David Gower and 5 Stunning ODI Batting Performances by Englishmen
On this very day (15 January) in 1983, David Gower played one of England's finest-ever one-day international innings to score 158 from just 122 balls and help his country to victory against New Zealand.
So with the World Cup and an intriguing tri-nations tournament approaching, what better time to take a look at England's top five individual limited overs batting performances of all time?
While they have had a mixed relationship with 50-over cricket in recent years, England have still produced some quality performers.
So much so that cracking knocks from superb ODI players like Kevin Pietersen, Ian Botham, Allan Lamb, Marcus Trescothick and Graham Thorpe don't make the cut.
The innings that are on the list in descending order have been selected for the situation in which they were produced rather than solely being based on amount of runs scored and strike rate.
5. Graham Gooch's 115 vs. India
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When: 5 November, 1987
Where: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, India
Runs: 115
Balls: 136
While it was far from the biggest knock of Graham Gooch's epic career, his innings of 115 against India in the 1987 World Cup semi-final is his finest ODI effort.
Before this huge clash, the future England skipper knew he would face a trial by spin and came up with a plan to use the sweep shot prodigiously that, according to Derek Pringle in the Telegraph, he practiced exclusively for an hour the day before the game.
Come the match, the moustache-clad opener carried out his strategy to aplomb, milking the opposition's spinners and helping England reach a score of 254 on a slow track, a total that earned them a spot in the World Cup final.
They would go on to lose the final to Australia, but Gooch's dedication and perseverance in the semi-final was an exemplary lesson to other young batsmen.
4. Jos Buttler's 121 vs. Sri Lanka
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When: 31 May, 2014
Where: Lord's, London
Runs: 121
Balls: 74
Arriving at the crease with England in the somewhat precarious position of 111 for five, chasing Sri Lanka's 300, some spectators had probably already headed home to beat the traffic.
If they did, then they missed a spectacular innings by the precocious Jos Buttler, who well and truly announced himself on the international stage.
Alongside Ravi Bopara, the wicketkeeper-batsman added 133 in just 16 overs and went on to score England's fastest-ever ODI century off just 61 balls. Here are the highlights.
Despite finishing on the losing side, Buttler's knock, which included 15 boundaries—four of which cleared the rope—single-handedly paved the way to a brighter future for England's limited-overs prospects.
3. Robin Smith's 167 Not out vs. Australia
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When: 21 May, 1993
Where: Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
Runs: 167
Balls: 163
Robin Smith etched himself into English cricket record books with this herculean knock against Australia in an ODI clash that preceded the 1993 Ashes series.
Coming into bat at 3 for 1, the cult hero started slowly in testing conditions against a high-calibre attack, eventually edging to his 50 from 91 balls.
But The Judge unleashed hell in the final few overs, scoring his last 76 runs from just 30 balls and bludgeoning 20 boundaries in total.
However, Smith's efforts were in vain, as the Aussies showed their class to methodically knock off the total and lay down a marker for what was to be a comprehensive Ashes victory.
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2. David Gower's 158 vs. New Zealand
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When: 15 Jan, 1983
Where: Gabba, Brisbane
Runs: 158
Balls: 118
And finally, the Silver Fox himself, who tapped into a rich vein of form during the 1982/82 Benson & Hedges World Series that was held Down Under.
This epic tri-nation contest between England, Australia and New Zealand involved each side playing each other five times in a league system before the top two contested a best-of-three match final.
And despite England finishing in last place, Gower caught fire, smiting three centuries in 16 days, all against New Zealand, including a monumental 158 at the Gabba.
His innings came off just 118 balls and showcased the elegant shot-maker's full array of strokes with 22 boundaries in all, helping England to a 54 run win.
In 2002, the knock was voted the sixth-greatest ever in ODI history by Wisden, and Gower finished as the series' leading run-scorer across all three countries with 563 runs from just 10 innings.
1. Andrew Strauss' 158 vs. India
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When: 27 Feb, 2011
Where: Bangalore, India
Runs: 158
Balls: 145
Faced by a daunting total of 338, 99 times out of a 100, England—and most other teams, to be fair—would have meekly subsided before eventually falling into a heavy defeat.
However, in this memorable World Cup clash against India on their own turf, Andrew Strauss's men chased down the huge target to earn a draw, thanks in no small part to the captain's epic innings.
Strauss batted with great skill and impeccable concentration to record the highest ODI innings of his stellar career and the joint-second-highest in England's history.
There were boundaries, of course—18 of them in total—but the Middlesex man milked the bowlers to score 80 of his runs in ones and twos, showing that there is still room for a craftsman among the power hitters.
But the most impressive thing was how Strauss kept his composure in the heat and the pressure of the situation, a feat most batsman couldn't manage.
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