The legendary cricketer of Australia (Happy Birthday Allan Border) is celebrating his 67th birthday today.
Allan Border was born on July 27, 1955, in Cremorne, New South Wales, in Australia. He is known for his stylish batting style and stout-hearted leadership skills.
During his international career span of 16 years, he amassed 11174 runs in 265 test innings at an average of 50.56, including 27 centuries and 13 half-centuries.
While during the newest format of that time, ODI cricket, Border featured in 273 matches and has scored 6524 runs with the help of three hundred and 39 half-centuries.
Border, one of most admired cricketers has been known for not giving his wicket away easily. In his career has achieved many milestones, but the one, where he led Australia to win their first-ever World Cup (World Cup 1987) remains on top.
When Allan Border Made His International Debut?
After Australia lost the first two Tests in the 1978–1979 Ashes series, Allan Border made his Test debut in the third match. At the MCG, where he made his Test debut, he scored 29 in the first inning before failing to make an impact in the second.
In the fourth test in Sydney, where he had a strong performance and led the team in scoring 60 and 45 respectively, he was dropped for the sixth test after failing to impress.
He was reinstated for the first Match against Pakistan at the MCG after being dropped for the final Ashes Test. He batted at No. 3 and recorded his first Test century as Australia crossed the 300-mark threshold, but as soon as he got out when Australia was at 305, the team collapsed and lost their remaining six wickets in the span of just 5 runs, thus providing an edge to Pakistan which they grabbed with both hands and won the game by 71 runs.
But Border’s century during the tough time made him an important member of the Australian side, and after that, the champion cricketer never looked back and kept on achieving new milestones, whether to become captain of the Australian side or to help Australia win their maiden World Cup in 1987.
Aside from his outstanding batting performances, which served as the cornerstone for historic Australian victories in both Tests and ODIs, AB is renowned for his leadership qualities. After a tearful Kim Hughes left the international stage in 1984, he assumed control of the Australian squad. Australia went from being a competitive team to a world beater under AB’s leadership in just a few short years, winning back the Ashes in 1986, and winning their maiden 50-over World Cup.
Records and Achievements
Border added several achievements to his portfolio, including most test runs in test cricket before it was broken by Brian Lara in 2006. While He still holds the distinction of being the only player to have scored more than 150 runs in each of a test match’s two innings, having scored 150* and 153 runs against Pakistan at Lahore in 1979–80.
At the time of his retirement, AB had played in more Tests than any other player, had the most red-ball runs, had played in more Tests as the captain, had the most catches than any other fielder, and had a Test batting average above 50.
He will undoubtedly go down as one of cricket’s all-time greats, and the ICC also inducted the Australian into its Hall of Fame, which he truly deserves.
