View source for Michael Bevan

{{short description|Australian cricketer}}
{{for multi|the scientist|Michael W. Bevan|the Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire|Michael Bevan (lord lieutenant)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2012}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name                = Michael Bevan
| image               =
| fullname            = Michael Gwyl Bevan
| birth_date          = {{Birth date and age|1970|05|08|df=yes}}
| birth_place         = [[Belconnen]], [[Australian Capital Territory]]
| heightcm            = 180
| batting             = Left-handed
| bowling             = [[Slow left-arm wrist spin]]
| role                = [[Batsman (cricket)|Batsman]]
| international       = true
| internationalspan   = 1994–2004
| country             = Australia
| testdebutdate       = 28 September
| testdebutyear       = 1994
| testdebutagainst    = Pakistan
| testcap             = 360
| lasttestdate        = 2 January
| lasttestyear        = 1998
| lasttestagainst     = South Africa
| odidebutdate        = 14 April
| odidebutyear        = 1994
| odidebutagainst     = Sri Lanka
| odicap              = 116
| lastodidate         = 29 February
| lastodiyear         = 2004
| lastodiagainst      = Sri Lanka
| odishirt            = 12
| club1               = [[South Australia cricket team|South Australia]]
| year1               = 1989/90
| club2               = [[New South Wales cricket team|New South Wales]]
| year2               = {{nowrap|1990/91–2003/04}}
| club3               = [[Yorkshire County Cricket Club|Yorkshire]]
| year3               = 1995–1996
| club4               = [[Sussex County Cricket Club|Sussex]]
| year4               = 1998–2000
| club5               = [[Leicestershire County Cricket Club|Leicestershire]]
| year5               = 2002
| club6               = [[Kent County Cricket Club|Kent]]
| year6               = 2004
| club7               = [[Tasmania cricket team|Tasmania]]
| year7               = 2004/05–2005/06
| columns             = 4
| column1             = [[Test cricket|Test]]
| column2             = [[One Day International|ODI]]
| column3             = [[First-class cricket|FC]]
| column4             = [[List A cricket|LA]]
| matches1            = 18
| matches2            = 232
| matches3            = 237
| matches4            = 427
| runs1               = 785 	
| runs2               = 6,912
| runs3               = 19,147
| runs4               = 15,103  	
| bat avg1            = 29.07
| bat avg2            = 53.58
| bat avg3            = 57.32
| bat avg4            = 57.86
| 100s/50s1           = 0/6
| 100s/50s2           = 6/46
| 100s/50s3           = 68/81
| 100s/50s4           = 13/116
| top score1          = 91
| top score2          = 108[[not out|*]]
| top score3          = 216
| top score4          = 157[[not out|*]]
| deliveries1         = 1,285
| deliveries2         = 1,966
| deliveries3         = 8,769
| deliveries4         = 3,546
| wickets1            = 29
| wickets2            = 36
| wickets3            = 119
| wickets4            = 93
| bowl avg1           = 24.24
| bowl avg2           = 45.97
| bowl avg3           = 44.89
| bowl avg4           = 33.27
| fivefor1            = 1
| fivefor2            = 0
| fivefor3            = 1
| fivefor4            = 1
| tenfor1             = 1
| tenfor2             = 0
| tenfor3             = 1
| tenfor4             = 0
| best bowling1       = 6/82
| best bowling2       = 3/36
| best bowling3       = 6/82
| best bowling4       = 5/29
| catches/stumpings1  = 8/–
| catches/stumpings2  = 69/–
| catches/stumpings3  = 122/–
| catches/stumpings4  = 128/–
| source              = http://content-www.cricinfo.com/australia/content/player/4144.html ESPNcricinfo
| date                = 6 March
| year                = 2008
| medaltemplates =  <!-- MENTION HOST NAMES FOR TEAM SPORTS -->
{{MedalSport|Men's [[Cricket]]}}
{{MedalCountry |{{AUS}}}} 
{{MedalCompetition|[[ICC Cricket World Cup]]}}
{{Medal|W|[[1999 Cricket World Cup|1999 England-Wales<br/>-Ireland-Scotland-Netherlands]]|}}
{{Medal|W|[[2003 Cricket World Cup|2003 South Africa-Zimbabwe-Kenya]]|}}
{{Medal|RU|[[1996 Cricket World Cup|1996 India-Pakistan-Sri Lanka]]|}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Commonwealth Games]]}}
{{MedalSilver|[[1998 Commonwealth Games|1998 Kuala Lumpur]]|}}
}}
'''Michael Gwyl Bevan''' (born 8 May 1970) is an Australian former international [[cricket]]er. He played as a left-handed [[batsman]] and a [[slow left-arm wrist spin]] bowler. For several years, he was considered the world's finest [[One Day International]] (ODI) batsman, and topped the [[International Cricket Council]]'s batting rankings in the format on numerous occasions. He was the first [[Canberra]]-born player to represent Australia at international level. He played 232 ODIs for Australia, and was a part of the Australian squads which won the [[1999 Cricket World Cup|1999]] and [[2003 Cricket World Cup]]s. He represented [[Australia at the 1998 Commonwealth Games]], where cricket was included in the Games for the first time.

