00:00Aftab Habib A name that flickered briefly in the lights
00:03of test cricket but shone with consistency and grit in the English county game.
00:09Born on 7 February 1972, Aftab Habib's journey is one of a perseverance, resilience and a love
00:16for the batting that carried him across counties and eventually into coaching roles around the world.
00:22Aftab Habib's international brush with test cricket was brief but symbolic. He played two
00:28test matches for England, batting in three innings and scoring a total of 26 runs,
00:33with a high score of 19. His test batting average rest at 8.66.
00:39Though the raw figures may look modest, they mark a moment of pride when domestic
00:44promise met the ultimate proving ground. Let's watch his last test performance
00:49against New Zealand Aftab Habib in 1999.
00:52Aiming through cover point after Habib. He gets it back with a square off a full face.
01:04It runs for England but
01:08they are looking to survive. Ticklish period.
01:11Nervy time for the batsmen.
01:19Easy one. Gotta put all this right to the back of their minds, these two batsmen.
01:24The interruptions in the over when the umpires are going and having a chat about the light.
01:31They'll want to come off England in a precarious position at one, two, three for four.
01:39Batsmen will desperately be wanting to come off but they can't.
01:49Aggressive play by New Zealand. Here's the England card. Stewart gets a start.
01:56Mighty relief too. And then succumb to Dion Nash but catch by Stephen Fleming.
02:01But since then, Likits have fallen.
02:05Orp and Ramprakash have gone.
02:06Oh, bowling through the gate.
02:13Lazy forward stroke from Aftab Habib.
02:18And the off stumps hit and Habib's gone.
02:24Again, excellent bowling, Dion Nash.
02:26England in some trouble.
02:32Aggressive bowling by New Zealand. Full of length again. That's the key.
02:36Goes nowhere. Through between bat and pad.
02:40Off stump. Halfway back.
02:45Young man goes again. 123 for five.
02:48Here's Aftab Habib. Test match scores so far of one at Edgbaston and six in the first innings here.
03:03Up the order at number five because of this injury to Hussein.
03:07Sensational delivery again from Cairns.
03:25Such a big step up. County cricket into this level.
03:29Cairns bowling wonderfully well.
03:32Intelligently full length ball.
03:34He's only six inches off direction there.
03:37Tries the Yorker. Flattens Habib.
03:42England in disarray.
03:51Habib's away.
03:53Playing well away from his body but that will relieve a little bit of the tension in his body.
03:58He's registered a boundary.
04:01He needs a score personally.
04:09Absolutely for the team.
04:12That's a lovely shot.
04:13Don't get face.
04:14Play every ball on its merits.
04:17Nicely into the ball.
04:20Will play square of the wicket.
04:23It's an open face but
04:25welcome to test match cricket.
04:28I think it's a good shot.
04:37It's a good shot.
