Ian Healy
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Ian Andrew Healy (born April 30, 1964 in Brisbane) was an Australian cricketer.
An excellent wicketkeeper and useful right-handed lower middle-order batsman, he made his first-class debut for the Queensland state team in the 1986-1987 season, as understudy to Peter Anderson.
Healy was a shock call-up to the Australian national team for the 1988-1989 tour of Pakistan, having played only six first-class games to date, when it was expected more experienced wicketkeepers such as Tim Zoehrer or Greg Dyer might have gone in his place.
He had a tremendous work ethic allied to natural skill and for the next decade Healy established himself as one of the game's top wicketkeepers, playing in 119 Test matches and 168 one-day internationals from 1988 to 1999. He took 366 catches and completed 29 stumpings, for a world record 395 dismissals.
Although he has since been overshadowed as a batsman by current Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist, he was a very useful lower-order batsman, with over 4000 Test runs at an average of 27.39, including four centuries and twenty-two half-centuries. He captained Australia in eight one-dayers, winning five and losing three.
Healy was also well known for his energy and optimism behind the stumpts, and could frequently be heard on effects microphones encouraging the rest of the team, perhaps most prominently praise of Shane Warne, expressed as 'Bowling, Shane'. Notable too was his attitude to injuries; despite breaking all of his fingers during his thirteen-year career he only ever missed one Test match, replaced by Phil Emery in Pakistan.
He could court controversy though, at one stage stripped of the captaincy after television cameras caught him reacting to being given out in a game against South Africa by smashing a plate glass window in the dressing room. He was also involved in an infamous incident with then Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga in 1995, telling him he couldn't have a runner for being "an overweight twat" after the portly batsman claimed he had "sprained something".
Healy was widely considered the world's best wicketkeeper when he announced his retirement from all cricket in 1999, receiving selection as the wicketkeeper in the Australian Cricket Board's team of the 20th Century ahead of greats such as Rod Marsh, Wally Grout and Don Tallon. He was also recognised as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1994. Since retiring he has gone on to a career in the commentary box, as well as coaching the Somerville House cricket team.
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World record
When Healy had Pakistani batsman Wasim Akram caught from Colin Miller's bowling on October 4, 1998 in Islamabad, he became the most successful Test wicketkeeper ever, going past Rod Marsh's previous record with his 356th career dismissal. He went on to take 395 career dismissals.
Teams
International
Australian state
Career highlights
Tests
Test Debut: vs Pakistan, Karachi, 1988-89
Last Test: vs Zimbabwe, Harare, 1999
- Healy's highest Test batting score of 161 not out was made against West Indies, Brisbane, 1996-1997
One-day internationals
ODI Debut: vs Pakistan, Lahore, 1988-89
Last ODI: vs England, Lord's, 1997
- Healy's highest ODI batting score of 56 was made against England, Melbourne, 1994-1995
- His ODI captaincy record was as follows: 8 matches, 5 wins, 3 losses
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External links
Categories: Australian ODI cricketers | Australian Test cricketers | Australian cricket captains | Australian cricketers | Australian wicket-keepers | Cricket commentators | Queensland cricketers | Australian sports broadcasters | Wisden Cricketers of the Year | 1964 births | Living people | People from Queensland