Cricinfo - Players and Officials

Full name Rikki Clarke
Born September 29, 1981, Orsett, Essex
Current age 26 years 344 days
Major teams England, Derbyshire, Marylebone Cricket Club, Surrey, Warwickshire
Nickname Clarkey, Crouchy
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm fast-medium
Height 6 ft 4 in
Education Broadwater, Godalming College

Batting and fielding averages

Mat

Inns

Runs

Ave

100

Tests

32.00

253

37.94

ODIs

144

11.07

232

62.06

First-class

139

4597

214

36.48

107

List A

122

108

2402

98*

25.55

Twenty20

631

79*

20.35

520

121.34

Bowling averages

Mat

Inns

Balls

Runs

Wkts

BBI

BBM

Ave

Econ

Tests

174

2/7

3/11

15.00

2.06

43.5

ODIs

469

415

2/28

37.72

5.30

42.6

First-class

7482

5128

123

4/21

41.69

4.11

60.8

List A

122

3041

2872

4/49

37.78

5.66

40.0

Twenty20

564

704

3/11

22.70

7.48

18.1

Career statistics

Test debut

Bangladesh v England at Dhaka, Oct 21-25, 2003 scorecard

Last Test

Bangladesh v England at Chittagong (MAA), Oct 29-Nov 1, 2003 scorecard

Test statistics

ODI debut

England v Pakistan at Manchester, Jun 17, 2003 scorecard

Last ODI

England v Pakistan at Southampton, Sep 5, 2006 scorecard

ODI statistics

First-class debut

2002

Last First-class

Warwickshire v Derbyshire at Birmingham, Aug 27-30, 2008 scorecard

List A debut

2001

Last List A

Leicestershire v Derbyshire at Leicester, Aug 25, 2008 scorecard

Twenty20 debut

Gloucestershire v Surrey at Nottingham, Jul 19, 2003 scorecard

Last Twenty20

Derbyshire v Durham at Derby, Jun 25, 2008 scorecard

Tall and well-balanced, Rikki Clarke is strong off the front foot, with a classy straight-drive. With the ball, it's like watching a video of Martin Bicknell bowl, even down to the floppy hair. But the jury is still out about his international credentials, after a rapid rise to the top came screeching to a halt in 2004. After winning a 2nd XI Championship medal with Surrey in 2001, he picked up a Division One winners' gong the following year, and within 12 months, he had been fast-tracked into the Test team, when Andrew Flintoff withdrew from the Bangladesh tour with a groin injury. Born in Essex but brought up in commuter-belt Surrey, Clarke cracked a century on first-class debut against Cambridge UCCE, and shortly afterwards added a majestic 153 not out against Somerset at Taunton. He won the Cricket Writers Club's prestigious Young Cricketer of the Year award in 2002, and was almost immediately called up for the Champions Trophy tournament in Sri Lanka. He returned to the one-day squad after the World Cup, whereupon he became the first Englishman for 31 years to take a wicket with his first delivery. However, after disappointing tours of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the West Indies, in which he was picked in both the Test and one-day squad, he failed to impress in England's NatWest Series squad, after being called up as cover for the injured Marcus Trescothick and Flintoff. His bowling form slumped, but promising performances during the 2006 season - and England's one-day horror-show - brought him back into the reckoning. Despite a poor showing with bat and ball against Pakistan he was named in England's squad for the Champions Trophy in October. However he quickly slipped off the radar for club and country, losing his Surrey place during the 2007 season. He moved to Derbyshire and was named captain for 2008 but quit in August after a dismal run of form and, a few weeks later, left the club altogether. On the same day, Warwickshire - who had long courted his services - snapped him up on a three-year deal, to revive his hopes of playing again for England one day.
Steven Lynch September 2008

Apr 16, 2008

Rikki Clarke celebrates with his new team-mates as Derbyshire strike © Getty Images

Apr 10, 2008

Rikki Clarke © Getty Images

Apr 21, 2007

Rikki Clarke shoulders arms ... and is bowled by Matthew Hoggard © Martin Williamson

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