00:00When Alex Stewart was in full flow, two best men in world cricket could match his elegance
00:05and composure.
00:06A master of timing rather than brute force, Alex Stewart was at his fluent best against
00:12fastballers, threading cover drives with effortless grace and pulling with crisp authority.
00:17During England's second test against India at Chennai in February 1993, Alex Stewart produced
00:23a gritty and determined knock of 74 runs of 269 balls, spreading over five hours at the
00:30crease and striking eight well-timed boundaries.
00:33On a surface tailor made for the Indian spin trio of Daniel Khombe, Rajesh Chauhan and Venkat
00:39Pati Raju, Alex Stewart's defiant stood tall aimed England's struggle.
00:44He displayed impeccable footwork, sound judgment and immense concentration to weather the spinning
00:49storm.
00:50His inning was less than in patience and technique.
00:53The hallmark of a true Test Smash Bass man.
01:23uniform his timing.
01:24Lovely time with the ball and we saw it all there.
01:28Well, this is a very elegant shot.
01:30That's it.
01:32Get them forward.
01:34Entice them on that front.
01:39Well, he's enticed him into four runs too.
01:44That's nicely guided away by Alex Stewart, just opening the face of the bat onto that ball.
01:51Yeah, she's entitled to thick edges as an opening batsman.
01:55All those slips, the new ball you've got to face, the swinging ball.
01:59But at the same time, I think that's right, get him forward.
02:01He didn't really mean it to go there.
02:03He was playing it fairly straightish extra cover.
02:06And again, Asruddin.
02:07Good decision by there.
02:08Super decision.
02:09Super decision.
02:10That's a good shot from Stewart.
02:11Nicely timed, finds the gap.
02:12Four good runs.
02:13Both Stewart and Smith have used their feet well to come down the wicket and then, when
02:32that happens quite frequently, the baller tends to pitch it short and then you can score.
02:38So, Anil Kumble, still bowling at the combat stand end.
02:45Fine shot from Alex Stewart, that's beaten the field.
02:50A rare boundary for England, nonetheless very vital.
02:58Stewart is very quick to latch onto anything slightly loose.
03:05This is one of those rare half-vollies from Anil Kumble.
03:10Earlier on, when Venkat Pati Raju pitched the ball short, Stewart was very quick to go
03:15onto the back foot and cut it for a boundary.
03:18With all the field is closing, you've got to make the most of the gaps in the field out there.
03:24That's more runs.
03:27Could actually run away very close to the boundaries.
03:30Raju after it and he doesn't catch it.
03:32So, successive fours for Alex Stewart.
03:34Again, beautifully timed, just worked it off his hips.
03:37The man at deep square leg, very fine, unable to cut it off.
03:42This is the shot which Stewart plays very well.
03:46He's very, very quick as you can see.
03:48Very little power in it.
03:50Lots of timing.
03:51Very good timing.
03:52Well, Alex Stewart will get two for that.
04:08Kumble, the man at square leg.
04:10Trouble is, of course, Jeffrey, you find that you quite often find that when bats can get
04:13into one sort of move, whether it's because of the way they feel or because of the way
04:17the bowlers have bowled at them, it's often very hard to change pace, isn't it?
04:21If you come out and you time your shots early, that's fine.
04:24If you tend to struggle, then you tend to get set in that mood for the rest of the day.
04:32That is one of the shots we were talking about.
04:34That has found the gap.
04:36Beautifully timed again and four runs.
04:41Yeah, she can get stuck into a particular mould.
04:43I don't think he's that sort of player.
04:45I think Mike Latherton could bat all day in a particular cautious mould.
04:50I'm not sure Alex Stewart can.
04:52I think he's got to look to just play.
04:54That tickle to leg for two quickly through the offside.
05:01Good shot by Stewart.
05:02That will race away.
05:03Sidhu's after it.
05:04He's not going to catch it though, because once it gets away on this outfield,
05:08it really does rocket away.
05:10And that is Alex Stewart's 50.
05:12And what a valuable fighting, gritty innings by England's captain in this test match.
05:16Yes, I mean, Alex has taken on a lot of responsibility this match with the captain in the side.
05:22He said he wouldn't have felt comfortable keeping wicket and captain in and opening.
