Indian team captain Anil Kumble celebrates after taking a wicket – AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi
Kersi’s list of Dual International’s listed some extremely talented individuals. But a sports career only lasts so long, so here are a few occupations before they made it in the big time.
Shane Bond worked as a policeman before turning out for New Zealand, an occupation he claimed helped him with his discipline as a bowler.
His Australian counterpart, Stuart Clark, used to ply his trade as a real estate agent before he undertook a Masters in Commerce and plans to study law after his graduation. This in addition to playing cricket for NSW and Australia.
Sticking with the financial theme, Bryce McGain worked in the IT Department of a bank and never really took his cricket seriously until the turn of the century.
Dirk Nannes, another who came late to cricket, was not only a champion skier but also founded his own ski and snowboarding tour operating company called Global Snow Tours.
Brett Lee is not only the most marketable Aussie on the sub-continent, having sung a duet with Asha Bhosle, but he also plays in a band called “Six And Out”, has his own clothing label, and used to work for a tailor in Sydney.
Former Australian opener Michael Slater was offered the job of Assistant Manager of Wagga Leagues Club, which he seriously considered before he moved to Sydney to pursue his dream of playing cricket full-time, where he worked as the “personal barman” for Bob Radford, former secretary of the NSWCA.
The Waugh twins worked for Sydney cricket outlet, Kingsgrove Sports Centre, where Michael Clarke also got part of his cricketing education. Most notably, Mark Waugh met his former fianceé, 13 years his senior, while working at the store as a 21 year old.
Former South African quick Charl Langeveldt had to juggle his early cricketing career with a job as a warden at a prison just a short drive north of Cape Town.
Remaining in southern Africa, we come to Rudi van Vuuren, a man who featured on Kersi’s list as having played cricket and rugby for Namibia. He is also a qualified physician.
Many cricketers turn their hand to commentary, columns and coaching when they call time on their careers, others lend their name to a good cause and head up charities, while a few take totally different paths.
One such man is Jack Russell, the fantastic English keeper who has branched out to become a full-time artist since retiring from cricket as well as a goal-keeper coach for Forest Green Rovers in English football’s fifth tier.
The name McDermott might be making an appearance on the Australian team sheet before long, but memories of another red-headed Queenslander charging in with a head of steam are still fresh in Australian minds.
Since his retirement from cricket, McDermott has managed to build a real-estate empire on the Gold Coast, declare bankruptcy, and become embroiled in a sex-tape scandal.
Gary Pratt was never really an international cricketer. For those of you who don’t recognise the name, he was the substitute fielder who controversially ran out Ricky Ponting in the 2005 Ashes series has since moved from storage into property development
Former Indian spinner Anil Kumble holds a degree as an engineer, and since leaving the international cricket scene has turned his hand to developing software, predominantly aimed at cricket lovers.
His former teammate and captain Sourav Ganguly has taken full advantage on his demi-god status in West Bengal. Adding to his families’ publishing business, Ganguly has founded a chain of restaurants and has a stake in a multi-national sports management company.
Pakistani legend Imran Khan turned his hand to politics a few years after his retirement but was never really taken seriously, his television appearances were more frequently as a pundit than a lawmaker.
Obviously the list is not all-encompassing, and I’ve only included players who’ve played in the professional era, but feel free to make any additions you might have.
Fly on the Wall
Guest
Andy Roberts was also head groundsman at the Recreation Ground in St John, Antigua.
Freud of Football
Roar Guru
Absolutely brilliant. I really must expand my library!
