Have you met any famous players?

Jonesy

Active Member
Have you met any famous players?

Got this idea off Big Footy. Have you guys met any famous players? If so, were they nice or absolute pricks?

Ponting
- Haven't actually met him, but my aunty - who is a stewardess - got his autograph for me when he was flying somewhere with the team, I reckon that's pretty good of him to do it when he could easily of said no.

Brad Hodge - Lol, I've heard he can be a bit of a tool at time like chucking all his equipment everywhere and throwing pizza at the wall when he goes out cheaply. I met him at an ACC clinic and he was pretty funny, seemed maybe a bit up himself but it was good of him to come over to our match (when there was so many other matches and drills there) and just sign our stuff. He signed my thigh guard, I love it heaps! This was around the time Hodge was in either the test or ODI side and a guy said "Hodgey why aren't you getting a bowl for Aus, you should be!" and he replied "Yeh I know, bloody Ponting won't let me!" (OK he might not of said bloody but something along the lines of that sentence)

Cam White
- Also met him at the ACC clinic. He just looked so calm, rocked up in thongs when it was like 10 in the morning and bloody cold as. Seemed pretty nice and stayed there for quite a while which was very good of him.

Dean Jones - Once again at the ACC clinic. He was just there to get a picture taken with everyone (and that was a lot of people), but he stopped to chat to everyone about what club they play for, and he remembered playing against my club xD, so yeh, apart from his racist comments a few years back I have quite a bit of respect for him.

Allan Wise - He's a Victorian fast bowler. I was at the Victoria v Someone Pura Cup grand final aaggggesss ago and him and another Vic player came out when Victoria were batting and just signed autographs.

Kevin Pieterson - I have great respect for him. At the MCG ashes test 2 years ago he signed about 150 autographs when he could easily of signed none. A kid came up to him and asked for his autograph, and the security guard said "no" but KP just shrugged him off and signed it anyway. Then people from everywhere flocked to him and he signed soooo many.
 
Re: Have you met any famous players?

Saw Vettori at the County Ground in Northampton the other day, he wasn't playing but came out of the indoor nets facility and wandered back round the boundary to the dressing room - followed by about 15 kids autograph hunting - didn't stop and sign any though, bit harsh but hey (he's alot taller than i thought though)
 
Re: Have you met any famous players?

A few very quickly:

Vikram Solanki - ok, almost injured himself when tripping over a bat cleft.

Glenn McGrath - quiet and pushed me out of the way. Then proceeded to cut me in two with a ball that seamed from about a foot outside off.

Graham Hick - very cold and kept himself to himself on the pitch. Lightened up later but met him just after he probably realised his England career was over, a lot better nowadays by all accounts.

Jon Lewis - not really met him, just played against him. Quicker than he looks, had me with the outside off, then swinging one back in combo. I think I lasted 4 balls!

Brian Lara - Nice bloke, very small (well seemed it), big personality.
 
Re: Have you met any famous players?

Well, there was a match of Kolkata and Punjab in the IPL in mohali. I had a member's card so i walked with the whole Punjab team through the long room, got the autograph of Shaun Marsh, Yuvraj Singh, Kumar Sangakara, James Hopes and Mahela Jaywardene.
By the time i was goig to take other autographs the players were walking to the ground.
This was all.
 
Re: Have you met any famous players?

You faced McGrath and Lewis???? Wow! How? Why? When? Where? !! Man that would be awesome. Are you a legend cricketer or something, mas?
 
Re: Have you met any famous players?

Lewis was in a club game, McGrath was when he was at Worcester, played against him in some tournament. Not as quick as I was expected but he moves the ball a hell of a lot, both in the air and off the pitch.

Can also add Hartely Alleyne and Collis King to the list.

Also, used to play cricket with Geraint Jones (when he was still Australian), Steve James and I know Doug Hondo pretty well.

There are various others but not 100% sure of all them. A lot of players from the sub-continent who may have played a test or two.

Been bollocked by Jack Russell and almost run over by Ray Illingworth when he was chairman of the selectors as well :laugh: :embarrassed:.
 
Re: Have you met any famous players?

Geez man!

I also met some Kenyan opener who faced Lee in the world cup. At the ACC thing he was facing the bowling machine at 150kph and everyone was watching. He seemed really nice.
 
Re: Have you met any famous players?

A lot of them came from playing club cricket - I'm sure any of the guys who play for clubs in the Birmingham or Lancashire leagues can easily top anyone I've played with.
 
Re: Have you met any famous players?

One more I've played against - this time for the Aussies - Jimmy Maher. He hit the lowest, straightest and hardest 6 I've ever seen. Simply awesome.
 
Re: Have you met any famous players?

Mas if you had played with these famous players why dont you play international cricket for england??
;)
 
Re: Have you met any famous players?

Playing against or with famous players doesn't automatically qualify you to represent your national team. Many famous cricketers play county and club cricket in England so playing cricket at a decent level will give you the opportunity to play with some of the legends of the game.
 
Re: Have you met any famous players?

For the same reason that most people don't - I'm not (quite) good enough.

It's not rare to come across international players playing club cricket in the UK, granted it's becoming less and less nowadays but it still happens, plus having worked in the industry you get a few more opportunities to meet them.
 
Re: Have you met any famous players?

Great to have faced or played with/against all those guys. The most famous guy I've played against wasn't really famous - he was well known because his brother was Salman Butt but he was a really good player at our level still. I actually got him out, but it was more a fantastic catch than anything I did, he'd absolutely smashed it but straight at midwicket!!
 
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