Maurice Holmes (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
Maurice Gibson Holmes is an English
cricket
er. Holmes is a right-handed batsman who bowls right-arm off break
. He was born in Tenterden
, Kent
.
Holmes first came to the public eye in 2009. At this time he was playing for the Kent Second XI
, but during the 2009 World Twenty20
he bowled to the New Zealand team during their practice sessions. His bowling impressed then New Zealand coach Andy Moles
and then captain Daniel Vettori
, who likened his bowling to that of Muttiah Muralitharan
's. On the back of this he was flown out to Sri Lanka
for New Zealands 2009 tour
to bowl at the New Zealand players, as well as working with New Zealands then spin consultant, Saqlain Mushtaq
.
However, it wouldn't be until 2011 while studying for his degree in Sport Science with Management at Loughborough University
, that he made his first-class
debut for Loughborough MCCU, making two appearances against Northamptonshire
and Leicestershire
. Signed by Warwickshire
for the 2011 season
, he made his first-class debut for the county against Durham MCCU, taking a wicket with his first ball in the process. Holmes made a further first-class appearance for the county against Lancashire
in the County Championship
. His List A debut came against Leicestershire in the Clydesdale Bank 40
. Holmes has made two further List A appearances for Warwickshire in 2011, against Scotland and Northamptonshire, both in the Clydesdale Bank 40.
However, in June 2011 he was twice reported by umpires
for a suspected illegal bowling action, with particular concern surrounding his doosra
delivery. On 8 July, the England and Wales Cricket Board
suspended Holmes from bowling following an independent analysis of his bowling action, deeming it to be illegal. He was released by Warwickshire at the end of the 2011 season
. Following a period of remdial work on his bowling action, it was found that his standard delivery was legal, but his doosra was not. Following these findings, Holmes' suspension was lifted, but he is not allowed to bowl his doosra in competitive county cricket
.
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. Holmes is a right-handed batsman who bowls right-arm off break
Off break
Off break is a type of delivery in the sport of cricket. It is the attacking delivery of an off spin bowler. Off breaks are known as off spinners....
. He was born in Tenterden
Tenterden
Tenterden is a Cinque Port town in the Ashford District of Kent, England. It stands on the edge of the Weald, overlooking the valley of the River Rother....
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
.
Holmes first came to the public eye in 2009. At this time he was playing for the Kent Second XI
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...
, but during the 2009 World Twenty20
2009 ICC World Twenty20
The 2009 ICC World Twenty20 was an international Twenty20 cricket tournament which took place in England in June 2009. It was the second ICC World Twenty20 tournament, following the inaugural event in South Africa in September 2007...
he bowled to the New Zealand team during their practice sessions. His bowling impressed then New Zealand coach Andy Moles
Andy Moles
Andrew James Moles is a former English first-class cricketer for Warwickshire and Griqualand West. After his playing career he became a coach with his most recent international coaching position being the coach of the New Zealand national cricket team.Moles was a gritty and determined,...
and then captain Daniel Vettori
Daniel Vettori
Daniel Luca Vettori ONZM is a cricketer for the New Zealand cricket team. He is the eighth player in Test history to take 300 wickets and score 3,000 runs. He is the youngest player to have represented New Zealand in Test cricket, having made his debut in 1996–97 at the age of 18...
, who likened his bowling to that of Muttiah Muralitharan
Muttiah Muralitharan
Muttiah Muralitharan , often referred to as Murali, is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who was rated the greatest Test match bowler ever by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack in 2002...
's. On the back of this he was flown out to Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
for New Zealands 2009 tour
New Zealand cricket team in Sri Lanka in 2009
The New Zealand cricket team is touring Sri Lanka for a 2-match Test series and 2 Twenty20 Internationals from 7 August 2009 to 16 September 2009. In addition, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and India will play in a tri-series during this time...
to bowl at the New Zealand players, as well as working with New Zealands then spin consultant, Saqlain Mushtaq
Saqlain Mushtaq
Saqlain Mushtaq is a Pakistani cricketer, regarded as one of the finest off spin bowlers of all time.He is best known for pioneering the "doosra", which he employed to great effect during his career...
.
However, it wouldn't be until 2011 while studying for his degree in Sport Science with Management at Loughborough University
Loughborough University
Loughborough University is a research based campus university located in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, in the East Midlands of England...
, that he made his 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...
debut for Loughborough MCCU, making two appearances against 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...
and Leicestershire
Leicestershire 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....
. Signed by Warwickshire
Warwickshire County Cricket Club
Warwickshire 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 Warwickshire. Its limited overs team is called the Warwickshire Bears. Their kit colours are black and gold and the shirt sponsor...
for the 2011 season
2011 English cricket season
The 2011 English cricket season began on 2 April with a round of university matches, and will continue until the final of the Clydesdale Bank 40 on 17 September. Three major domestic competitions are contested: the 2011 County Championship, the 2011 Clydesdale Bank 40 and the 2011 Friends Life t20...
, he made his first-class debut for the county against Durham MCCU, taking a wicket with his first ball in the process. Holmes made a further first-class appearance for the county against Lancashire
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
in the County Championship
2011 County Championship
The 2011 County Championship season, known as the LV County Championship for sponsorship reasons, is the 112th cricket County Championship season. It is contested through two divisions: Division One and Division Two. Each team plays all the others in their division both home and away...
. His List A debut came against Leicestershire in the Clydesdale Bank 40
2011 Clydesdale Bank 40
The 2011 Clydesdale Bank 40 tournament is the second season of the Clydesdale Bank 40 limited overs cricket competition for the England and Wales first-class counties...
. Holmes has made two further List A appearances for Warwickshire in 2011, against Scotland and Northamptonshire, both in the Clydesdale Bank 40.
However, in June 2011 he was twice reported by umpires
Umpire (cricket)
In cricket, an umpire is a person who has the authority to make judgements on the cricket field, according to the Laws of Cricket...
for a suspected illegal bowling action, with particular concern surrounding his doosra
Doosra
A doosra is a particular type of delivery by an off-spin bowler in the sport of cricket, invented by Pakistani cricketer Saqlain Mushtaq. The term means " second ", or " other " in Urdu...
delivery. On 8 July, the England and Wales Cricket Board
England and Wales Cricket Board
The England and Wales Cricket Board is the governing body of cricket in England and Wales. It was created on 1 January 1997 combining the roles of the Test and County Cricket Board, the National Cricket Association and the Cricket Council...
suspended Holmes from bowling following an independent analysis of his bowling action, deeming it to be illegal. He was released by Warwickshire at the end of the 2011 season
2011 English cricket season
The 2011 English cricket season began on 2 April with a round of university matches, and will continue until the final of the Clydesdale Bank 40 on 17 September. Three major domestic competitions are contested: the 2011 County Championship, the 2011 Clydesdale Bank 40 and the 2011 Friends Life t20...
. Following a period of remdial work on his bowling action, it was found that his standard delivery was legal, but his doosra was not. Following these findings, Holmes' suspension was lifted, but he is not allowed to bowl his doosra in competitive county cricket
County 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:...
.
External links
- Maurice Holmes at ESPNcricinfo
- Maurice Holmes at CricketArchiveCricketArchiveCricketArchive is a website that aims to provide a comprehensive archive of records relating to the sport of cricket. It claims to be the most comprehensive cricket database on the internet, including scorecards for all matches of first-class cricket , List A cricket , Women's Test cricket and...