04:39it says not out
04:43confident appeal
04:46one thing that love pitch will have to consider here
04:49is whether it's outside the line
04:51or not and I think he might just have got
04:53outside Bob. Yeah I agree Ian
04:54that's what it looked like to me
04:57it's
04:58more confidence
05:03in the appeal there by the close and feelers
05:05but Torrey wasn't so convinced
05:06just so
05:09the ball may have jammed
05:11between bat and pad but Rudy
05:13Kurtzen
05:13giving it not out
05:16straight off the pad
05:19good decision
05:20that's beautifully bowled
05:27but what a magnificent shot from Habib
05:29great cricket
05:32it's been mightily enjoyed
05:35by this crowd here
05:36it is lovely cricket
05:44he asked a question
05:46Vittori
05:47threw the ball up there
05:49good flight
05:50inviting flight
05:51Habib equal to it
05:53there's a beautiful shot
05:55good control
05:57that's good cricket
06:01gone
06:04but he's gone because he didn't get him behind the ball
06:07the back foot never moved
06:08he fended with the hands
06:09and Allard struck twice now this morning
06:12it's a fend
06:14it's a flash
06:15it's a nothing shot
06:19it's nothing other than a get out shot
06:22Jeff Allard really doing a fantastic job for his country this morning
06:28it's a poor shot
06:30but Nathan Astell
06:32is delighted to clutch onto that stinging catch there
06:35lack of back foot technique there
06:38fending with the hands
06:40it's a real flaw in his game that he must go away and work on
06:48that's the back foot pointing towards cover it goes nowhere
06:54the hands are just really thinning the ball into second slip
07:01once overlooked by Middlesex
07:03Aftab Habib fought his way back through sheer weight of runs
07:07at Leicestershire he became our rock at the top of the order
07:11twice crossing the magical milestone of 1000 first class runs in a season in 1999 and 2000
07:18his most cherished moment came in 1998 at the Oval where his sublime 114 in the decider helped
07:26Leicestershire clinch the county championship
07:29it was betting built on patience timing and the calm assurance of a man who rose to the occasions
07:35when his side needed him most
07:37his learned straight drive often struck on the front foot became his signature stroke
07:42his domestic dominance eventually earned him the England call-up in 1999
07:47selected for the home test series against New Zealand
07:51Aftab Habib's international career was short-lived
07:54limited to just two test matches the scrutiny of test cricket exposed technical flaws
08:00gaps between bat and pad footwork that lagged against the world-class attack
08:05but his courage at the crease was undeniable
08:08for a boy once written off to wear the England cap was still a triumph of a character
08:14county cricket remained his true stage
08:16jack brinkenshaw the veteran coach never missed an opportunity to sing habib's praises and for
08:22the good reason he was a run-getter a battler and a team man yet cricket can be unforgiving
08:29a move to essex in 2001 promised fresh beginning but the runs came in spurts rather than torrents
08:37these reasons averaging around 38 could not cement his place and by the 2004 he found himself without a county
08:45injury leicester shire welcomed him back but the tide had shifted younger faces were given their chances
08:51and aftab habib's roles diminished by the end of 2006 season the once reliable run machine quietly laid
08:59down his bat and walked away from the county scene but aftab habib's cricketing story did not end there
09:07his passion for the game found new expression in coaching in 2007 he was appointed head coach of
09:14hong kong guiding them during their asia cup campaign in pakistan the following year he poured his energy
09:20into developing the women's and girls games in england and later took charge as head coach of berkshire
09:27woman from 2016 continuing to pass on his knowledge and love for the cricket to the next generations so
09:33aftab habib's tale is not just about two fleeting test matches it is about a cricketer who fought the
09:40odds made his mark in the county circuit lifted silverware with leicester shire and then gave back
09:46to the game through coaching his legacy is one of the determination of a player who might not have had
09:52a long test career but whose name still stars found memories in those who watched him bat with elegance
09:59and courage over 159 first class matches he amassed 8 873 runs at a very respectable average of 41.85 he
10:10registered 21 centuries and 46 half centuries with our highest stellar score of 215 and took 80 catches
10:19in his fielding role though he bowled only occasionally just 106 deliveries he nonetheless claimed one wicket
10:26with the best bowling figure of one for 10 at a bowling average of 80. in list take cricket aftab habib
10:32appeared in 168 matches scoring 3212 runs at an average of 26.32 he crossed the three-figure marks
10:41once notched up 1450s and held 57 catches with the ball in list take games he delivered 59 balls picked up
10:50two wickets with a bowling average of 29 although his t20 expo year was limited just two matches he
10:57managed 26 runs with the batting average of 26 and a strike rate of 173.33 these are the stats of a
11:05cricketer who may not have built a legendary international records but whose performances
11:11at the county level one admiration memories and respect his story reminds us that crickets not just
11:17made of global stardom but of quiet persistence of taste and getting runs that matters to one's
11:24teams and of a lifelong love affair with the game if you like this video please comment share and
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