Greg Blewett

Infobox Cricketer


nationality = Australian
country = Australia
country abbrev = AUS
name = Greg Blewett
picture = Cricket_no_pic.pngbatting style = Right-hand bat
bowling style = Right-arm medium
balls = true
tests = 46
test runs = 2552
test bat avg = 34.02
test 100s/50s = 4/15
test top score = 214
test overs = 1436
test wickets = 14
test bowl avg = 51.42
test 5s = -
test 10s = -
test best bowling = 2/9
test catches/stumpings = 45/-
ODIs = 32
ODI runs = 551
ODI bat avg = 20.40
ODI 100s/50s = -/2
ODI top score = 57*
ODI overs = 749
ODI wickets = 14
ODI bowl avg = 46.14
ODI 5s = -
ODI 10s = -
ODI best bowling = 2/6
ODI catches/stumpings = 7/-
date = 12 December
year = 2005
source = http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/4161.html Cricinfo

Gregory Scott Blewett (born 29 October 1971, Adelaide, South Australia) is a former Australian cricketer who played in 46 Tests and 32 ODIs from 1995 to 2000.

Blewett came into the Australian Test Team in January 1995 against England in Adelaide, scoring a century on debut. He followed that up with another century in Perth and another in Edgbaston (1997), thus scoring three centuries in his first three Ashes Tests; a unique statistic. At his best, he could pull anything short with ease and was difficult to stop. He was noted for his strong play square of the wicket, which is highly rewarded at his home ground, the Adelaide Oval, with its short square boundaries. His highest score of 214 was against South Africa, reaching a double-century in Johannesburg. Most of those runs were with Steve Waugh in one of the biggest partnerships ever, when they batted unbroken for a whole day.

However, he has been known to struggle against spin bowling. He has been dismissed in the past by the likes of Mushtaq Ahmed and Anil Kumble. After a successful first year in the international arena, he encountered Mushtaq when Pakistan visited Australia in the 1995/96 season. He was completely unable to pick Mushtaq's wrong 'un and was continuously dismissed either LBW or bowled after either incorrectly leaving the ball or playing down the wrong line. He was subsequently replaced by Ricky Ponting, but in late 1996, regained his position after Ponting himself had fallen upon hard times. Blewett then performed well, until the 1998 tour to India, where he was tormented by Kumble, and again dropped in favour of Justin Langer.

His record in India, a spin-dominated country, is abysmal (48 runs at an average of 8). However, upon the retirement of captain Mark Taylor in 1999, Blewett assumed his role as an opener, until he was dropped in favour of Matthew Hayden in early 2000 after a period of indifferent form.

Steve Waugh also noted that Blewett " [had] a technical flaw when facing deliveries that swung in... [as] he often left an inviting gap between bat and pad." cite book | last=Waugh | first=Steve | authorlink=Steve Waugh | title=STEVE WAUGH: Out of my comfort zone - the autobiography | year=2005 | publisher=Penguin Group (Australia) | location=Victoria | id=ISBN 0-670-04198-X | pages=336–337]

Test and ODI averages of 34 and 20 respectively also reflect his inability to, according to Waugh, "align...talent with results". Waugh blames this failure on a "lack of discipline and...self-belief."

He also bowled some useful medium pace seamers and was used primarily as the fifth bowler in ODIs.

Notes

External links

* [http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/australia/content/player/4161.html Cricinfo article on Greg Blewett]