Dive into the remarkable yet turbulent journey of Chris Lewis, one of England’s most talented but unpredictable all-rounders of the 1990s. Watch how he stunned India with a brilliant 117-run innings in Chennai (Madras) in 1993, played with fearless intent, and gave glimpses of world-class potential. From dazzling all-round performances to untimely downfall, this video revisits the forgotten story of a man who could have been one of England’s greats.
00:00Chris Lewis' cricketing journey will always remain a fascinating chapter in England's
00:05sporting history.
00:06He had everything – pace, flair, power and presence.
00:10But Destiny wrote a different script.
00:12On one hot February day in 1993 in Chennai, Chris Lewis produced the innings of his life.
00:18It was his 25th birthday and England were struggling on a just ball.
00:23Against the Indian spin trio of Venkatpati Raju, Neil Kumlay and Rajesh Chauhan, a nightmare
00:29for any visiting past man.
00:31In those turning conditions, Chris Lewis played one of the finest counter-attacks by an Englishman
00:37in India, hammering 127 runs of just 140 balls in 170 minutes of courage and claws.
00:44His inning glazed with 15 boundaries and two mighty sixes, sparkled with confidence and
00:50timing.
00:51Despite his heroic inning, England still fell short, losing by an innings and 22 runs.
00:56The knock stood as a long peak in what could have been a mountainous carrier.
01:01That Chennai essentially remained his only one in test cricket – a bittersweet reminder
01:06of unfulfilled promise.
01:07Since Anil Kumlay returned at the pavilion end, he's bowled three overs and taken two wickets
01:15for just six runs.
01:17Chris Lewis is now at the crease to replace Richard Blakey.
01:21Next time, which he can nudge away to get off the mark, no batsman likes a zero against his
01:25name.
01:26That was a thickish edge.
01:27It's going to run away for four.
01:28Provaka won't get to that.
01:33Rather a casual shot from Chris Lewis.
01:41But when you're batting 70, you can afford to take it slightly easy, upish but safe.
01:48That's a great shot.
01:49That's beautifully struck.
01:50Very, very powerfully with great timing and dead straight down the ground.
01:51Not a bad way to get off the mark.
01:56Yes, Kumlay tempting Chris Lewis on a pair.
01:57He knows he's quite nervous.
01:58Just throwing it up a bit.
01:59But Chris Lewis looking to get off the mark.
02:00Yes, Kumlay tempting Chris Lewis on a pair.
02:01He knows he's quite nervous.
02:02Just throwing it up a bit.
02:03But Chris Lewis looking to get off the mark.
02:04He's certainly not a faint hearted chap, but I think this is a situation which has no
02:11to be able to get off the mark.
02:12That's a great shot.
02:13That's beautifully struck.
02:14Very, very powerfully with great timing and dead straight down the ground.
02:17Not a bad way to get off the mark.
02:19Yes, Kumlay tempting Chris Lewis on a pair.
02:23He knows he's quite nervous.
02:24Just throwing it up a bit.
02:25But Chris Lewis looking to get off the mark.
02:29He's certainly not a faint hearted chap, but I think this is a situation which has not
02:34as near hopeless as one good wish to see.
02:39And here is Kumlay to Lewis.
02:47And Salisbury's come in because...
02:52Once again the ball far too close for a lofted shot.
03:00Regulation staff from Brabacca never looked like dropping in.
03:03The crowd really on song yet again.
03:08They've been like it for most of the day too, I can assure you.
03:12Oh well, that was meat and drink to Chris Lewis.
03:16Short outside the off stump and it got the treatment.
03:22Anil Kumlay is trying to get the ball to hurry off the wicket.
03:26The top spinner, which can track the batsman leg before.
03:31But if he doesn't get it right on target, it becomes a gift for the batsman.
03:36Is Kapil dead meantime, back to Boulder Lewis.
03:41Oh, that was almost a catch.
03:45Falling just short there of Amre.
03:48Well Kapil has been getting that ball to come in and bounce a little bit.
03:55He's been pitching it just short over length.
03:57He had Robin Smith in some degree of trouble earlier on.
04:00And this one held up, but didn't quite come on to the bat.
04:04And fell just short of Praveen Amre.
04:10Marvellous attempt, wasn't it by the fielder?
04:15Oh, and that is a super piece of fielding there.
