Neil Fairbrother
CountryEngland
FullnameNeil Harvey Fairbrother
Birth date9 September 1963 (age 63)
Birth placeWarrington, Lancashire
BattingLeft-handed
BowlingLeft-arm medium
Internationaltrue
Internationalspan1987–1999
Testdebutdate4 June
Testdebutyear1987
TestdebutagainstPakistan
Testcap525
Lasttestdate13 March
Lasttestyear1993
LasttestagainstSri Lanka
Odidebutdate2 April
Odidebutyear1987
OdidebutagainstIndia
Odicap94
Lastodidate29 May
Lastodiyear1999
LastodiagainstIndia
Columns4
Column 1Test
Matches 110
Runs 1219
Bat avg 115.64
100s/50s 10/1
Top score 183
Deliveries 112
Wickets 10
Bowl avg 1–
Fivefor 1–
Tenfor 1–
Best bowling 1–
Catches/stumpings 14/–
Column 2ODI
Matches 275
Runs 22,092
Bat avg 239.47
100s/50s 21/16
Top score 2113
Deliveries 26
Wickets 20
Bowl avg 2–
Fivefor 2–
Tenfor 2–
Best bowling 2–
Catches/stumpings 233/–
Column 3FC
Matches 3366
Runs 320,612
Bat avg 341.22
100s/50s 347/104
Top score 3366
Deliveries 3795
Wickets 37
Bowl avg 371.42
Fivefor 30
Tenfor 30
Best bowling 32/91
Catches/stumpings 3290/–
Column 4LA
Matches 4505
Runs 414,761
Bat avg 441.69
100s/50s 49/107
Top score 4145
Deliveries 4174
Wickets 43
Bowl avg 464.33
Fivefor 40
Tenfor 40
Best bowling 41/17
Catches/stumpings 4185/–
Date23 April
Year2011
Sourcehttp://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/12803.html Cricinfo

Neil Fairbrother (born Neil Harvey Fairbrother; 9 September 1963)[1] is an English former cricketer who played 75 One Day International matches and 10 Test matches as a batsman for England. Fairbrother, named by his mother after her favourite player, the Australian cricketer Neil Harvey,[1] was educated at Lymm Grammar School and played his county cricket for Lancashire. Although primarily a one day player at international level, he had strong success in the County Championship and had a first class high score of 366. He was a part of the English squad which finished as runners-up at the 1992 Cricket World Cup.

Fairbrother retired from all cricket in 2002, and became Director of Cricket at International Sports Management. He was also a player manager for a time, managing among others Andrew Flintoff. In February 2018, Fairbrother set up Phoenix Management.

Domestic career

Fairbrother played for Lancashire, Transvaal and England. He was team captain of Lancashire in 1992–1993. Cricket writer, Colin Bateman, described Fairbrother as "an inventive, intelligent left-hander".[1]

In 1990, Fairbrother scored 366 for Lancashire against Surrey at The Oval. 311 of his runs came in a single day, and his feat is unique in that he scored at least 100 runs in each of the three sessions that day.[2] Another milestone came in 1998, when he became the first man to play in ten Lord's one-day domestic cricket cup finals. Fairbrother finished on the winning side in seven of these finals, including the Benson and Hedges Cup in 1984, when he top-scored for his side aged 20, and both the Benson and Hedges Cup and NatWest Trophy in both 1990 and 1996. He also helped Lancashire to success in the Refuge Assurance Cup in 1988 and the National League (formerly the Refuge Assurance League) in 1989 and 1999.

International career

Fairbrother made his international debut on 2 April 1987, in a One Day International against India. Following a match-winning century against a West Indies side including Malcolm Marshall, Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh at Lord's in 1991, he established himself as a regular in middle-order of the one-day side for several years. Test success, however, proved elusive. Bowled for a duck on his debut, he made just ten Test appearances for England, with only one half-century from 15 innings, at an average of 15.64.[1] However, his international honours included appearing for England in three Cricket World Cups.[3] Chief among the world cup appearances was the 1992 World Cup Final where Fairbrother topscored for England with a gritty 62 off 70 balls[4] and almost pulled off an improbable chase.

References

  1. ^ Bateman, Colin (1993). If The Cap Fits. Tony Williams Publications. p. 66. ISBN 1-869833-21-X.
  2. ^ Frindall, Bill (2009). Ask Bearders. BBC Books. p. 108. ISBN 978-1-84607-880-4.
  3. ^ "Neil Fairbrother - Profile". Cricinfo. Retrieved 23 April 2011.
  4. ^ "Full Scorecard of Pakistan vs England Final 1991/92 - Score Report | ESPNcricinfo.com". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 2021-07-06.