Bevan was an [[Australian Cricket Academy]] scholarship holder in 1989.<ref>{{cite book|title=Excellence : the Australian Institute of Sport|year=2002|publisher=Australian Sports Commission|location=Canberra}}</ref> He scored a total of 15,103 runs in [[List A cricket]] at [[batting average (cricket)|an average]] of 57.86 runs per innings. This is the highest batting average for any player who has batted in 50 or more innings.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Records {{!}} List A matches {{!}} Batting records {{!}} Highest career batting average {{!}} ESPNcricinfo.com |url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/aac2007/content/records/282914.html |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=Cricinfo}}</ref> In 2007 he was named in [[Australia national cricket team|Australia]]'s greatest ODI team,<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007%5C02%5C28%5Cstory_28-2-2007_pg2_4
| title = Australia names greatest ODI team
| access-date = 1 March 2007
| date = 28 February 2007
| author = Daily Times
| author-link = Daily Times (Pakistan)
}}</ref> while in 2025, he was inducted into the [[Australian Cricket Hall of Fame]]. The [[Michael Bevan Medal]], for the [[Player of the Match awards (cricket)|player of the match]] in the [[Australian Domestic One-Day Cricket Final]], is named after him.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wu |first1=Andrew |title=The 'finisher': Michael Bevan and the rule tweak that got him into Australian cricket's hall of fame |url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket/the-finisher-michael-bevan-and-the-rule-tweak-that-got-him-into-australian-cricket-s-hall-of-fame-20250202-p5l8yb.html |access-date=3 February 2025 |work=[[The Age]] |date=3 February 2025}}</ref>

==Playing career==
Michael Bevan's first senior club was Weston Creek Cricket Club in [[Canberra]].{{cn|date=December 2024}} He made his first-class debut during the 1989-90 domestic season for [[South Australia cricket team|South Australia]], scoring a century on debut against [[Western Australia cricket team|Western Australia]].<ref name=ca>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/2/2166/2166.html Michael Bevan], CrcketArchive. Retrieved 15 December 2024. {{subscription required}}</ref>

After a single season with South Australia, Bevan moved to play for [[New South Wales cricket team|New South Wales]], where he spent the majority of his career.<ref name=ca/> He played in English [[County Cricket]] for [[Yorkshire County Cricket Club|Yorkshire]],<ref name="YB">{{cite book |title=The Yorkshire County Cricket Club: 2011 Yearbook |last=Warner |first=David |year=2011 |edition=113th |publisher=Great Northern Books |location=Ilkley, Yorkshire |isbn=978-1-905080-85-4 |page=363 }}</ref> [[Leicestershire County Cricket Club|Leicestershire]], [[Sussex County Cricket Club|Sussex]] and [[Kent County Cricket Club]]s.<ref name=ca/> After 14 seasons, he moved to play for [[Tasmania cricket team|Tasmania]] ahead of the 2004–05 season [[Sheffield Shield]] season, scoring a then-record 1,464 first-class runs in the season.{{cn|date=December 2024}} He retired from cricket at the end of the 2006–07 season.<ref name=ca/>

