Allan Border facts for kids
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Border in 2014
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| Full name |
Allan Robert Border
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| Born | 27 July 1955 Cremorne, New South Wales, Australia |
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| Nickname | AB | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 175 cm (5 ft 9 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Left-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Slow left-arm orthodox | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Middle-order batter | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| National side |
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| Test debut (cap 299) | 29 December 1978 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 25 March 1994 v South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ODI debut (cap 49) | 13 January 1979 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last ODI | 8 April 1994 v South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1976/77–1979/80 | New South Wales | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1977 | Gloucestershire | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1980/81–1995/96 | Queensland | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1986–1988 | Essex | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Source: ESPNcricinfo, 13 January 2008
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Allan Robert Border (born 27 July 1955) is a famous Australian cricket player and commentator. People often called him "A.B.". He was a left-handed batsman and sometimes bowled slow left-arm spin.
Allan Border was the captain of the Australian team for many years. He led his team to win the 1987 Cricket World Cup, which was Australia's first world title in cricket. He played 156 Test matches, which was a world record for a long time. He also held the record for playing 153 Tests in a row.
He scored 11,174 runs in Test matches, which was a world record until 2006. He made 27 centuries (scores of 100 runs or more) in his Test career. When he retired, he was Australia's top run-scorer in both Test matches and One Day Internationals (ODIs).
Allan Border was one of the first 55 players to be put into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. He has also received many awards, including being named an Officer of the Order of Australia.
Contents
Early Life and Cricket Beginnings
Allan Border was born in Cremorne, a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales. He grew up with his three brothers in Mosman. His family had a big backyard where they played games. The local cricket ground, Mosman Oval, was also very close by.
He went to North Sydney Boys High School. From a young age, Allan played cricket with teams older than himself. He also played baseball, which helped him improve his fielding and batting skills. At 16, he started playing for Mosman in Sydney Grade Cricket. He began as a spin bowler and batted lower down the order.
Starting His Cricket Career
Allan Border started to shine in grade cricket. In 1977, he played his first match for New South Wales (NSW) against Queensland. He scored 36 runs and helped his team win. After this, he went to England to play for a club called Downend.
He continued to play well when he returned to Australia. In 1977–78, he scored 617 runs in the Sheffield Shield competition. He then played for East Lancashire Cricket Club in England, where he scored many runs and took wickets.
Test Debut and Early Success
In 1977, a new professional cricket league called World Series Cricket (WSC) started. Many top players joined it, which meant they couldn't play for the official Australian team. This created openings for new players like Allan Border.
He made his Test debut for Australia in December 1978 against England. He was a bit nervous at first. In his next Test, he scored 60 not out and 45 not out, showing his skill. He was briefly dropped but quickly returned to the team.
In his second Test series, against Pakistan, Allan Border scored his first Test century (105 runs). He then scored 85 and 66 not out in the next match. He quickly became one of Australia's most important batsmen.
After World Series Cricket
In 1979, the WSC players returned to the official Australian team. Allan Border was one of the few new players who kept his spot. He toured India and scored 521 runs in the Test series, including 162 runs in one match. He showed great skill against the Indian spin bowlers.
He continued his excellent form, scoring 115 runs against England in Perth. He reached 1,000 Test runs faster than any Australian player before him.
Showing Great Determination
In 1981, Allan Border went on his first Ashes tour to England. He scored half-centuries in the first two Tests. In one match, he batted with a broken finger and scored 123 not out. This was his slowest Test century, but it showed his incredible determination. He scored a total of 533 runs in the series. Because of his strong performances, he was named one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1982.
In 1982–83, during another Ashes series, Allan Border's team was struggling. In one famous match, Australia needed 74 runs to win with only one wicket left. Allan Border, batting at number 6, was joined by Jeff Thomson. They nearly won the match, but Thomson was out when Australia needed just three more runs. Border was left on 62 not out. This innings showed his never-give-up attitude.
Becoming Captain
In 1984, many experienced Australian players retired. Allan Border, who was already captain of his state team Queensland, became the vice-captain for the tour of the West Indies.
In a Test match in Trinidad, Australia was in trouble. Allan Border scored 98 not out in the first innings. In the second innings, he again batted bravely, scoring 100 not out and batting for over 10 hours in the match. This amazing effort helped Australia save the match and earn a draw.
Taking on the Captaincy
Later in 1984, the Australian captain, Kim Hughes, resigned. Allan Border was asked to take over, even though he wasn't keen on it at first. He became captain during a difficult time for Australian cricket. The team had lost many matches.
Things got even harder when some Australian players decided to tour South Africa, which was banned from international cricket at the time. This meant those players couldn't play for Australia, weakening the team. Allan Border was very upset by this.
