Andy Bichel
Encyclopedia
Andrew John Bichel is a retired Australian cricket
player and was the bowling coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders
for the 2009 Indian Premier League
.
Primarily a seam bowler, his style is right arm medium fast. Batting right-handed, Bichel was not averse to some hard-hitting in the lower order. Representing Queensland
in the Australian domestic competitions, Bichel has earned a reputation as a hard worker, capable of bowling many overs into a strong wind.
, he has played for the English Counties Essex
, Hampshire
and Worcestershire
.
Unfortunately for him, his rise to prominence coincided with the appearance of the younger New South Wales
fast bowler Brett Lee
, with whom he was often in a battle for a third fast-bowler spot in the lineup (with Glenn McGrath
and Jason Gillespie
holding the other two positions). Lee's startling pace and youth often proved the deciding factor, and Bichel now holds the test match record of being Twelfth Man for Australia on 19 occasions. He has recently made comments that he believes his bowling suffered during these times, as he missed out on the valuable match practice that he could have earned either playing for Australia or Queensland.
campaign. He was initially back up to Jason Gillespie
, Brett Lee
and Glenn McGrath
. He played his first game against Netherlands making a good impression with the ball, After injury ended Gillespie's World Cup campaign he took over his position in the side. Bichel retrieved Australia from serious trouble on more than one occasion, most notably his 7-20 against England, then he went on with Michael Bevan
to score an unbeaten 73-run 9th wicket partnership to ease Australia to victory which saw him hit 34 not out. In the Super Six stage, he came in against New Zealand
at 84-7. He and Michael Bevan
again saved Australia with his highest score of 64 as Australia put up a winning total batting first. In the semi-final against Sri Lanka, he bowled tightly conceding 0-18 in 10 overs but his pressure caused the spectacular run out of Aravinda de Silva
as he picked up spun around and threw after a tight single off his own bowling. In the final against India, he picked up one wicket bowling Rahul Dravid
as Australia won, completing an undefeated campaign.
However, he announced his retirement on 9 February 2009, saying he never fully recovered from his shoulder injury.
Chennai Super Kings
, the IPL
Champions of 2010 season, have acquired Andy Bichel's services as a bowling coach for the team's youngsters for IPL 2011 season .
He is currently the coach of Papua New Guinea.
On 11th November 2011 it was announced that Andy Bichel would join the Cricket Australia selection panel.
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...
player and was the bowling coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders
Kolkata Knight Riders
Kolkata Knight Riders is the franchise representing Kolkata in the Indian Premier League, a Twenty20 cricket tournament. Sourav Ganguly led the team in IPL1 and IPL3, Brendon McCullum in IPL2, and Gautam Gambhir in IPL4...
for the 2009 Indian Premier League
2009 Indian Premier League
The 2009 Indian Premier League season, abbreviated as IPL 2 or the 2009 IPL, was the second season of the Indian Premier League, established by the Board of Control for Cricket in India in 2007. The tournament was hosted by South Africa and was played between 18 April and 24 May 2009...
.
Primarily a seam bowler, his style is right arm medium fast. Batting right-handed, Bichel was not averse to some hard-hitting in the lower order. Representing Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
in the Australian domestic competitions, Bichel has earned a reputation as a hard worker, capable of bowling many overs into a strong wind.
Background and career
He made his Test debut for the Australian Cricket Team in Adelaide in 1996 in a match against the West Indies, and his One-day International Debut in Brisbane, also against the West Indies. As well as Queensland's state teamQueensland Bulls
The Queensland cricket team, nicknamed the Bulls, are the Brisbane-based Queensland representative cricket team in Australia's domestic cricket tournaments:*Sheffield Shield, 4-day matches with first-class status, since the 1926/27 season...
, he has played for the English Counties Essex
Essex County Cricket Club
Essex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Essex. Its limited overs team is called the Essex Eagles, their team colours this season are blue.The club plays most of its home games...
, Hampshire
Hampshire County Cricket Club
Hampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it...
and 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...
.
Unfortunately for him, his rise to prominence coincided with the appearance of the younger New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
fast bowler Brett Lee
Brett Lee
Brett Lee is an Australian cricketer.After breaking into the Australian Test team, Lee was recognised as one of the fastest bowlers in world cricket...
, with whom he was often in a battle for a third fast-bowler spot in the lineup (with Glenn McGrath
Glenn McGrath
Glenn Donald McGrath AM , nicknamed "Pigeon", is a former Australian cricket player. He is one of the most highly regarded fast-medium pace bowlers in cricketing history, and a leading contributor to Australia's domination of world cricket from the mid-1990s to the early 21st century...
and Jason Gillespie
Jason Gillespie
Jason Neil Gillespie is an Australian cricketer who formerly represented Australia at international level, in both Tests and One Day Internationals, and South Australia, Yorkshire and Glamorgan at first-class level. His primary role is as a right-arm fast-medium bowler, but he is also a competent...
holding the other two positions). Lee's startling pace and youth often proved the deciding factor, and Bichel now holds the test match record of being Twelfth Man for Australia on 19 occasions. He has recently made comments that he believes his bowling suffered during these times, as he missed out on the valuable match practice that he could have earned either playing for Australia or Queensland.