04:21That is Raman the substitute and it looked as if that was four runs.
04:25Lewis hit it like a rocket.
04:27Raman has taken two brilliant catches at Silly Point.
04:32And he's shown that he's equally good in the outfield.
04:36That was a very firmly hit shot.
04:38Raman diving to his left, his right side.
04:41He throws with the left hand.
04:47Lewis more circumspect there.
04:49The length was more demanding.
04:50This is what a win does to you or a possibility of a win.
04:55Because then the side gets extra energy when things are going well for you.
04:59When things are going badly, the heads tend to droop.
05:03The spirits are low.
05:05But when things are going well, there's an extra effort and extra energy.
05:12Kapil Dev to Lewis.
05:15And that's going away for four.
05:17He glanced it well, timing it nicely.
05:28So Lewis is now 16.
05:31The third England batsman to reach double figures in this rather sad, motley looking second innings.
05:41At least the scorecard gives it a motley appearance.
05:47Another good stroke.
05:51It's a chase for Seydoux.
05:52I think that's going to get to the boundary.
05:55It is.
05:56It's very quick this outfield.
05:59So two good strokes there by Lewis.
06:03A hundred and eighteen for six.
06:05And Lewis has now got twenty and two sensible shots.
06:08Two sensible shots.
06:15It hasn't been higher than that all day.
06:17Sort of fifty, one and a half.
06:24Four more.
06:25Yes, good shot this.
06:26Raju being driven by Chris Lewis.
06:27That very forceful front foot drive.
06:28And he thinks he's going to drive him again.
06:29He just drops it a little bit short.
06:30Allows Chris Lewis to just move away and play a very good back foot shot.
06:31It's in the air.
06:32It's through the gap.
06:33It's four runs.
06:34One thirty four for six.
06:35It's in the air.
06:36It's through the gap.
06:37It's four runs.
06:38One thirty four for six.
06:39And now Kapil Dev has been removed from the attack.
06:41Which is not surprising.
06:42And Raju just drops it a little bit short.
06:43And then he just drops it a little bit short.
06:44It allows Chris Lewis to just move away and play a very good back foot shot.
06:51It's in the air.
06:52It's through the gap.
06:53It's four runs.
06:54One thirty four for six.
06:59And now Kapil Dev has been removed from the attack.
07:05Which is not surprising.
07:06And Rajesh Chauhan, the off spinner, is coming on at the combat end.
07:16These two have batted for, what, 20 minutes now since T.
07:21England, obviously, are going to do everything they can to make sure this game carries on into the fifth day.
07:30Well, certainly, as of the Indian captains helping them, I think Chauhan's coming on about 20 minutes too late.
07:35Giving Kapil Dev 20 minutes was a bit of a surprise to me with a turning pitch.
07:41The fourth right, the other fourth right, Jeffrey Boicon.
07:43Oh, delicate.
07:44That's Robarco quickly to his left.
07:45Well, it's about being frank and having played on pitches like that that I can think of a lot of spinners who will be screaming at the captain for the ball.
08:02They certainly wouldn't want to see the seam bowlers bowling straight after T.
08:05And Lewis has said most emphatically to Chauhan, take that.
08:14That was a lovely stroke.
08:17And it's six runs.
08:19Well, that was as good a drive as any we've seen all match.
08:23Absolutely.
08:24Good use of the feet.
08:25Chassé down.
08:26Super strong hit.
08:27It is a powerful lad.
08:28On he goes.
08:29Merrily on his way.
08:3046.
08:31This is another great shot from Lewis who's played several good drives and cuts this afternoon.
08:48Right off the meat of the bat.
08:52Spins away from the man out at deep points and safely over the boundary fence.
09:06Sweat away.
09:09Lewis is coming back.
09:11He's there.
09:12And that's his 50.
09:18Well, it's played very well, Chris Lewis, for this 50.
09:23There have been some marvellous shots in there.
09:2558 balls is taken.
09:27Seven fours and a six included.
09:30And what now is a score of exactly 50.
09:40That time he has made no mistake whatever.
09:43Four runs.
09:45Two bad long hops.
09:47And the two hundred.
09:50Perhaps Kumbli is getting a little tired now.
09:54This is a rank long hop.
09:56This is Raju again.
10:10He's got to be struck.
10:11Chris Lewis not wanting to run.
