Alistair Campbell (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
Alistair Douglas Ross Campbell (born 23 September 1972 in Salisbury - now Harare
) is a former Zimbabwean
Test
cricket
er. In total he played 60 matches in his Test career, captaining Zimbabwe
on 21 occasions. He also played 188 One Day Internationals, being captain in 86 of them. He retired from cricket in 2003.
A left-handed batsman, Campbell batted in the middle order in Test cricket but usually opened in One Day International cricket. After becoming the youngest ever Zimbabwean to make a first-class
century he was selected for the 1992 World Cup in Australia, aged 19. He struggled throughout but in the coming years managed to cement his spot in the national side. On the 1993–94 Pakistan tour he scored 3 half centuries against the likes of Wasim Akram
and Waqar Younis
.
In October 1994 he fell painfully short of his maiden Test century when he was dismissed by Sri Lankan paceman Ravindra Pushpakumara
for 99. This remained his highest Test score for five years until he brought up 3 figures against India at Nagpur in 2000–01. He scored one more Test century in his career, an innings of 103 the following season against the West Indies.
He was more successful in the ODI arena, making over 5000 runs and maintaining an average of over 30. His most prolific year was in 2000 when he made 960 runs at 38.40. Of his 7 hundreds, 2 of them were made against Australia.
Campbell took over the captaincy of Zimbabwe in 1996. He led them to a series victory in Pakistan in 1998-99, and also led the team to the Super Six stage of the 1999 World Cup
. After 3 years in charge he stood down from the captaincy for what he stated as 'personal reasons'.
After not being selected for the 2003 World Cup
, Campbell announced his retirement from international cricket only to reconsider when he was chosen to replace an injured Mark Vermeulen
. Zimbabwe's final match of the World Cup turned out to be the final match of Campbell's career as he was never selected again for his country.
In July 2009, Alistair was re-inducted into Zimbabwe cricket after being selected Chairman of their Cricket Committee, a major step in the revival of the sport in the nation. He is also the chief selector of the Zimbabwean national cricket team.
Harare
Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...
) is a former Zimbabwean
Zimbabwean cricket team
The Zimbabwean cricket team is a national cricket team representing Zimbabwe. It is administrated by Zimbabwe Cricket...
Test
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er. In total he played 60 matches in his Test career, captaining Zimbabwe
Zimbabwean national cricket captains
Zimbabwe became a full member of the International Cricket Council on 6 July 1992, thereby gaining the right to play Test matches. It had previously become an associate member of the ICC on 21 July 1981 after independence. Before independence, Rhodesia had competed in the South African Currie...
on 21 occasions. He also played 188 One Day Internationals, being captain in 86 of them. He retired from cricket in 2003.
A left-handed batsman, Campbell batted in the middle order in Test cricket but usually opened in One Day International cricket. After becoming the youngest ever Zimbabwean to make a first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
century he was selected for the 1992 World Cup in Australia, aged 19. He struggled throughout but in the coming years managed to cement his spot in the national side. On the 1993–94 Pakistan tour he scored 3 half centuries against the likes of Wasim Akram
Wasim Akram
Wasim Akram is a former Pakistani left arm fast bowler and left-handed batsman in cricketer and model. who represented the Pakistan national cricket team in Test cricket and One Day International matches....
and Waqar Younis
Waqar Younis
Waqar Younis Maitla is a former Pakistani right arm fast bowler in cricket and widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time...
.
In October 1994 he fell painfully short of his maiden Test century when he was dismissed by Sri Lankan paceman Ravindra Pushpakumara
Ravindra Pushpakumara
Karuppiahyage Ravindra Pushpakumara is a Sri Lankan cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler....
for 99. This remained his highest Test score for five years until he brought up 3 figures against India at Nagpur in 2000–01. He scored one more Test century in his career, an innings of 103 the following season against the West Indies.
He was more successful in the ODI arena, making over 5000 runs and maintaining an average of over 30. His most prolific year was in 2000 when he made 960 runs at 38.40. Of his 7 hundreds, 2 of them were made against Australia.
Campbell took over the captaincy of Zimbabwe in 1996. He led them to a series victory in Pakistan in 1998-99, and also led the team to the Super Six stage of the 1999 World Cup
1999 Cricket World Cup
-England:-Outside England:-Group A:-Results:-------------------------------------------------------------Group B:-Results:------------------------------------------------------------...
. After 3 years in charge he stood down from the captaincy for what he stated as 'personal reasons'.
After not being selected for the 2003 World Cup
2003 Cricket World Cup
-Group stage tables and results:The top three teams from each pool qualify for the next stage, carrying forward the points already scored against fellow qualifiers, plus a quarter of the points scored against the teams that failed to qualify.-Pool A:...
, Campbell announced his retirement from international cricket only to reconsider when he was chosen to replace an injured Mark Vermeulen
Mark Vermeulen
Mark Andrew Vermeulen is a Zimbabwean cricketer in both Test matches and One Day Internationals.He is a right-handed opening batsman and occasional off spin bowler, playing for Matabeleland Tuskers in the Zimbabwean Logan Cup, with a very good record at domestic level.The former captain of the...
. Zimbabwe's final match of the World Cup turned out to be the final match of Campbell's career as he was never selected again for his country.
In July 2009, Alistair was re-inducted into Zimbabwe cricket after being selected Chairman of their Cricket Committee, a major step in the revival of the sport in the nation. He is also the chief selector of the Zimbabwean national cricket team.