Despite these challenges, Border continued to perform well with the bat. In the 1985 Ashes series, he scored 196 runs in one match and 146 not out in another. He was clearly Australia's best batsman during this tough period.
Working with Bob Simpson
To help Allan Border and rebuild the team, the ACB decided to appoint a permanent coach. Former Australian captain Bob Simpson took on this role. Their partnership began in 1986.
In their first tour together in India, Allan Border scored 106 runs in a match that ended in a historic tie (only the second in Test history). The team continued to struggle in the 1986–87 Ashes series, but Border kept scoring runs.
World Cup Victory and Stronger Team
A big turning point came with Australia's unexpected victory in the 1987 Cricket World Cup. This win marked the start of better times for Australian cricket.
In 1987–88, Australia won a Test series against New Zealand, their first series win in four years. Allan Border scored his highest Test score, 205 runs, in a match against New Zealand. This score also made him Australia's highest run-scorer ever.
A Tougher Captain
By 1989, Allan Border had developed a more aggressive style of captaincy. He wanted his team to be tougher. This approach paid off during the 1989 Ashes tour in England. Australia won the series 4–0, their first big series win overseas since 1977. Allan Border led by example, scoring many half-centuries.
For his role in helping Australia win back the Ashes, he was named the Australian of the Year in 1989.
Australia continued to improve, winning series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan at home. They also beat England 3–0 in the 1990–91 Ashes series.
Reaching Milestones
In 1992–93, Allan Border reached another huge milestone. He became only the second player in Test history, after Sunil Gavaskar, to score 10,000 Test runs.
One of his biggest disappointments was not being able to beat the West Indies in a Test series during his captaincy. In a very close match in Adelaide, Australia lost by just one run. This moment, where Border reacted strongly in the dressing room, became a famous image of his frustration and desire to win.
Final Years and Retirement
In 1993, Allan Border led Australia on his third Ashes tour to England. Australia won the series 4–1. Border scored 200 not out in one match, which was his last Test century.
He ended his international career by leading Australia in a Test series against South Africa in 1994. His final Test innings was a determined 42 not out, helping Australia draw the match.
Playing Style
Allan Border was known for his strong and determined batting style. He wasn't always the most stylish player, but he was incredibly tough and fought hard for every run. He was especially good at playing against spin bowlers.
He was also a good bowler, though he didn't bowl himself much as captain. He was an excellent fielder, especially in the slips, where he took many catches.
Allan Border's Legacy
Allan Border left the Australian cricket team in a much stronger position for his successor, Mark Taylor. Many people believe he helped rebuild Australian cricket during a difficult time. He showed incredible spirit and leadership.
In 2009, a cricket writer called him his "Favourite Cricketer," saying that Border's legacy would continue to grow.
World Records Set
Allan Border set many world records during his career:
- He was the first player to play 150 Test Matches.
- He was the first player to score 11,000 Test runs.
- He held the record for the most runs in a Test career (11,174 runs) until 2005.
- He played the most Test matches (156) and the most consecutive Test matches (153) for a time.
- He batted in more Test innings (265) than any other player for a period.
- He had the most Test scores between 50 and 100 (63) and the most scores of at least 50 (90) for a time.
- He captained in 93 Tests, all in a row, which was a world record.
- He scored the most Test runs as captain (6,623).
- He was the most capped Australian player in Tests and ODIs for a period.
- He was the leading Australian run-scorer in Tests and ODIs for a period.
- He held the record for the most Test catches by a non-wicket-keeper (156).
- He is the only player to have scored 150 runs in both innings of a Test match (150* and 153).
- He is the only player to have scored 100 runs in each innings of a Test and taken 10 wickets in a match over their career.
He was recognized as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1982.
After Retirement
After retiring from international cricket, Allan Border continued to play first-class cricket. In 1994–95, he was part of the Queensland team that won the Sheffield Shield for the first time.
He also served as an Australian cricket selector for several years. Today, the best Australian cricketer of the year receives the Allan Border Medal, named in his honour. The Test series between India and Australia is also called the Border–Gavaskar Trophy.
Two cricket grounds have been renamed after him: the Allan Border Oval in Mosman, where he played as a child, and Allan Border Field in Brisbane.
Allan Border wrote a book about his life called Beyond Ten Thousand: My Life Story. In 2000, he was added to the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame. He has received many other awards for his contributions to cricket and Australia.
As of 2018, Allan Border works as a commentator for Fox Sports Australia. In 2023, he shared that he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2016.
Images for kids
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This graph shows Allan Border's Test cricket record. The blue and red bars show his scores in each innings, and the green line shows his batting average.
See Also
- List of international cricket centuries by Allan Border
- Player of the Match awards (cricket)