10:12That was four from the moment he left the bat.
10:17Well, it's certainly been an in is worth watching.
10:25Strokes everywhere and powerful shots as well.
10:27Come on, guys.
10:28Come on, Joe.
10:29Beautifully pulled away.
10:30That's going to be four more.
10:31Give Chris Lewis full credit.
10:32Any loose deliveries from these Indian bowlers.
10:33And he really has punished them.
10:36That's cut away.
10:37It's going to go down towards the boundary.
10:39Prabhak is unlikely to catch that.
10:40I lied.
10:41Just inside the boundary in amongst the litter.
10:42Prabhak is showing for him a rare turn of speed.
10:46Yes, that will please the Indian team.
10:47At least they can bowl at Philip Dufnell.
10:49Chris Lewis keeps on playing his shots.
10:52Now he's spread the field.
11:16in his shots now he's spread the field there aren't as many people around to
11:20catch the button pad nicks if he happens to get one
11:30but actually anticipating this hundred now starting to clap in rhythm
11:36clapping and chanting echoing around the ground
11:41he's actually got five runs to go
11:46and that's the way to do it what a magnificent way to reach your first
11:51test hundred chris lewis six straight down the ground
11:55moves on to 101 not out
12:02well the super shots have been played by chris lewis
12:06and this was as good as any of them he's made up his mind i think that he's
12:10going to try and go to his 100 with a six straight over the top look he's down the
12:14pitch very quickly and i think he knew soon as he hit that
12:19that it was into the crowd
12:26whatever the situation and however much england might have wanted this innings in
12:29the first innings of this test match it has been a marvelous display of batting
12:34by chris lewis he's played some sumptuous shots
12:37and so england will resume their second innings in just a minute or two two three one for eight
12:42they need another 43 to make the indians bat again the indians need just two wickets
12:48to take the test match and in effect the chance cup series because they will be two nil up in the
12:54three match series the next test match starts in bombay next friday or this friday rather so there's not a
13:00so there's not a lot of time in between the two test matches and england will have to pick
13:05themselves up and try and get their heads into gear if they're going to make any sort of impact in that
13:10test match but there's still this one to finish off so let's go to the commentary box and join henry
13:15blofeld and jeffrey boycloth
13:28and that's a lovely stroke that's four more of the juiciest and best
13:34this is exactly the way chris lewis makes his runs
13:39and apart from being a very powerful hitter of the ball does time it very sweetly too and just
13:46waits on this ball wait till it reaches him and just caresses it away
13:54gosh that was a lovely graceful fluent stroke wasn't it
14:01takes as well 252 all out
14:05means that england lost this second test match by an innings and 22 runs and it really was a
14:11ridiculously lopsided scorecard lewis 117 smith 56 tuftal 22 nobody else anything really and a couple
14:21of noughts at the top and one down at the bottom from devon malcolm didn't help england's cause either
14:27the indian bowling or cumble without a doubt chris lewis a name that once stirred excitement and curiosity
14:33in english cricket between 1990 and 98 he represented england in 32 test matches and 53 one day
14:41international showing flashes of brilliance that hinted at greatness a genuine fast medium seamer
14:47with an athletic high arm action chris lewis could swing the ball both ways add to that his elegant
14:53on-side drives powerful square cuts and electrifying fielding and you had the complete modern all-round
15:00package at least on paper chris lewis was part of the england squad that reached the final of the
15:071992 cricket world cup a campaign where his lively pace and determination earned him respect yet
15:14consistency proved his biggest enemy for every impressive spell or sparkling knock there were
15:20stretches of underwhelming performances which gave his critics plenty of ammunition after a string of
15:27disappointing outing chris lewis was dropped later that year following the lord's testing against
15:32australia sadly his post cricket years took a darkened turn as he was later convicted of drug
15:39smuggling a tragic fall from grace from a man once seen as england's next big all-rounder chris lewis
15:45story remains one of the cricket grades what's if a tale of raw talent flashes of brilliance and a reminder
15:52that potential alone does not guarantee greatness even today fans who witnessed his fiery spells
15:58and graceful stroke play remember the spark he brought to the field this story reminds us that
16:04cricket is not only about records or milestones it's also about moments of brilliance that linger
16:11long after the final ball has been involved if you like this video please comment share and subscribe
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