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Monday, February 21, 2011

andrew strauss personal life

Andrew John Strauss, MBE born 2 March 1977 is an English cricketer who plays county cricket for Middlesex County Cricket Club and is captain of England. A fluent left-handed opening batsman, Strauss favours scoring off the back foot, mostly playing cut and pull shots. Strauss is also known for his fielding strength at slip or in the covers.
He made his first-class debut in 1998, and his One Day International ODI debut in Sri Lanka in 2003. He quickly rose to fame on his Test match debut replacing the injured Michael Vaughan at Lords against New Zealand in 2004 With scores of 112 and 83 run outv in an England victory, and the man of the match award, he became only the fourth batsman to score a century at Lord's on his debut and was close to becoming the first Englishman to score centuries in both innings of his debut Strauss again nearly scored two centuries 126 and 94 not out nd was named man of the match in his first overseas Test match, in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, in December 2004 Strauss suffered a drop in form during 2007, and as a result he was left out of the Test squad for England's tour of Sri Lanka, and announced that he was taking a break from cricket After a poor tour for England, Strauss was recalled into the squad for the 2008 tour of New Zealand, and subsequently reestablished himself in the side with a career-best 177 in the third and final Test of that series, and a further three centuries in 2008.
Having deputised for Michael Vaughan as England captain in 2006, Strauss was appointed on a permanent basis for the 2008/09 tour of the West Indies following Kevin Pietersen's resignationHe enjoyed success with three centuries, and retained the captaincy into 2009. Strauss captained the England team to a 2–1 victory in the 2009 Ashes, scoring a series total of 474 runs, more than any other player on either sideincluding 161 in England's first victory in an Ashes Test at Lord's in 75 years
Contents
* 1 Personal life
* 2 Playing career
o 2.1 Domestic career
o 2.2 International career
+ 2.2.1 Debut year 2003–04
+ 2.2.2 Road to The Ashes 2004–05
+ 2.2.3 The Ashes 2005
+ 2.2.4 Facing Asian teams and early captaincy 2005–06
+ 2.2.5 Decline in form 2006–07
+ 2.2.6 Omission from team and revival in New Zealand
+ 2.2.7 New Zealand and South Africa tour England
+ 2.2.8 2008 Tour of India
+ 2.2.9 Captaincy
+ 2.2.10 The Ashes 2009
+ 2.2.11 2009-10 and 2010
+ 2.2.12 The Ashes 2010-11
* 3 Test centuries
o 3.1 Test Records Against Each Opponents
* 4 Test analysis by year
* 5 One Day International centuries
* 6 See also
* 7 References
* 8 External links
Personal life
Born in South Africa, Strauss moved to England aged six. First playing cricket in Australia for Caulfield Grammar School in Melbourne,Strauss came back to England and was educated at Caldicott School, Radley College and, between 1995 and 1998, at Hatfield College, Durham University, where he studied economics and achieved a 2.1.He married Australian actress Ruth McDonald in October 2003 and they now live in Marlow, with their sons, Sam born 4 December 2005 and Luca 14 July 2008 Strauss also became President of the Primary Club Juniors, a charity which helps fund blind cricket. In aid of the cause he took part in a blind game, wearing a blindfold and being dismissed on his second ball. He has a variety of nicknames ranging from the predictable Straussy, Levi and Johann, to the more obscure Lord Brocket, Mareman, The General, Jazzer and Muppet

