Ronnie Irani

Infobox Cricketer


nationality = English
country = England
country abbrev = ENG
name = Ronnie Irani
picture = Ronnie Irani.jpg
batting style = Right-handed batsman (RHB)
bowling style = Right-arm medium (RM)
tests = 3
test runs = 86
test bat avg = 17.19
test 100s/50s = 0/0
test top score = 41
test overs = 32
test wickets = 3
test bowl avg = 37.33
test 5s = 0
test 10s = 0
test best bowling = 1-22
test catches/stumpings = 2/0
ODIs = 31
ODI runs = 360
ODI bat avg = 14.40
ODI 100s/50s = 0/1
ODI top score = 53
ODI overs = 213.5
ODI wickets = 24
ODI bowl avg = 41.20
ODI 5s = 1
ODI best bowling = 5-26
ODI catches/stumpings = 6/0
date = 16 June
year = 2005
source = http://content.cricinfo.com/england/content/player/15403.html

Ronald Charles "Ronnie" Irani (born 26 October 1971 in Leigh, Lancashire ), was an English cricketer who spent most of his career at Essex County Cricket Club, latterly as captain. He is of Indian Irani descent. He played only three Tests for England, with decidedly mixed success, but found a niche in One Day Internationals. Irani was once a genuine all-rounder, and as of 2005 had a first-class batting average above 38 and a bowling average nine points lower, but a knee injury in 2003 forced him to stop bowling and play as a specialist batsman. Although initially seen as a major blow, Irani has since said that his inability to bowl has enhanced his batting game as a result of being able to focus more on this side of his game. The recurring nature of this knee injury led to Irani being forced to retire prematurely from first-class cricket in June 2007.

Career

Originally playing for Lancashire, Irani moved to Essex in 1994 and quickly gained cult status before he became captain in 2000, and is generally accepted to have done a decent job in charge, helping to bring through promising players such as Alastair Cook, Will Jefferson and Ravinder Bopara. His ex-captain and good friend Nasser Hussain was critical of Irani in his autobiography, "Playing with Fire", but Irani remains a popular figure at Chelmsford to this day. After Graham Gooch stepped down as the club's head coach prior to the start of the 2005 season, Irani assumed these responsibilities in addition to his role as county captain.

Irani is currently a regular guest on the talkSPORT radio station providing opinion and insight on the England cricket team. In February 2007, he stood in for one week for the absent Paul Hawksbee to co-present the "Hawksbee & Jacobs" show alongside Andy Jacobs.

In June 2007, he rejected a new contract with Essex and announced his retirement from first class cricket at the end of the 2007 season. He retired with immediate effect later that month. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/counties/essex/6726287.stm BBC SPORT | Cricket | Counties | Essex | Injury forces Irani's retirement ] ] . He has now taken up a permanent position at talkSPORT, where he hosts The Breakfast Show from 6-10 a.m., with former Scottish international Alan Brazil. He also now hosts The Cricket Show with Andy Jacobs on Sunday nights.

He is known by many sports fans for an "Exercise" routine during an England one day international. He was doing a warm-up while fielding, and unbeknownst to Irani, the Australian fans were imitating his routine behind his back. When he discovered what they were doing, he played up to the fans and became more pacey as to make the fans carry on even more. The camera panned on Nasser Hussein at one point, and showed him laughing at Irani. It is often replayed when Ronnie Irani is interviewed or is a guest at a show.

References