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Darren Stevens (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
Darren Ian Stevens is an English cricket
er. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-pace
bowler.
in 1997. His first century came in his fourth match, two years later against Sussex. This innings earned him a seal of approval (as well as a painting) from Colin Cowdrey
. He remained, however, on the fringes of the side with Aftab Habib
and Ben Smith being preferred in the Leicestershire middle-order. After a strong season in 2002, when he scored 850 runs at an average of 32.69, he was called up to England's Academy squad in Australia and was included in their 30-man squad for the 2003 Cricket World Cup
.
After two average seasons for Leicestershire, Stevens was released and joined Kent
for the 2005 season
. He made a very good start to his Kent career, scoring over 1,000 runs in a season for the first time in his career. 2006 proved to be disappointing by comparison, yet he still averaged 39. His performances in the Pro40 League
, however, brought Kent to the verge of promotion.
His highest first-class
innings is 208, which he achieved while playing for Kent against Glamorgan
in 2005. His best bowling analysis is 6 for 60, against Essex
in 2011. He won Kent's Player of the Year award in 2005 and again in 2010.
In 2007 Darren helped the Kent Spitfires win the Twenty20 Cup, scoring an unbeaten 30 including the winning runs, against Gloucestershire at Edgbaston
. However a week later he injured a groin muscle whilst top-scoring in Kent's victory over Durham and did not bowl for the rest of the season.
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 is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-pace
Fast bowling
Fast bowling, sometimes known as pace bowling, is one of the two main approaches to bowling in the sport of cricket. The other is spin bowling...
bowler.
Career
Stevens made his debut for his home county of LeicestershireLeicestershire County Cricket Club
Leicestershire 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 Leicestershire. It has also been representative of the county of Rutland....
in 1997. His first century came in his fourth match, two years later against Sussex. This innings earned him a seal of approval (as well as a painting) from Colin Cowdrey
Colin Cowdrey
Michael Colin Cowdrey, Baron Cowdrey of Tonbridge, CBE , better known as Colin Cowdrey, was the Captain of Oxford University, Kent County Cricket Club and the England cricket team in a career that lasted from 1950 to 1976...
. He remained, however, on the fringes of the side with Aftab Habib
Aftab Habib
Aftab Habib is an English cricketer. He has been appointed the coach of Afghanistan national cricket team on September 2011...
and Ben Smith being preferred in the Leicestershire middle-order. After a strong season in 2002, when he scored 850 runs at an average of 32.69, he was called up to England's Academy squad in Australia and was included in their 30-man squad for the 2003 Cricket World Cup
2003 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:...
.
After two average seasons for Leicestershire, Stevens was released and joined Kent
Kent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
for the 2005 season
2005 English cricket season
Before the beginning of the 2005 English cricket season began, a resurgent English cricket team had won four Test series in a row, going unbeaten through the 2004 calendar year. The start of the international season saw England defeat Bangladesh 2–0 in their two-match series, winning both Tests by...
. He made a very good start to his Kent career, scoring over 1,000 runs in a season for the first time in his career. 2006 proved to be disappointing by comparison, yet he still averaged 39. His performances in the Pro40 League
National League (cricket)
The NatWest Pro40 League was a one-day cricket league for first-class cricket counties in England and Wales. It was inaugurated in 1999, but was essentially the old Sunday League retitled to reflect the fact that large numbers of matches were played on days other than Sunday.-Sunday League:The...
, however, brought Kent to the verge of promotion.
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...
innings is 208, which he achieved while playing for Kent against Glamorgan
Glamorgan County Cricket Club
Glamorgan 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 Glamorgan aka Glamorganshire . Glamorgan CCC is the only Welsh first-class cricket club. Glamorgan CCC have won the English County...
in 2005. His best bowling analysis is 6 for 60, against 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...
in 2011. He won Kent's Player of the Year award in 2005 and again in 2010.
In 2007 Darren helped the Kent Spitfires win the Twenty20 Cup, scoring an unbeaten 30 including the winning runs, against Gloucestershire at Edgbaston
Edgbaston Cricket Ground
Edgbaston Cricket Ground, also known as the County Ground or Edgbaston Stadium, is a cricket ground in the Edgbaston area of Birmingham, England...
. However a week later he injured a groin muscle whilst top-scoring in Kent's victory over Durham and did not bowl for the rest of the season.