andrew strauss

Barrie McCullum personal life

Brendon Barrie McCullum born 27 September 1981 in Dunedin is a New Zealand international cricketer, who plays for the Otago Volts at provincial level. He is a wicket-keeper, as well as an aggressive batsman who opens in One-day Internationals and is known for his fast scoring rate. His brother Nathan McCullum is also a first-class and international cricketer at provincial level, and their father Stuart McCullum was a long-serving first-class player for Otago. Both Brendon and Nathan attended King's High School, Dunedin.
McCullum also played for Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League in the first three; but in 2010, he was signed in by Kochi IPL Team. He scored 158 not out in the inaugural match of the competition on 18 April 2008. The innings is currently the world highest score by a batsman in a Twenty20 match.
He also has the amazing ability to play the Dilscoop, which involves the batsmen squatting down and scooping deliveries back over the wicketkeepers head. Doing this shot in the 20/20 on the 28th February 2010, against Australia, he managed to hit Shaun Tait for six back over Brad Haddin's head.
Contents
* 1 Domestic career
* 2 Career highlights
* 3 Role
* 4 Personal life
* 5 Achievements
o 5.1 Test Centuries
o 5.2 One Day International Centuries
o 5.3 Twenty20 International Centuries
* 6 References
* 7 External links
Domestic career
On 2 March 2008, before facing England for the test series, he was involved in the State Shield Final versus Auckland Aces, in scoring 170 runs for the Otago Volts to help beat the Aces at Eden Park's outer oval, and helped to chased down a daunting total of 310 for 7, he broke multiple State Shield batting records.
State Shield One Day record of the fastest 100 off 52 balls including 14 fours and 5 sixes.
When he got to 135, he scored the highest individual runs for an Otago Volts player.
When he got to 162, he scored the highest score by any player in a domestic one-day match Shell or State competitions overtaking Blair Hartland's previous record.
went on to score 170 runs, including 19 fours and 7 sixes.
McCullum played for Glamorgan in 2006 and he scored 160 opening the batting against Leicestershire in the County Championship.
January 2009, he lined up for New South Wales in the final of Australia's KFC Twenty20 Big Bash. This was an exercise to allow him to be eligible to play for them in the Twenty20 Champions League. This sparked criticism however despite opinion States are permitted to have one overseas player in their squad. McCullum also donated his match fee from the game to Otago Junior Cricket.
On 16 January 2010 during the 2009-10 HRV Cup, vs Auckland Aces at University Oval, McCullum hit 108 not out off 67 deliveries, which included 10 fours and four sixes to lead Otago Volts to victory with three balls to spare. McCullum reached his 50 off 32 deliveries and his century off 65 deliveries.
highlights
In 2003 he played in a Test series against England and scored what was then his highest score, an innings of 96 at Lord's. His maiden Test century came several months later when he scored 143 against Bangladesh. He fell just short of his second Test hundred in a game against Sri Lanka when dismissed one short of his hundred. His second century would later come with a run a ball 111 against Zimbabwe.
He was selected in the 20-man ICC World XI squad for the ICC Super Series in July 2005.
In March 2006, he was charged with bringing the game into disrepute during an ODI against West Indies, but was found not guilty
On 20 February 2007, he scored 86 not out as New Zealand went on to be the first team to whitewash Australia in a 3 match ODI series since 1997. He struck a massive six off the first ball of the last over against Nathan Bracken to level the scores, before he finished it off with a boundary. In his matchwinning innings he partnered Craig McMillan to a world record equalling 6th wicket partnership of 165
On 21 March 2007, he set a new World Cup record, by smashing 50 runs from just 20 balls against Canada in St Lucia. He finished his innings with 52 runs from 21 balls, including 10 fours and 5 sixes, with a strike rate of 247.61. The previous record had been set by Mark Boucher South Africa The Netherlands on March 16 50 runs from 21 balls
On 14 December 2007 he scored 96 103 against Australia. He was caught by Nathan Bracken off the bowling of Brad Hogg after 35.3 overs.
On 31 December 2007 he scored 50 from just 19 balls against Bangladesh. He finished his innings with 80 runs from only 28 balls, including 9 fours and 6 sixes with a strike rate of 285.71 resulting in a 10 wicket win: chasing 93 from 50 overs and achieving it making 95 from only 6 overs.
On 12 February 2008 he scored 50 from 27 balls against England. He finished his innings with 80 runs from only 47 balls, including 8 fours and 5 sixes with a strike rate of 170.21 resulting in a 10 wicket win and giving New Zealand a 2 nil lead in the 5 match series.
On 18 April 2008, he claimed the record for highest individual score in a Twenty20 innings, scoring 158* from only 73 balls, which included 13 sixes and 10 fours in boundaries, for the Kolkata Knight Riders against Bangalore Royal Challengers in the first game of the Indian Premier League helping them get a much deserved 140 run victory. This eclipsed the previous record mark of 141, held by Australian Cameron White, McCullum faced an over White bowled in that match and smashed him for 24, it was White's only over in that match.n the same match he also claimed the record for most sixes 13 in a Twenty20 innings,the most sixes in an individual Twenty20 innings has since been surpassed16 by Englishman Graham Napier.
On 1 July 2008, he scored his maiden ODI century, eventually getting dismissed for 166 against Ireland. He shared in a 266 run opening stand with James Marshall, which is the highest ODI partnership for any wicket in Black Caps history and the second highest opening partnership in all ODIs.

