The Weakest Link, being the fifth one voted off.

He used to be on the books of Watford F.C. as a schoolboy, but gave up the game to concentrate on his cricket. He also did a stint as a P.E. teacher at St. Martin's School, Northwood, in 2003, teaching football for a brief period as a consideration for a job after cricket.

References

External links

• Player profile: Mark Ramprakash from ESPNcricinfo
• Player profile: Mark Ramprakash from CricketArchive
• Mark Ramprakash from Surrey County Cricket Club
• Mark Ramprakash at the Internet Movie Database

Sporting positions
Preceded by Graham Gooch	England Batting Coach 2014-	Succeeded by Incumbent
Preceded by Mike Gatting	Middlesex County Cricket Captain 1997–1999	Succeeded by Justin Langer
Preceded by Mark O'Neill	Middlesex Batting Coach 2013–2014	Succeeded by Dave Houghton
Awards and achievements
Preceded by Darren Gough and Lilia Kopylova	Strictly Come Dancing Champion (with partner Karen Hardy) Series 4 (2006)	Succeeded by Alesha Dixon and Matthew Cutler

PCA Player of the Year 1970: Procter & Bond 1971: Gibbs 1972: Roberts 1973: Lee 1974: Stead 1975: Abbas 1976: Lee 1977: Procter 1978: Lever 1979: Lever 1980: Jackman 1981: Hadlee 1982: Marshall 1983: McEwan 1984: Hadlee 1985: Radford 1986: Walsh 1987: Hadlee 1988: Hick 1989: Cook 1990: Gooch 1991: Younis 1992: Walsh 1993: Watkin 1994: Lara 1995: Cork 1996: Simmons 1997: James 1998: Loye 1999: Law 2000: Trescothick 2001: Fulton 2002: Vaughan 2003: Ahmed 2004: Flintoff 2005: Flintoff 2006: Ramprakash 2007: Gibson 2008: van Jaarsveld 2009: Trescothick 2010: Carter 2011: Trescothick 2012: Compton 2013: Ali 2014: Lyth

Batsmen who have scored 100 first-class centuries W. G. Grace Tom Hayward Jack Hobbs Phil Mead Patsy Hendren Frank Woolley Herbert Sutcliffe Ernest Tyldesley Wally Hammond Andy Sandham Donald Bradman Les Ames Len Hutton Denis Compton Tom Graveney Colin Cowdrey John Edrich Geoffrey Boycott Glenn Turner Zaheer Abbas Dennis Amiss Viv Richards Graham Gooch Graeme Hick Mark Ramprakash

Strictly Come Dancing Contestants Series 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Christmas Specials Hosts Current Tess Daly Claudia Winkleman Guest Natasha Kaplinsky Ronnie Corbett Zoë Ball Sir Bruce Forsyth Judges Current Len Goodman Bruno Tonioli Craig Revel Horwood Darcey Bussell Former Arlene Phillips Alesha Dixon Guest Jennifer Grey Donny Osmond Celebrity winners Natasha Kaplinsky Jill Halfpenny Darren Gough Mark Ramprakash Alesha Dixon Tom Chambers Chris Hollins Kara Tointon Harry Judd Louis Smith Abbey Clancy Caroline Flack Professional winners Brendan Cole Darren Bennett Lilia Kopylova Karen Hardy Matthew Cutler Camilla Dallerup Ola Jordan Artem Chigvintsev Aliona Vilani Flavia Cacace Aljaž Skorjanec Pasha Kovalev Other professionals Erin Boag Joanne Clifton Kevin Clifton Andrew Cuerden Anton du Beke Brian Fortuna Anya Garnis Hanna Haarala Izabela Hannah Karen Hauer Hayley Holt Kylie Jones James Jordan Hanna Karttunen Paul Killick Natalie Lowe Iveta Lukosiute Tristan MacManus Janette Manrara Jared Murillo Hazel Newberry Kristina Rihanoff Vincent Simone Katya Virshilas Ian Waite Trent Whiddon Robin Windsor Related It Takes Two Dancing with the Stars (U.S. version) Dancing with the Stars (International versions)

Strictly Come Dancing Series 4 Mark Ramprakash Matt Dawson Emma Bunton Louisa Lytton Carol Smillie Claire King Peter Schmeichel Ray Fearon Jan Ravens Georgina Bouzova DJ Spoony Jimmy Tarbuck Mica Paris Nicholas Owen

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