===ODI career===
He made his ODI debut on 14 April 1994 against Sri Lanka in the [[1994 Austral-Asia Cup]] at [[Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium|Sharjah]] and was not required to bat as Australia chased down 155 comfortably with nine wickets to spare.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Full Scorecard of Sri Lanka vs Australia 2nd Match 1993/94 - Score Report {{!}} ESPNcricinfo.com |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/pepsi-austral-asia-cup-1993-94-60955/australia-vs-sri-lanka-2nd-match-65827/full-scorecard |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> By the 1995–96 season, he became a regular in the side. He proved a reliable anchor at the bottom of the middle order, and he would often patiently guide Australia to victory following a rare top-order collapse – leading to him being nicknamed "The Finisher". By the end of his ODI career, Bevan was known as the "Pyjama Picasso". During his ODI career, he managed to hit just 21 sixes in 232 ODI matches.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A tribute to the 'pyjama picassos' |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/a-tribute-to-the-pyjama-picassos-620861 |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> He batted 45 times in successful ODI run chases for Australia and out of those 45 outings, he remained unbeaten at the crease on 25 occasions.

One of his most famous "anchor" innings was in the [[New Year's Day]] One Day International at the [[Sydney Cricket Ground]] against the [[West Indies cricket team|West Indies]] in 1996 during the Benson & Hedges World Series.<ref>{{Citation |title=From the Vault: Bevan becomes a hero | date=15 May 2019 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5OV8roU-VE |language=en |access-date=2022-05-01}}</ref> With the Australians at one stage 6/38 chasing 173, his unbeaten 150-minute 78 got the Australians over the line with a four on the last ball of the innings.<ref>[http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/61/61592.html CricketArchive<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.veoh.com/videos/v414998YhMQbR73 Australia v West Indies – WSC 95/96 Match 5 – Bevan's Match : Online Video | Veoh Video Network<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> He was the second leading run scorer in the 1995/96 Benson & Hedges World Series only behind [[Mark Taylor (cricketer)|Mark Taylor]] with an aggregate of 389 runs in 10 innings at an average of 194.50, bolstered by eight not-outs in his 10 innings.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Benson & Hedges World Series, 1995/96 Averages |url=http://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1995-96/OD_TOURNEYS/WSC/STATS/WSC_DEC1995-JAN1996_ODI_AVS_AUS.html |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=static.espncricinfo.com}}</ref>

He featured in his first World Cup tournament during the [[1996 Cricket World Cup]] and played a crucial role to help Australia to reach the [[1996 Cricket World Cup Final|final of the tournament]] by scoring 69 runs in the semi-final clash against the West Indies, a match which is highly remembered and known due to the dramatic collapse of the West Indies in a low scoring run chase of 208.<ref>{{Cite web |title=RetroReport - Shane Warne conjures win out of nowhere as Australia sneak into final |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/wills-world-cup-1995-96-60981/australia-vs-west-indies-2nd-sf-65191/match-report |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> He also played an important cameo of unbeaten 36 off 49 balls in the 1996 World Cup final which propelled Australia to a decent total of 241/7 on the board.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Full Scorecard of Australia vs Sri Lanka Final 1995/96 - Score Report {{!}} ESPNcricinfo.com |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/wills-world-cup-1995-96-60981/australia-vs-sri-lanka-final-65192/full-scorecard |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> However, his efforts went in vain as Sri Lanka chased down 242 to win their maiden World Cup title.

He was selected to the Australian squad for the [[Cricket at the 1998 Commonwealth Games|50 over cricket tournament]] at the [[1998 Commonwealth Games]] where Australia became runners-up in the competition to South Africa.<ref>{{cite web |title=Australia Squad |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/squad/460328.html |website=Cricinfo}}</ref> He was a key member of the Australian side which lifted the [[1999 Cricket World Cup]].

