Justin Langer, VC. If there was a medal for bravery in cricket, Justin Langer would get the equivalent of a Victoria Cross. In fact, I would give him an honorary AB Medal.
Baptised by the Bishop in his debut Test in 1993, he was the Little Aussie Digger in the trenches. He absorbed the heavy artillery of Ambrose, Walsh and Bishop, and was second last out as Australia lost by one run.
Langer emerged beaten but unbowed and surprisingly spent the next four years playing only 8 Tests.
He had a run of poor scores prior to the first Ashes Test of 2001, was replaced by Michael Slater and did not play the first four of that series.
Inexplicably, Slater was dropped for the fifth Test allowing Langer to return.
He retired hurt in his comeback Test on 102 after being felled by a Caddick bouncer. The Oval crowd rose as one and clapped the warrior off in a show of spontaneous warmth.
The Rocky Balboa of cricket, the pint sized Tae kwondo black belt, how he would have loved Buchanan’s tales of the Chinese general Sun Tzu.
Justin Langer reminds me of Lord Nelson. When Nelson had to have his arm amputated without anesthetics he implored the surgeon to heat the knives as the cold knives were more painful.
Langer scored all of his 23 hundreds in the ten years from 1998 to 2007. In the eight years from 2000-2007, not once did his Test average dip below 54.
In the third Test at the Wanderers in 2006 he was felled by a Ntini bouncer in the first innings and did not take any further part. However, on the final day, with Australia needing a handful with only two wickets remaining, he was padded up and ready for battle.
Thankfully Lee and Kasper saw Australia through.
Langer is only 38 and retired from International cricket. He still plays for Warne’s Rajasthan Royals and Middlesex.
The other day, he passed the Don’s First Class aggregate to become Australia’s highest run scorer, yet it is not the runs he scored but the bravery he accumulated them with.
He is unquestionably the Vice Chancellor in the University of Adversity. He is currently mentoring Philip Hughes and one hopes some of his warrior stardust sprinkles on the young man.
Adrian
Guest
Hate to knitpick mate, but JL wasn't replaced by Slats in 2001, he was replaced by Marto. He did however, go on to replace the great Michael Slater, thus bringing a premature end to an exciting Test career.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
As I thought,Dave,and thanks for confirming it. A vastly underrated player. Always the first man into battle and never took a backward step.
Dave
Guest
When Langer came up against good bowing in 2005 he scored the most runs and led the averages Player Inns NO Runs HS Ave SR JL Langer 10 1 394 105 43.77 58.63 RT Ponting 9 0 359 156 39.88 59.63 MJ Clarke 9 0 335 91 37.22 54.38 GD McGrath 5 4 36 20* 36.00 63.15 ML Hayden 10 1 318 138 35.33 46.97 SK Warne 9 0 249 90 27.66 70.53 SM Katich 9 0 248 67 27.55 46.79 B Lee 9 3 158 47 26.33 65.02 AC Gilchrist 9 1 181 49* 22.62 71.82 DR Martyn 9 0 178 65 19.77 53.13 MS Kasprowicz 4 0 44 20 11.00 67.69 SW Tait 2 3 2 8 4 8.00 29.62 JN Gillespie 6 0 47 26 7.83 21.55
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Sorry,please read that as 5 boundaries...
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Hansie- you are right but I was alluding more to Langer's grit and warrior like qualities. He made the most of his abilities and prepared meticulously. Prior to the 2005 series he got some tall AFL players to spar with him in the boxing ring he had in his den at home. He said that he imagined these tall guys were Harmison and he was not going to be intimidated. Before he was given his black belt he was mercilessly hammered by two hulking exponents of TaeKwon do and later confessed he cried uncontrolably. His courage was laudable. Kersi ,I believe Langer's career Test Strike rate was actually higher than Damien Martyn and Mark Waugh. Now that sounds like a jarring note! He also hit about 950 fours and 40 sixes in his 180 odd innings. For someone that averaged in the mid forties this is almost 4 boundaries every innings. Which means he scored half his runs in boundaries.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Hansie, I agree with you. Justin Langer was a rock, not a tornado. When Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Langer retired together after the January 2007 Sydney Test, I had compared the retiring trio with the Three Tenors -- Warne with Luciano Pavrotti, McGrath with Placido Domingo and Langer with Jose Carreras. Listeners lauded the charismatic Pavarotti and Domingo but referred to Carreras as the third "what's-his-name?" tenor! Langer did not arouse passion the likes of Warnie, Ricky and Gilly did. He just did his job efficiently, often without much applause. Long live Langer's quiet deeds.
Hansie
Guest
Langer was a good batsman, but not a great batsman. His test career benefitted from being an opening batsman in an era noted for the dearth of quality fast bowlers. In the words of Harsha Bhogle, "Langer gives the common man hope".
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
More than speculation JohnB..." ...I would play for nothing if they asked me... Further going on to say he misses the battles with the likes of Flintoff. This report in the West Australian today Personally I would like them to persevere with Hughes. Theres enough good batsmen in Katich,Ponting,Clarke and Hussey to take up the s;lack.
JohnB
Guest
A little quirk - that Wanderers test in which he was poleaxed early was his 100th. Rather an anticlimax. When I saw the news report during the week re breaking the aggregate, couldn't help but wonder if there was still some chance of an emergency Ashes call-up for him, given Hughes' dodgy form and the lack of alternatives. Watson is potentially a good player, but hard to see him as a better opener than Langer even now. I guess they'd be more likely to push Hussey up and bat Watson lower down, but you can still speculate.
davido
Guest
Determination like Langer's is a rare commodity indeed.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Vinay, Sorry for the computer glitch above. You have summed up Langer's fighting abilities very well. Australia needs someone like him today. Spectators may prefer Lara, Sachin, Ponting, Mark Waugh, Gilly and Hayden. But give me Steve Waugh, Border, Gavaskar, Hazare and Langer any time.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Vinay,