Michael Scott Kasprowicz (born 10 February 1972) is a former Australian international cricketer, who played all formats of the game. He is a right arm fast bowler. He represented Queensland and played in the English county scene at first class level.

Michael Kasprowicz
Personal information
Full name
Michael Scott Kasprowicz
Born (1972-02-10) 10 February 1972 (age 52)
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
NicknameKasper[1]
Height194 cm (6 ft 4 in)
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm fast
RoleBowler
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 369)22 November 1996 v West Indies
Last Test4 April 2006 v South Africa
ODI debut (cap 125)19 December 1995 v West Indies
Last ODI12 July 2005 v England
T20I debut (cap 5)17 February 2005 v New Zealand
Last T20I13 June 2005 v England
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1989/90–2007/08Queensland
1994Essex
1999Leicestershire
2002–2004Glamorgan
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA
Matches 38 43 237 220
Runs scored 445 74 4,342 955
Batting average 10.59 18.50 17.72 14.46
100s/50s 0/0 0/0 0/11 0/0
Top score 25 28* 92 40
Balls bowled 7,140 2,225 48,552 10,790
Wickets 113 67 944 293
Bowling average 32.88 24.98 26.52 26.51
5 wickets in innings 4 2 51 3
10 wickets in match 0 0 6 0
Best bowling 7/36 5/45 9/36 5/45
Catches/stumpings 16/– 13/– 95/– 47/–
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 13 September 2017
Medal record
Representing  Australia
Men's Cricket
Commonwealth Games
Silver medal – second place 1998 Kuala Lumpur List-A cricket

Personal life

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A past student of Brisbane State High School, Kasprowicz is the older brother of former professional rugby union player Simon Kasprowicz.[2] He holds a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Queensland.[3][4] Kasprowicz is also a father to three children. His father is from Poland.[5]

Domestic career

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Kasprowicz made his debut for Queensland as a seventeen-year-old in the 1989/90 domestic season. He was an AIS Australian Cricket Academy scholarship holder in 1990/91.[6]

In 1991, Kasprowicz played for the Australian Under-19 team which was captained by Damien Martyn.[2] In the 1991/92 season, Kasprowicz became the youngest Australian to take 50 first-class wickets.[2]

Kasprowicz represented Mumbai Champs in the Indian Cricket League. Kasprowicz's name was not added to the list of national contract awardees announced by the ACB on 1 May 2007.[7]

International career

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His solid performances for Queensland earned him a Test debut against West Indies in his native Brisbane in November 1996. However, he would go through his first two Test matches for Australia wicketless.

Kasprowicz played in all the Tests on the tours of Sri Lanka and India in 2004, which were won 3–0 and 2–1. After being in and out of the side since his debut, Kasprowicz returned in 2004 to hold down a regular spot ahead of Brett Lee.

In the 2005 Ashes, Kasprowicz almost pulled off an escape for the Australian team in the second test at Edgbaston. On the final day England needed one last wicket with Kasprowicz and Brett Lee at the crease. However the two batsmen had edged Australia to within two runs of England. But then Kasprowicz gloved a Steve Harmison ball to Geraint Jones and England won. Though TV replays showed the dismissal should not have been given as Kasprowicz took his lower hand off the bat before ball hit glove.[8] After the 2005 Ashes loss to England, Kasprowicz was dropped from the Australian team and his Cricket Australia contract was not extended. However, he had a successful 2005/06 domestic season with Queensland, taking 44 wickets. This effort earned him a tenth recall to the national side to replace Glenn McGrath as Brett Lee's new ball partner.

On 8 February 2008 he announced his retirement from all forms of cricket effective 16 February.[9] Kasprowicz's best Test batting score of 25 was made against India, Kolkata, 1997–1998. His best Test bowling figures of 7 for 36 came against England, The Oval, 1997. Kasprowicz's best ODI Batting score of 28 not out was made against England, Lord's, 1997. His best ODI bowling figures of 5 for 45 came against Sri Lanka, Colombo, 2003–2004.

Post-retirement

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Kasprowicz has been a director at Cricket Australia since 2011, although he briefly resigned from that position in 2016 to serve as interim CEO of Queensland Cricket.[3]

References

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  1. ^ "ESPNcricinfo profile". Content.cricinfo.com. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  2. ^ a b c "Cricket: Gentle giant with a need for rhythm: Essex needed a bowler". Independent.co.uk. 23 October 2011. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Michael Kasprowicz Appointed Interim CEO".
  4. ^ jspasaro. "FEATURE: Michael Kasprowicz goes from bowling to business". Queensland Times. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  5. ^ Moore, Glenn (13 May 1994). "Cricket: Gentle giant with a need for rhythm: Essex needed a bowler. They chose the highly recommended but relatively unknown Michael Kasprowicz". The Independent. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  6. ^ Excellence : the Australian Institute of Sport. Canberra: Australian Sports Commission. 2002.
  7. ^ Cricinfo – Gillespie keeps his national contract
  8. ^ "England clinch thrilling victory". BBC. 7 August 2005. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  9. ^ Kasprowicz announces retirement BBC News. Retrieved 8 February 2008
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