On 8 April 2000, he played arguably the best knock of his career where he steered the mammoth epic run chase of 321 by scoring an unbeaten 185 off just 132 deliveries in an unofficial ODI held in Dhaka which almost guaranteed Rest of the World XI for an unlikely victory against the Asia XI.<ref>{{Citation |title=Michael Bevan 185* vs ASIA XI - 2000 Dhaka |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIgQbQGHr2s |language=en |access-date=2022-05-01}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Full Scorecard of Asia XI vs ROW XI 1999/00 - Score Report {{!}} ESPNcricinfo.com |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/icc-cricket-week-1999-00-84108/asia-xi-vs-rest-of-the-world-xi-84278/full-scorecard |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> Rest of the World XI at one stage were reeling at 7/196 in the 37th over<ref>{{cite web |title=Asia vs ROWXI - 1999/00 at Dhaka |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/icc-cricket-week-1999-00-84108/asia-xi-vs-rest-of-the-world-xi-84278/full-scorecard |website=CricInfo |access-date=6 November 2023}}</ref> and was staring at a big defeat before Bevan came to the rescue who smashed 19 fours and five sixes to provide a glimmer of hope.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bevan's brilliance not enough in Bangladesh |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/icc-cricket-week-1999-00-84108/asia-xi-vs-rest-of-the-world-xi-84278/match-report |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> He alongside [[Andy Caddick]] put on a 119 run partnership for the eighth wicket which led to a great recovery for the chasing side. However, Rest of the World XI lost by just one run in the end despite the heroics of Bevan. Caddick was involved in a brainfade moment in the critical juncture of the match as he was run out on the penultimate delivery effectively denying Rest of the World XI a famous win given the circumstances on how the game had panned out. However, his knock of 185 not out could not be realised as Bevan's highest ODI or even List A score due to the fact that the match did not have any status as it was deemed as an unofficial ODI meaning the match does not even count as a List A match.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-05-28 |title=Michael Bevan 185*: What Could Have Been ODI Cricket's Greatest Innings Ever |url=https://wisden.com/stories/michael-bevan-185-what-could-have-been-odi-crickets-greatest-innings-ever |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=Wisden |language=en-GB}}</ref>

In January 2002, he scored a crucial unbeaten 95 ball 102 in a match against New Zealand in a modest run chase of 246 at the iconic [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]].<ref>{{Citation |title=Michael Bevan does it again | date=26 November 2010 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ3WqO3Bwd4 |language=en |access-date=2022-05-01}}</ref> He arrived to the crease as he once again had to do the bulk of scoring runs after all familiar Aussie top-order collapse as Australia were reeling at 82/6 at one point to then reduced to 143/7.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Get a load of Bevan, Klusener and Dhoni |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/get-a-load-of-bevan-klusener-and-dhoni-1225389 |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> His knock guaranteed Australia a thrilling two wicket win over New Zealand with three balls to spare.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Full Scorecard of New Zealand vs Australia 10th Match 2001/02 - Score Report {{!}} ESPNcricinfo.com |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/vb-series-2001-02-61098/australia-vs-new-zealand-10th-match-65624/full-scorecard |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref>

Bevan entered the [[2003 Cricket World Cup]] injured. He played his first game in the group stage against [[India national cricket team|India]]. He didn't bat until the fifth group game against [[Namibia national cricket team|Namibia]] and he registered a rusty 17 before being caught and bowled by [[Louis Burger]]. In the final group game against [[England national cricket team|England]], he came in with Australia struggling at 48–4. He then was joined by [[Andy Bichel]] at 135–8 with 70 runs still required to win. Bevan finished on 74 not out and Bichel 34 not out as Australia won in the final over. An unbeaten group stage was followed by an unbeaten Super Six stage. He made 56 against [[New Zealand national cricket team|New Zealand]] helping Australia recover from 84–7 again batting with Bichel to help Australia win. His last knock was an unfortunate golden duck in the semi-final against [[Sri Lanka national cricket team|Sri Lanka]] and he was not required to bat in the final which Australia won.

===Test career===
[[File:Michael Bevan graph.png|right|thumb|250px|Michael Bevan's Test career batting performance.]]
Despite his ODI success, Bevan's Test career was not nearly as successful. Thought to be susceptible to short-pitched deliveries,<ref name="problems"/> he had limited success as a Test batsman, with an average of only 29. He ended up his topsy-turvy Test career without a career century to his name. However he scored heavily in domestic first-class cricket for [[New South Wales cricket team|New South Wales]], averaging almost 60 with the bat. He performed well during his limited time as a bowler in Test matches, with his bowling style of [[left-arm unorthodox spin]], which included taking ten wickets in a Test match against the West Indies at the [[Adelaide Oval]].

