He got there in the end: Ramprakash retires

Sorry, I'm being a little prolific with the articles this week. A resume of Ramprakash's career.

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For much of his 25-year first-class career Mark Ramprakash looked likely to be remembered as a batsman who never made the most of his obviously great ability. He has consigned that idea to history in the last decade, though it remains remarkable to think that in a Test career lasting the best part of eleven years Ramprakash only reached three figures twice, and averaged a tad over 27.

Mark Ramprakash burst on to the scene as a teenager in the 1988 NatWest Trophy final between Middlesex and Worcestershire. Coming in at 25 for 4 in pursuit of 162, many youngsters would have followed the lead of their senior team-mates and given their wickets away. When he was out, for 56, Middlesex needed just three more to win.

From then on greatness beckoned, and Ramprakash was given a Test debut against West Indies at Headingley in 1991, where Malcolm Marshall came on second change. He made 27 in each innings in a rare England victory. But the expected success never really materialised. It took him another two years to pass 50, and the wait for a Test century was seven years. It finally came at Bridgetown in 1998, and hopes were raised that a breakthrough had been made. However, he passed three figures only once more and was jettisoned for good after England’s tour to New Zealand in early 2002. So disappointing were his performances for England that one of my early connections with cricket, as a young child, was to hear the phrase ‘Ramprakash is out’ repeatedly banded around the house as my parents updated each other on what was going on in the Test match.

The reasons for Ramprakash’s failure as an international cricket are probably many and varied. Those who played with him, such as former England captain Michael Vaughan, have suggested that “he couldn’t mentally get it right in the international game”. There may be some truth in this - success often becomes more difficult when you put too much pressure on yourself - but it is hard to say that Ramprakash was totally at fault. The selection policy during his career made it difficult for anybody to establish themselves within the side, and when he did play he batted in every position from two to seven. Meanwhile, in an era before central contracts and the England Performance Programme talented players weren’t prepared for the demands of international cricket in the same way they are today.

If Ramprakash’s international career was underwhelming, his domestic career was anything but. That NatWest Trophy winning innings was followed by an extremely successful career for Middlesex, for whom he passed 2,000 runs in the 1995 season. But it was his move across the river to Surrey in 2001 that set him up for an often Bradman-esque final decade of his career with international ambitions now largely forgotten. In the 2006 season he averaged 105 in Division Two of the County Championship, and followed that up by averaging 101 in the top tier the next season. That was not the end of his run-getting as he was again the country’s leading run-scorer in 2010.

In amongst all this Ramprakash reached his 100th first-class hundred, a landmark which may well over time become his cricketing legacy, with it increasingly likely than he will be the 25th and last man to do so. The nearest current players are Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting, with 78 and 77 respectively, but, given their age and that they play so little first-class cricket outside of Tests, it is inconceivable that they could reach that particular milestone.

Ramps, as he was almost universally known throughout his career, shot back into the public eye as the eventual winner of Strictly Come Dancing in 2006. During his time on the show he proved that he could cope with the spotlight, whilst winning the adoration of women around the country, my mother included.

The final season and a bit of Ramprakash’s first-class career failed to deliver plentiful returns as he struggled first with a knee injury picked up playing football in 2011, and then with poor form this year. His final match came against Sussex at Horsham early last month, where scores of 8 and 37 reflected his recent troubles. But his stats from the preceding seasons with Surrey ensure that the memories of Ramprakash the unfulfilled talent will will be dwarfed by those of the domestic run machine.

Hick and Ramprakash have been the terrible disappointments of the 90s for England. Scored FC runs for funn, unfortunately never really carried on the same way at the highest level.
Wishing him the best in his life after cricket.

His international career was similar to his test knocks. Got in so many times but failed after showing promise.

Good luck to him in whatever he does.

Shame it never worked out for him at Test level. People were calling for his inclusion for the Ashes Tests in 2009 but the selectors (rightly) opted for Jonathan Trott. I don't think he ever fully mastered the mental side of the game as shown by the time he took to get to 100 FC centuries. Great FC player though and good luck to me.

liverbnz wrote:Shame it never worked out for him at Test level. People were calling for his inclusion for the Ashes Tests in 2009 but the selectors (rightly) opted for Jonathan Trott. I don't think he ever fully mastered the mental side of the game as shown by the time he took to get to 100 FC centuries. Great FC player though and good luck to me.