2003 Cricket World Cup
A highlight of Bichel's career was Australia's 2003 World Cup2003 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:...
campaign. He was initially back up to Jason Gillespie
Jason Gillespie
Jason Neil Gillespie is an Australian cricketer who formerly represented Australia at international level, in both Tests and One Day Internationals, and South Australia, Yorkshire and Glamorgan at first-class level. His primary role is as a right-arm fast-medium bowler, but he is also a competent...
, Brett Lee
Brett Lee
Brett Lee is an Australian cricketer.After breaking into the Australian Test team, Lee was recognised as one of the fastest bowlers in world cricket...
and Glenn McGrath
Glenn McGrath
Glenn Donald McGrath AM , nicknamed "Pigeon", is a former Australian cricket player. He is one of the most highly regarded fast-medium pace bowlers in cricketing history, and a leading contributor to Australia's domination of world cricket from the mid-1990s to the early 21st century...
. He played his first game against Netherlands making a good impression with the ball, After injury ended Gillespie's World Cup campaign he took over his position in the side. Bichel retrieved Australia from serious trouble on more than one occasion, most notably his 7-20 against England, then he went on with Michael Bevan
Michael Bevan
Michael Gwyl Bevan is a former Australian left-handed cricket batsman and a slow left arm chinaman bowler. He played 232 ODI matches for Australia, and was a part of the 1999 and 2003 teams that won the World Cup...
to score an unbeaten 73-run 9th wicket partnership to ease Australia to victory which saw him hit 34 not out. In the Super Six stage, he came in against New Zealand
New Zealand cricket team
The New Zealand cricket team, nicknamed the Black Caps, are the national cricket team representing New Zealand. They played their first in 1930 against England in Christchurch, New Zealand, becoming the fifth country to play Test cricket. It took the team until 1955–56 to win a Test, against the...
at 84-7. He and Michael Bevan
Michael Bevan
Michael Gwyl Bevan is a former Australian left-handed cricket batsman and a slow left arm chinaman bowler. He played 232 ODI matches for Australia, and was a part of the 1999 and 2003 teams that won the World Cup...
again saved Australia with his highest score of 64 as Australia put up a winning total batting first. In the semi-final against Sri Lanka, he bowled tightly conceding 0-18 in 10 overs but his pressure caused the spectacular run out of Aravinda de Silva
Aravinda de Silva
Pinnaduwage Aravinda de Silva is a former Sri Lankan cricketer, who is considered one of the finest batsmen produced by the country.He is also regarded as one of the most elegant batsman in his generation, and to date is the only player to make a hundred and take 3 or more wickets in a world cup...
as he picked up spun around and threw after a tight single off his own bowling. In the final against India, he picked up one wicket bowling Rahul Dravid
Rahul Dravid
Rahul Sharad Dravid , is a cricketer in the Indian national team, of which he has been a regular member since 1996. He was appointed as the captain of the Indian cricket team in October 2005 and resigned from the post in September 2007. Dravid was honoured as one of the top-five Wisden Cricketers...
as Australia won, completing an undefeated campaign.
Injury and retirement
At the start of the 2004–05 Australian summer, Bichel was not offered a contract by the Australian Cricket Board, an indication that the Board did not believe he would represent Australia in that season. His performances in the domestic competition, however, continued to be at the same high standards as before and it was clear that he wanted to make another return to the international scene. Bichel's performances at State level during the 2004–05 domestic season earned him the Domestic Player of the Year award at the 2005 Australian cricket awards. Bichel's absence from the international arena had earned him 'cult' status with some fans in Australia. Fans often come to games with banners calling for Bichel to be brought back into the Australian team, and a 'Bring Back Bichel' campaign has also occurred.However, he announced his retirement on 9 February 2009, saying he never fully recovered from his shoulder injury.
Chennai Super Kings
Chennai Super Kings
Chennai Super Kings is a franchise cricket team based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu that plays in the Indian Premier League. Founded in 2008, the team is currently captained by Mahendra Singh Dhoni and coached by Stephen Fleming, a former New Zealand cricketer. The team's home ground is the M. A...
, the IPL
Indian Premier League
The Indian Premier League is a professional league for Twenty20 cricket competition in India. It was initiated by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , headquartered in Mumbai, and is supervised by BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla, who serves as the league's Chairman and Commissioner...
Champions of 2010 season, have acquired Andy Bichel's services as a bowling coach for the team's youngsters for IPL 2011 season .
He is currently the coach of Papua New Guinea.
On 11th November 2011 it was announced that Andy Bichel would join the Cricket Australia selection panel.