Andrew Strauss

Andrew John Strauss (born in Johannesburg, South Africa on 2 March, 1977) is an English cricketer.

Centuries

Test debut

Strauss made 112 runs in the first innings on his Test match debut for England against New Zealand at Lord's in May 2004. He was run out by Nasser Hussain for 83 in England's second innings. Strauss was named man of the match.

Related Topics:
England - New Zealand - Lord's - May - 2004 - Nasser Hussain - Man of the match

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He was the fifteenth English batsman to score a century on his Test debut and the fourth batsman to do so at Lord's (the others being Henry Graham of Australia in 1893, John Hampshire of England in 1969, and Sourav Ganguly of India in 1993). The last English cricketer to score a century on Test debut before Strauss was Graham Thorpe (114 not out) in the second innings of the third Test against Australia at Trent Bridge in 1993. The previous English cricketer to score a century in the first innings on Test debut was John Hampshire (107) in the second Test against West Indies at Lord's in 1969.

Related Topics:
Batsman - Henry Graham - Australia - 1893 - John Hampshire - 1969 - Sourav Ganguly - India - 1993 - Graham Thorpe - Trent Bridge

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Strauss wasn't in England's original squad for the match, only being called into the squad when Michael Vaughan was injured during the preparations for the game. After England's initial plan for replacing Vaughan (promoting Mark Butcher to open and adding Paul Collingwood to the side) fell through when Butcher declined to change his position, the selectors turned to Strauss, expecting him to be merely a stopgap replacement for Vaughan. However, his success in the match caused a dilemma for the selectors that was only solved when Nasser Hussain chose to retire from cricket after the match.

Related Topics:
Michael Vaughan - Mark Butcher - Paul Collingwood

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July 2004

In July 2004, he made exactly 100 runs in his first One-day International innings at Lord's against the West Indies. This innings formed part of England's highest ever ODI partnership (226 for the 4th wicket) with Andrew Flintoff. Strauss became only the fifth player to have scored his first Test and ODI hundreds on the same ground.

Related Topics:
July - 2004 - One-day International - West Indies - Andrew Flintoff

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Later in July 2004, also playing against the West Indies, Strauss became the third player to make centuries in both of his first two Lord's Tests (after Bill Brown in 1934 and 1938, and Dilip Vengsarkar in 1979, 1982 and 1986). Strauss scored 137 in England's first innings, sharing a stand of 291 with Robert Key (a record 3rd wicket Test partnership for England against the West Indies and a record 3rd wicket Test partnership for England at Lord's).

Related Topics:
Bill Brown - Dilip Vengsarkar - Robert Key

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In South Africa, 2004–2005

In December 2004, playing against South Africa in Port Elizabeth, in his first overseas Test match, Strauss scored 126 in the first innings, and 94 not out in the second innings, and was again named man of the match. He was the seventh player to score a century in his first Tests at home and away (after Harry Graham, Ranjitsinhji, Lawrence Rowe, Kepler Wessels, Azhar Mahmood, and Michael Clarke earlier in 2004), and the first English player to score a Test century in the first innings of each of his first Tests at home and abroad (in the 1890s, Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji scored a century in the second innings of his first home Test, and the first innings of his first overseas Test). Strauss also became the first player to score centuries in his first Test against the first three sides he played, but failed to extend this record in his first Test against Bangladesh at Lord's on 26 May–30 May 2005.

Related Topics:
December - 2004 - South Africa - Port Elizabeth - Harry Graham - Ranjitsinhji - Lawrence Rowe - Kepler Wessels - Azhar Mahmood - Michael Clarke - 1890s - Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji - Bangladesh - 26 May - 30 May - 2005

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In the second innings of the second Test, at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead, Durban, Strauss scored 136, including a partnership of 273 for the first wicket with Marcus Trescothick, and he scored a further 147 runs in the first innings of the fourth Test at Johannesburg, thus achieving his fourth and fifth Test centuries in only his ninth and eleventh matches.

Related Topics:
Sahara Stadium Kingsmead - Durban - Marcus Trescothick - Johannesburg

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Also on this tour, Strauss reached 1,000 Test runs in only his tenth Test match. (The English record is nine matches, set by Herbert Sutcliffe). With 656 runs in 5 matches, at an average of 72.88, he was selected as England's man of the series.

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The Ashes, 2005

Andrew Strauss has continued as an opening batsman in the 2005 Ashes series, against Australia in England. In the third test at Old Trafford, Manchester, he beat his previous series best of 48 in England's second innings when he top scored with 106. This was after he had been hit on his helmet for the second time in the match. This was Andrew Strauss' first century against Australia, and means he has scored 6 centuries in Test match cricket in total (1 Vs. New Zealand, 1 Vs, West indies, 3 Vs. South Africa and 1 against Australia). He is the fifth fastest Englishman to score 6 centuries.

Related Topics:
Old Trafford - Manchester

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His seventh test century came in the first innings of the fifth and final test at The Oval, scoring 129 off 210 balls.

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