The retirement of [[Allan Border]] opened doors for his arrival to international cricket. He made his Test debut against Pakistan on 28 September 1994 as the 360th Test cap for Australia. He had a promising start to his Test career scoring 82 batting at no 5 on his debut in Australia's first innings and just fell short of 18 runs which would have brought him in an elite list of Test centurions on debut.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Full Scorecard of Australia vs Pakistan 1st Test 1994/95 - Score Report {{!}} ESPNcricinfo.com |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/australia-tour-of-pakistan-1994-95-61399/pakistan-vs-australia-1st-test-63654/full-scorecard |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> He continued his momentum in his debut Test series which was against Pakistan by making two more half-centuries. During the Test series against the West Indies in 1997-98, he showed his all-round prowess both with the bat and ball scoring two unbeaten 80s when batting down the order and often ran out of partners during the course of those knocks while also picking up 15 wickets.

He admitted that the reason why his Test career never really took off is mainly due to the psychological reasons and not the technical reasons.<ref name="problems">{{Cite web |title='My problems at Test level were psychological, not technical' |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/michael-bevan-my-problems-at-test-level-were-psychological-not-technical-480796 |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref>

===Retirement===
On 17 January 2007, due to injuries Bevan announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. "It got to the stage where injuries and pain were holding back my motivation, and it got to the stage where I was finding it hard to get up for matches and that was probably a pretty clear indication that it was time to move on," Bevan said.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/cricket/bevan-pulls-stumps/2007/01/17/1168709801584.html | work=The Sydney Morning Herald | title=Bevan pulls stumps | date=17 January 2007}}</ref>

==Post-playing career==
===Coaching===
Apart from coaching the Chennai Superstars in the [[Indian Cricket League]], Bevan participated in the [[Beach Cricket Tri-Nations series]] for Australia. In January 2011, Bevan was announced the coach for [[Indian Premier League]] team [[Kings XI Punjab]].<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/indian-premier-league-2011/content/story/495533.html | work=ESPNCricInfo | title=Bevan named Kings XI Punjab coach | date=5 January 2011}}</ref>

===Television===
In 2020, Bevan was revealed to be the 'Hammerhead' in the [[The Masked Singer (Australian season 2)|second season]] of ''[[The Masked Singer (Australian TV series)|The Masked Singer Australia]]'' and was the second contestant eliminated, placing 11th overall.<ref>{{cite web|last=Whitehead|first=Mat|url=https://10play.com.au/the-masked-singer/articles/all-the-clues-from-episode-2-of-the-masked-singer-2020/tpa200811xjwto|title=All The Clues From Episode 2 Of The Masked Singer 2020|date=11 August 2020|website=[[Network Ten#10 Play|11 Play]]|publisher=[[Network 10|Network Ten]]|access-date=14 August 2020}}</ref>

===Professional career===
Bevan later started a mortgage broking franchise and features on the Australian speaking circuit.<ref> {{Cite web |date=2007-05-07 |title=Bevan pitches for mortgage business |url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/bevan-pitches-for-mortgage-business-20070508-gdq30q.html |access-date=2024-06-07 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}</ref><ref> {{Cite web |title=Michael Bevan |url=https://www.celebrityspeakers.com.au/speakers/michael-bevan/ |access-date=2024-06-07 |website=Celebrity Speakers |language=en-AU}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{ESPNcricinfo|id=4144}}

{{Navboxes colour
|title= Australia squads 
|bg = #FFD700
|fg = green
|bordercolor=green
|list1=
{{Australia Squad 1996 Cricket World Cup}}
{{Australia Squad 1999 Cricket World Cup}}
{{Australia Squad 2003 Cricket World Cup}}
}}
{{Australian first-class cricket season leading run-scorers (1950–51 to 1999–00)}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bevan, Michael}}
[[Category:1970 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Australia One Day International cricketers]]
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[[Category:Cricketers at the 1996 Cricket World Cup]]
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[[Category:Cricketers at the 2003 Cricket World Cup]]
[[Category:Cricketers at the 1998 Commonwealth Games]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists for Australia]]
[[Category:Australian cricket coaches]]
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[[Category:Sportspeople from Canberra]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists in cricket]]
[[Category:ACT Academy of Sport alumni]]
[[Category:Medallists at the 1998 Commonwealth Games]]