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Gulu Ezekiel, a renowned cricket writer from India, has listed unusual professions of cricketers in his book "The Penguin Book of Cricket Lists" (2008), as under. Australia: Bill Lawry (plumber), Ray Lindwall (florist), Rod Hogg (milkman), Arthur Mailey (cartoonist), Clarrie Grimmett (calligraphist), Ian Redpath (antique expert). England: Mike Brearley (psychoanalyst), Norman Cowans (glassblower), Jack Russell (artist), David Sheppard (bishop), Phil Tuffnell (taxi driver). South Africa: Bob Crisp (mink farmer), C. Langeveldt (prison warden). West Indies: Colin Croft and Patterson Thompson (airline pilots), Joel Garner (telephone operator), Andy Roberts (fisherman), Kenneth Weekes(male nurse). New Zealand: Shane Bond (policeman), John Bracewell (gravedigger), Lance Cairns (undertaker). PREEETY SCARRRY! India: Chandu Sarwate (finger print expert). Pakistan: Abdul Qadir (vegetable vendor), Mohammad Yousuf (rickshaw driver). Zimbabwe: Eddo Brandes (chicken farmer).
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
One more Freud...David Sheppard (not to be confused with Shep who passed away recently) was made Bishop of Woolich after he had retired from Cricket. He is remembered for the talk he gave alongwith Brian Booth(himself a lay Anglican preacher) at the Sydney Town Hall. In fact Brian booth,Conrad Hunte(associated with the Moral Rearmament Movement) and David Sheppard all played around the same time and were firm friends.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Harold larwood was a coal miner before he started playing cricket. After retirement he opened a Confectionery shop in Blackpool. Jack Fingleton(the man who stood upto Bradman and was a journalist at the same time as playing for Australia) was covering the 1948 Ashes tour when he visited Larwood and was subsequently instrumental in assisting Larwood to migrate with his family of six. Chiefly,the Prime Minister and a good friend of Fingleton also helped larwood settle in Sydney. There was also a first grade captain of either Waverley or Petersham who was an undertaker(sorry but the name escapes me) Bill OReilly,Richie and John Benaud were also journalists at the same time and before they started playing for Australia.
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
Didn't he make the NZ team at 17, so is that work in a pharmacy or is he qualified? I can imagine him studying even while playing international Cricket because NZ cricket contracts are quite modest.
Freud of Football
Roar Guru
Fantastic. That one made me smile, I can just see Dan in a white coat with his glasses on listening to the rants of old ladies with no-one else to talk too.
drewster
Roar Pro
Roar columnist Geoff Lawson has a degree in optometry and not sure if he is still studying or has finished studying for an MBA. Former W.A. First class cricketer and Australian Hockey Player Ric Charlesworth Is a Doctor of medicine who was also an MP for 10 years for the Australian Labour Party and was elected as the federal member for Perth in 1983.
Brett McKay
Guest
you obviously don't listen to ABC Radio commentary much then Freud (and I know you're OS based), it gets a good airing there. Siddle is growing on me, I'll admit. Sometimes he can be an absolute match-winner, but other times he looks like he's not very penetrating at all. And enigma wrapped in a riddle...
Brett McKay
Guest
Spiro, if you've read Dan Crowley's excellent book "Undercover Prop", he didn't just have to avoid photos, there was a full-blown cover-up concocted between the media and Qld (and then the ARU) to ensure that Crowley wasn't identified anywhere. So no photos, no mentions in programmes or match reports, not even discussed in match commentary. And they pulled it off for several years!!
dasilva
Guest
Daniel Vetorri is a pharmacist before taking up cricket.
Freud of Football
Roar Guru
I only saw that little tidbit on Cricinfo today. I must admit though, every time I see Siddle I think he gets better, he really could be something.
Spiro Zavos
Expert
Dan Crowley's occupation before he became a Wallaby was that of an under-cover agent. Apparently he had to avoid photographs early on his rugby career in case he outed himself.
Brett McKay
Guest
Freud, great to see you unleashing your inner Kersi!! I'm surprised you didn't mention Peter Siddle though, who for all we're being constantly told was selected for Australia directly from the forrests of Gippsland, were he was the one and only man to swing an axe in the regions history...
IronAwe
Guest
I have it on quiet authority that Bakkies Botha was a lipstick salesman before playing for the Spingboks
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Neither, Vinay. Among Parsee cricketers such surnames are common and are not profession-related.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
KMH...what profession did Contractor and Engineer follow?
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Freud, Did you know the profession of Ghulam Guard who played two Tests for India as a left-arm medium pacer? He was a police guard! Guard by name and guard by profession.