Barrie McCullum

shane williams early life

Shane Mark Williams born 26 February 1977 is a Welsh international rugby union player who plays as a wing for the Ospreys and who can also play scrum-half.Williams is well-known for his side-step, acceleration and his ability to find open space through opposition defence. He has been described as one of the most exciting wingers in the world,and is currently third on the international all-time Test try scoring list.
In 2008, Williams was selected as the IRB International Player of the Year.
Contents
* 1 Early life
* 2 Club career
* 3 International career
* 4 Personal life
* 5 Points record
* 6 References
* 7 External links
Early life
Williams was born in Morriston, in Swansea, but grew up in Glanamman in the Amman Valley. He picked up his first rugby ball while still in primary school, and was always small for his age, even going into secondary school at Amman Valley Comprehensive School. Told that he was too small to play rugby, Williams took up football instead, playing for Cwmamman United A.F.C.; in his first appearance for the club's junior team, Williams had to play in goal as no one else would volunteer to take the position. Williams' former junior football coach, Alun Rees, remembers him as a "superb goalkeeper", but notes that he could also play outfield. Williams played for Cwmamman United up to the senior level, while only playing rugby sporadically, and admits that, at the time, football was "main sport". However, on the day of Cwmamman United's cup final, Williams was invited to play rugby with his friends at Amman United RFC; Amman United ended up winning by 82 points, with Williams scoring five tries.
Club career
Williams started his junior career as a scrum-half at Amman United but, despite having been a fan of Llanelli RFC growing up, he joined Neath as a second-choice scrum-half. However, it became apparent to Lyn Jones, Neath's then-coach, that Williams simply could not be left out of the side, and placed him on the right wing, opposite Delme Williams on the left. However, Delme Williams had shown a tendency not to kick and chase the ball, resulting in him and Shane swapping wings.
When it came to Williams signing his first professional contract with Neath, Amman United demanded a transfer fee for him, resulting in negotiations between the two clubs. Nevertheless, Williams eventually signed for Neath on a contract worth approximately £7,500 per annum, equivalent to his wage at the local Job Centre where he was working part-time.
International career
Williams earned his first cap from the bench against France in 1999–2000 Six Nations season, he was 22 three weeks short of his 23rd birthday, and weighed a little over 11 stone, having been deemed too small by som ever play international rugby. He scored in his first full start for Wales with a try against Italy in the same Six Nations tournament and has since earned 73 caps for Wales and has scored 55 international tries 53 for Wales, 2 for the British and Irish Lions and 275 points 265 for Wales, 10 for the Lions . He is Wales' most capped winger.
He suffered a series of hamstring injuries in 2002 and did not often figure in Steve Hansen's squad. He considered quitting rugby entirely at this time
He was part of the Grand Slam-winning Wales side in the 2005 Six Nations championship, where he scored tries against Italy, Scotland, and most famously England, the try that helped them achieve a famous 11–9 victory that got their campaign underway. He was then selected to the British and Irish Lions for their 2005 New Zealand tour. On 28 June, he equalled a single-game Lions record by scoring five tries in a tour match against Manawatu.
In the summer of 2007, Williams underwent elbow and shoulder surgery and missed the tour of Australia. However, he did return in time to play the last World Cup warm up game against France. During the 2007 Rugby World Cup, Williams earned his 50th cap against Japan. He scored two tries in that match, temporarily putting him on top of the 2007 World Cup try-scoring table with a total of five tries. The tries also put him above Ieuan Evans on the all-time Wales try scoring list, trailing only Gareth Thomas at that time. His try against France in their Six Nations decider on 15 March 2008 placed him joint eighth on the all-time Test try scoring list with Thomas, and surpassed Thomas on the all-time Wales try scoring list.
Williams scores a try for the Ospreys away to Ulster in April 2010.
He participated in a second Grand Slam win with Wales in the 2008 Six Nations Championship, when he scored tries against Scotland twice Italy twice Ireland, and France, breaking the record on the all-time Wales try scoring list in the championship's final match against France, when he scored his 41st try for Wales. This try resulted in his father Mark Williams winning £25,000 from a £50 bet placed almost 10 years previously that he'd one day become Wales' leading try scorer His performances in the Six Nations led to him being named the player of the tournament.
On 23 November 2008, Williams became the first Welshman to be named IRB International Player of the Year, beating fellow Welshman Ryan Jones, New Zealand's Dan Carter, Scottish skipper Mike Blair, and Italy captain Sergio Parisse
On 7 December 2008, he won the BBC Welsh Sports Personality Of The Year, seeing off the competition of Tom James, David Roberts, Geraint Thomas and runners up Joe Calzaghe and Nicole Cooke.

shane williams