I assume you meant to say, "good luck to him!".

I personally don't actually believe that his name was really ever in the frame for 2009. The press couldn't get excited about Trott, had written off Bopara, and at the time Ramps was flavour of the month. However, Trott had been in the squad for the previous Test and with consistency of selection already established then was always likely to play.

Yes I did!

I know it was a media led thing and there was never any realistic chance of Ramprakash (or Trescothick) getting the call. He did plenty of fire-stoking himself and he seemed to think (at that time) that he had dealt with his mental fragilities, and he even cited his 'Strictly' particpation of proof of this. His path from 99 to 100 FC centuries told the true tale though.

Bit unfair to say him getting to 100 x 100's was a sign he was still mentally fragile. It took Sachin a while, remember.

liverbnz wrote: Yes I did!

I know it was a media led thing and there was never any realistic chance of Ramprakash (or Trescothick) getting the call. He did plenty of fire-stoking himself and he seemed to think (at that time) that he had dealt with his mental fragilities, and he even cited his 'Strictly' particpation of proof of this. His path from 99 to 100 FC centuries told the true tale though.

I get the impression that he felt hard done by in the way he was completely dumped after 2002. However, in reality, although he was badly managed, he had used up his chances.

Stella wrote:Bit unfair to say him getting to 100 x 100's was a sign he was still mentally fragile. It took Sachin a while, remember.

On it's own it's probably not, but Ramprakash had history. Ramprakash almost immediately started scoring freely again once he'd reached the landmark. Sachin's was at international level and it could be debated whether he's past his peak.

Ramps' retirement - this week's worst kept cricket secret - has just been formally confirmed on the Surrey website. It takes effect immediately.

Shelsey's resume sums up Ramps' career well. Not covered (and nor does it particularly belong in a career resume) is the disquiet felt by some Surrey supporters as to the timing of the decision. In the wake of Tom Maynard's death and Rory Hamilton-Brown's indefinite withdrawal from cricket, Ramps' presence and experience for the remaining two months of the season might have been valuable as we try to avoid CC relegation.

Even without the death of Maynard, I'm inclined to feel that (barring injury, which isn't the case here) Ramps had an obligation to see this season through once he had decided in the winter to play on. How much better it would have been for all if he had retired at the end of the 2011 season, as the Corporal urged so consistently and (ultimately proved) correctly. By walking now, he's certainly not helping the Club and stands accused by some (on the wallpaper site) of being a rat leaving a sinking ship or, at least, throwing his toys out of the pram because a new contract was not going to be offered.

Part of the reason Ramps was unsuccessful at Test level is that there wasn't a team ethos adopted by the selectors during those years. Truly wonderful batsman though he was at domestic level, I currently feel he's today shown a similar lack of team ethos. I'm disappointed to feel that way but I do.

class county player, however shame he always struggled at test level......will be missed at surrey, however im of the opinon that he should have retired at the end of last season, however class act..

farewell ramps..

Never had the mental strength to come back from a poor start in tests.

Ultimately the difference between him and a less talented, but mentally tougher, player in Trott.

Best of luck to him. A fine player to watch on his day just a shame he didn't carry it in to the international arena.

Graeme Swann's Cat wrote:Never had the mental strength to come back from a poor start in tests.

Ultimately the difference between him and a less talented, but mentally tougher, player in Trott.

The mental aspect was certainly significant. However, it also needs to be realised that the England set ups first welcoming Ramps and later Trott were very different in approch and outlook. That too played a part.

Ramps played the best county championship innings I have every seen, scoring just short of 200, unbeaten, in somewhat less than a day in a masterful display. He was pretty much peerless as a county championship batsman during much of his time at Surrey.

He had the technique to succeed at Test level, but it seems clear that his relative failure at that level owes much to issues in the mind.

As Guildford is kind enough to acknowledge I felt strongly that he missed the obvious opportunities to retire and go out on a high when he was already well passed 40. This is compounded by the unfortunate timing of the actual announcement. But hopefully none of the issues around his going nor about his test career will get in the way of many on the county scene remembering his outstanding deeds, and the style of his batting, at county level. He seemed particularly to relish scoring heavily against Middlesex.