Ramps to call it quits

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/counties/9374354/Mark-Ramprakash-to-quit-first-class-game-after-25-years-at-the-top-with-Surrey-and-Middlesex.html

"The 42-year-old Surrey and former England batsman, who may well be the last player to score 100 first-class centuries, has decided to bow out after 25 seasons of county cricket.
The announcement has been timed for Thursday to avoid it coinciding with the funeral today of Ramprakash’s team-mate, Tom Maynard, in Cardiff."

Farewell Ramps. For England, it's a case of 'If only...', but as far as first class cricket is concerned, he is up there with the greatest of all time.

He did some good things in test cricket.

His one handed classic to catch Langer in the 1998 MCG red ink hunting drama will always remain in the memory.

I remember his innings in a Lords final back in 1988

Lacked self belief did old Bloodaxe.

If he'd done this a couple of seasons ago, I'd have wept tears of sadness and regret.

But, unforch, he went one season too long.

Will always have immense love for Ramps, whatever his career was. 100 100s, the mastery, the tweaky one day bowling, the furious faces. A-mazing.

The Sky commentary box awaits.

I don't think it was a case of him not having self belief, but more a case of him feeling that others around him didn't believe in him. A product of the Ray Illingworth era of chopping and changing, one bad match and you're out, "what does he bring to the table apart from runs....I've heard he's a bit of a rebel" and all that kind of stuff.

Ramps is a reminder of the mess English cricket was in during the 90s. If only he'd been born 10 years later. He probably would have averaged 50 in test cricket with proper support and a good team environment around him.

Paul Keating wrote:He did some good things in test cricket.

His one handed classic to catch Langer in the 1998 MCG red ink hunting drama will always remain in the memory.

Aye, that catch turned the last day into a dramatic one.

my only memory of him is i think a tour of the windies where he made a century. they said it might turn his career around, but i guess it didn't

I thought he was pretty sharp in Come Dancing.

Sheeet, 25 years in FC cricket, 100 x 100. That's a career.

taipan wrote:I thought he was pretty sharp in Come Dancing.

Is that in the glossary?

It's probably in a few of your socks ....

G.Wood wrote:

taipan wrote:I thought he was pretty sharp in Come Dancing.

Is that in the glossary?

Actually I thought Gough was better.

JKLever wrote:I remember his innings in a Lords final back in 1988

So do I

So long the 'kash. A legend. Possibly won't see someone who achieves so much in CC again.

One of my favourite players when I first got into cricket. Although not because he was good, but because I was so willing him to be good.

And he tried so hard.

I recall the 1991 home series v WI he was constantly getting in the mid 20's after taking 3-4 hours over it.

My first memory of him is batting nervously against Australia at Perth in the 94-95 Ashes, which was his first test of that Ashes series. I remember him leaving alone a Mcgrath full toss outside off stump, and Bill Lawry saying "He's got a good technique this young man, he just needs to add a few more shots. You can't be leaving those balls alone. That should have been crashed away...."

JKLever wrote:I recall the 1991 home series v WI he was constantly getting in the mid 20's after taking 3-4 hours over it.

....and a stunning catch at cover, the equal of anything Collingwood has taken.

Basil wrote:

JKLever wrote:I recall the 1991 home series v WI he was constantly getting in the mid 20's after taking 3-4 hours over it.

....and a stunning catch at cover, the equal of anything Collingwood has taken.

Think he executed a blinding run out in the same game.

I think that's the last player from the team I grew up watching to retire. His retirement's been coming a while though.

I watched the Oval hundred, and unfortunately a lot of scratchy shite.

skully wrote:

Paul Keating wrote:He did some good things in test cricket.

His one handed classic to catch Langer in the 1998 MCG red ink hunting drama will always remain in the memory.

Aye, that catch turned the last day into a dramatic one.

The highlights of this match was on during a rain break in one of the ODIs or Twenty20 cup matches a few days ago. Lest I just forget the result.