05:28So we gave the gloves to Richard Blakey and he did a good job.
05:32So I'm obviously...
05:33Well, another almost regulation single just nudging it off his pads.
05:45We saw Tendalco and Sidhu doing this endlessly in India's long first innings.
05:50And that's the 100 partnership.
05:52So these two came together at 46 for one when Smith was LB...
05:56David thinks it was a little high.
05:58He's a tall boy, Graham Hick.
06:04You see the temperature there.
06:05It's a sizzler.
06:06And that's been all three days here in Madras.
06:09Alex Stewart's been out there fielding for two days.
06:12And he's got the bat.
06:13He doesn't get a rest in the dressing room being an opening batsman.
06:17He seized all the bats.
06:19That's beating the man up points.
06:22Just going to keep it interested and in for four it goes.
06:29And I always found myself you had to make a supreme effort if you were batting.
06:33Just before and after T.
06:35Oh, it's gone.
06:37Knocked the advertising down.
06:38Nobody's bothered about that.
06:44When you're batting, add two wickets to the score.
06:47And it concentrates the batsman's mind wonderfully.
06:51Now, signs of a chance there too.
06:56It's all happening to the Indian bowl as suddenly it's a purple patch for the Indian spinners.
07:00Yes, this looked to be a bad bat.
07:03It was going right, the fielder.
07:08For anybody who feels in that position, the object is to stay as still as you can.
07:13Very good.
07:14Now then, from the pavilion end, it is the left armour again.
07:19Raju continuing.
07:20I think Alex Stewart has applied himself tremendously well today.
07:32Being captain, being under pressure.
07:35And certainly the ball is starting to turn more appreciably as the match goes on.
07:40Which it will do.
07:41Since it's only halfway through the match.
07:43Yes, the pattern of the game.
07:48Very familiar again here today.
07:49We've got a similar field.
07:50Three men in the covers.
07:51A couple of men in shorts.
07:53There's Wurtry Roman.
07:55He's on thanks to the injury to Vinod Cambly.
07:59Neil Fairbrother struck the other man very hard on the shins just before tea.
08:06It's the classic test match game plan, isn't it?
08:09The side when you bat first.
08:11The wickets at its best normally.
08:12You hope to get a big score and then you create all the pressure.
08:15And that's what we're seeing now.
08:16And the England side are battling it out.
08:18But they're under pressure.
08:22That's brilliantly taken and out.
08:26Ben-Karapati Radu has struck.
08:28It's the end of a very, very fine and patient innings from Alex Stewart.
08:32Caught at silly point.
08:34The substitute field at Dutty.
08:35Because he's given a lot of effort.
08:37A lot of time.
08:38And he's got a ball that's done a bit.
08:40Bounced up.
08:41And we're under real pressure now.
08:43Well, Stewart gone for 74.
08:46England now 175 for 4.
08:50Alex Stewart, who went on to represent England in 133 test matches and 171 day international,
08:57remains one of the nation's finest openers.
09:00Renowned for his attacking approach against the new ball,
09:03he combined classical stroke with mental resilience,
09:06a blend that often gave England stability at the top.
09:10Acting as captain during the chenitis,
09:12Alex Stewart's dual responsibility weighed heavily.
09:15His hesitation to simultaneously open the innings, keep the wicket, and lead the side promoted
09:21the selectors to bring in Richard Blackie as a wicket-keeper.
09:24And bear Robin Smith alongside Stewart at the top.
09:28England found brief solace in decent contribution from Stewart, Graham Hick,
09:32finally showcasing promise.
09:34A near-fair brother who nosed up his median test 50.
09:37Yet the familiar English frailty resurfaced.
09:40A collapse of six wickets for just 63 runs doomed their chance, enforcing the follow-on.
09:45India, with their spinner in full command, claimed victory by an innings and 22 runs.
09:50Throughout the 1990s, the selected quest for the balance offered saw Alex Stewart and Jack
09:55Russell exchanging the wicket-keeping glove while Jack Russell excelled standing up to the stumps.
10:01Alex Stewart's natural game and comfort standing back eventually earned him the undisputed role
10:07as England's premier wicket-keeper best man and one of the most dependable figures in their cricketing history.
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10:17Thank you very much.
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