Steve Rhodes
Encyclopedia
Steve Rhodes is a former English
cricket
er. He was best known as a wicket-keeper
, but was also a useful number six or seven batsman, making twelve first-class
centuries.
career began with Yorkshire
in 1981. The incumbent was the international wicket-keeper David Bairstow
and after limited chances, in 1985 he moved to Worcestershire
, staying with that county for the remaining two decades of his playing career.
He was selected for the England tour to India in 1988/89, but when this was cancelled for political reasons he lost his chance, and it was to be 1994 before he made his Test match
debut.
His selection was primarily down to the new chairman of selectors, Raymond Illingworth, who announced at his (Illingworth's) appointment that he wanted balanced sides i.e. an all-rounder at number 6 with a wicket-keeper at number 7. As such, Illingworth was saying that his chosen wicket-keeper had to contribute with bat and gloves. While Rhodes had a golden summer with the gloves in 1994, he did not make enough runs - especially against the powerful South African bowling attack in the second half of the season.
Chosen to tour Australia in 1994-95, he had a poor tour with gloves and especially with the bat - frequently dismissed by Australian spearhead Craig McDermott
- often lbw
. Having waited so long to make his Test debut (he had played One Day Internationals in 1989), he was dropped in favour of Alec Stewart
in 1995, and never played for England again. Nevertheless, Rhodes was named as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year
in 1994.
Towards the end of the 2004 season, Rhodes briefly became county captain
when Ben Smith resigned during the home game with Northamptonshire
.
In May 2005, Worcestershire announced that Rhodes had been appointed as head coach, following the departure of Tom Moody
.
In 2006, he became Director of Cricket at Worcestershire County Cricket Club.
His father, William Rhodes, played more than thirty times for Nottinghamshire
in the early 1960s.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
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. He was best known as a wicket-keeper
Wicket-keeper
The wicket-keeper in the sport of cricket is the player on the fielding side who stands behind the wicket or stumps being guarded by the batsman currently on strike...
, but was also a useful number six or seven batsman, making twelve 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...
centuries.
Life and career
Emerging initially out of the Birstall club, Rhodes' county cricketCounty cricket
County cricket is the highest level of domestic cricket in England and Wales. For the 2010 season, see 2010 English cricket season.-First-class counties:...
career began with Yorkshire
Yorkshire County Cricket Club
Yorkshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Yorkshire as one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure....
in 1981. The incumbent was the international wicket-keeper David Bairstow
David Bairstow
David Leslie Bairstow was an English cricketer, who played for Yorkshire and England as a wicket-keeper. He also played football for his hometown club Bradford City.-Early life and education:...
and after limited chances, in 1985 he moved to Worcestershire
Worcestershire County Cricket Club
Worcestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Worcestershire...
, staying with that county for the remaining two decades of his playing career.
He was selected for the England tour to India in 1988/89, but when this was cancelled for political reasons he lost his chance, and it was to be 1994 before he made his Test match
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...
debut.
His selection was primarily down to the new chairman of selectors, Raymond Illingworth, who announced at his (Illingworth's) appointment that he wanted balanced sides i.e. an all-rounder at number 6 with a wicket-keeper at number 7. As such, Illingworth was saying that his chosen wicket-keeper had to contribute with bat and gloves. While Rhodes had a golden summer with the gloves in 1994, he did not make enough runs - especially against the powerful South African bowling attack in the second half of the season.
Chosen to tour Australia in 1994-95, he had a poor tour with gloves and especially with the bat - frequently dismissed by Australian spearhead Craig McDermott
Craig McDermott
Craig John McDermott is a former Australian cricketer. He is currently the bowling coach for the Australian cricket team....
- often lbw
Leg before wicket
In the sport of cricket, leg before wicket is one of the ways in which a batsman can be dismissed. An umpire will rule a batsman out LBW under a series of circumstances which primarily include the ball striking the batsman's body when it would otherwise have continued on to hit the batsman's...
. Having waited so long to make his Test debut (he had played One Day Internationals in 1989), he was dropped in favour of Alec Stewart
Alec Stewart
Alec James Stewart OBE is a retired English cricketer, a right-handed batsman-wicketkeeper and former captain of the England cricket team...
in 1995, and never played for England again. Nevertheless, Rhodes was named as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year
Wisden Cricketers of the Year
The Wisden Cricketers of the Year are cricketers selected for the honour by the annual publication Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, based primarily on their "influence on the previous English season"...
in 1994.
Towards the end of the 2004 season, Rhodes briefly became county captain
Captain (cricket)
The captain of a cricket team often referred to as the skipper is the appointed leader, having several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player...
when Ben Smith resigned during the home game with Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire County Cricket Club
Northamptonshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Northamptonshire. Its limited overs team is called the Northants Steelbacks. The traditional club colour is Maroon. During the...
.
In May 2005, Worcestershire announced that Rhodes had been appointed as head coach, following the departure of Tom Moody
Tom Moody
Thomas Masson Moody is a former Australian cricketer and coach of the Sri Lankan cricket team. Today he is the coach for the IPL team Kings XI Punjab...
.
In 2006, he became Director of Cricket at Worcestershire County Cricket Club.
His father, William Rhodes, played more than thirty times for Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Nottinghamshire, and the current county champions. Its limited overs team is called the Nottinghamshire Outlaws...
in the early 1960s.
External links
- Player profile from CricinfoCricinfoESPNcricinfo is believed to be the largest cricket-related website on the World Wide Web. Content includes news,articles, live scorecards,live text commentary and a comprehensive and searchable database called 'StatsGuru', of historical matches and players from the 18th century to the present...