00:00Graham Hicks produced a classy and fighting knock during England's first innings in the
00:04second test against India at Chennai, played from February 11 to 15, 1993, on a surface
00:10where most batters found timing and fluency hard to come by. But Graham Hicks stood tall
00:16with a beautifully crafted 64 runs of 122 balls. His inning spanned 145 minutes and was decorated
00:23with 11 crisp boundaries, each one on a reminder of his natural stroke-making ability. In a series
00:29where England struggled to match India's spin mastery, Graham Hicks remained one of their most
00:34reliable run scorer. As Indian ballers tightened the screws, he played with intent, showing rare
00:40positivity and control. So sit back, relive the moment and lets Graham Hicks vintage test cricket
00:46brilliance take you down memory lane.
00:59And it's Graham Hicks elevated in the batting order by England to number three, ahead of Mike Gatting
01:09to face his first ball of this test match.
01:15Nicely away, that's nicely timed, finds the gap, that's going to run away for four,
01:19so that's a confident start for Graham Hicks.
01:30Oh well that's a free gift, and didn't Hicks play that well.
01:3870 for one.
01:39Oh that's a fine stroke, Chauhan short again, giving Hicks the chance, and didn't he take it beautifully?
01:55I mean that's poor bowling, that's three in this over that he's bowled out there.
01:59That wide, I mean you could hit those with a walking stick, couldn't you?
02:03Speak for yourself over then.
02:06No, I just think that's poor bowling.
02:09Hi Deke, hi Henry, hi Massey.
02:12Deke Rose, our head cameraman.
02:17You don't know who Massey is, he might be you, Barry.
02:25Or it might in fact be, um, another of our cameramen, Kevin Townsend,
02:29who's is a little bit massive, and they may just have left the V and the E of it.
02:34There's Deke and Charles Colville.
02:42Kevin Townsend there.
02:52But Jeffrey, it really has been an absorbing morning streak at this, hasn't it?
02:56Yes, it's been good cricket, it really has been cat and mouse between bat and ball.
03:04That's what the test match should be, it should be a contest between the bat and the ball.
03:10Oh and Hick has hit that one very well indeed, over the top, for four.
03:15He does play that so well, I've seen him play for Worcester like that, he, it's almost effortless.
03:24He just makes up his mind at last minute, judges it perfectly, and it's just a firm shot.
03:29That's how he normally plays in county cricket.
03:32He's got to try and play like that more often in, in test match cricket.
03:36Well he straight drove Raju for a lovely six in the second inning in Kolkata.
03:43Well that's a lovely shot again too, making room, pulling away there.
03:47It wasn't so short that ball, that's a fine stroke.
03:50Yes, the ball before where he struck Raju over the top, that's what caused Raju to drop it short,
03:58and then he cracks him away.
03:59That's what I mean by England who played too cautious, too defensive in the first innings at Kolkata.
04:07They just allowed the bowlers to get totally on top of them.
04:11Now they've also learned from that first innings, they played better in the second innings at Kolkata,
04:15but by then the game was lost because of their first innings performance.
04:19And today they all look to be coming out and playing like that.
04:24And he's done it again over the top of Sidhu at mid on for four runs.
04:28Raju giving it air, Hick taking the bait and succeeding.
04:34The third marvellous stroke in this over.
04:38Nice cricket this over from Graham Hipp, lovely cricket.
04:43This is how he plays, this is the man we've been waiting for,
04:47to play in test match cricket like he does for Worcester.
04:50Yes, that was a lovely flowing arc of the bat, wasn't it?
04:55Well, he fatted to deceive in the second innings of Kolkata.
04:58Let's hope he can really go on now to build his first huge score for England.
05:08End of a productive over indeed.
05:1093 for one and the players now leave the field for lunch.
05:16And after what has been, I think, a satisfactory morning for England.
05:30Still coughing away, Graham.
05:32It was just a sign of the malady that was with him before the game.
05:34Now that was very similar to the ball which got through his defences in Kolkata.
05:43And also undid Robin Smith earlier this morning.
05:47Yes, but it's a nice defensive shot.
05:49Back very straight, didn't play too hard at it or too firm.
05:53The ball just drops down and bounces up again.
05:56That is a good shot.
06:01Beautifully timed.
06:03Finds the gap.
06:03Four runs.
06:07And that four runs also bringing up the 50 partnership.
06:13Well, this is a quality shot.
06:15The ball not too short, makes room for it quickly.
06:18Hits it down and knew exactly where he was placing it.
06:20Great shots.
06:30Beautifully played.
06:31And four more.
06:35End of the over and 104 now for one.
06:40Two and then the boundary for four at six runs.
06:47And that's beautifully placed.
06:48He's just going to beat the man mid-off.
06:49Four runs to Graham Hick.
06:50Lovely timing.
06:56Well, I did mention a few minutes ago.
06:58That is his strong side, the offside.
07:00If you give Graham Hick any sort of room and it's his day, he will play beautifully.
07:07Delighted to see Alex score 50.
07:08He's had a lot of success opening the batting for England in New Zealand last year and against
07:12the Pakistanis.
07:14And I know that he feels comfortable batting there.
07:18What a glorious way to bring up your half century.
07:26An off drive played with the precision of a surgeon with his scalpels.
07:30Spicks the gap.
07:32Graham Hicks 50 coming in.
07:3474 balls, including 10 falls.
07:37And all of England echo that banner.
07:40Keep going.
07:40Yeah, I mean, that's a great fighting knock from Graham.
07:46And, you know, I think he's done tremendously well.
07:48But I think now, now it could be a danger period for him.
07:51He doesn't want to relax.
07:5350 is not going to be good enough for us, I'm afraid.
07:55We need more from him and he's got to carry on.
07:56Well, that wasn't such a good ball and it hasn't got the treatment.
08:04A long hop pulled away for four.
08:09Turn a bit.
08:10Bounce.
08:11We talked much earlier in the day.
08:13There's a not spot or two there.
08:15The Indian spinners haven't hit it much.
08:17It turned sharply that.
08:18He played back.
08:20It did a lot.
08:21But the umpire thought it didn't do too much.
08:23It turned sharply.
08:38Graham Hick valiant effort.
08:39India continued their dominance.
08:41The host wrapped up the match by an innings and 22 runs.
08:44And eventually sealed the series 3-0.
08:47Graham Hick knock remained one of the brightest spots from England to work.
08:50Ten innings played with courage, skill, and a touch of arrogance.
08:54Graham Hick came to the crease as England were struggling.
08:57He shared a significant second-wicket partnership of 111 runs with Alex Tewart.
09:02To temporarily stabilize the innings, Graham Hick's aggressive approach contrasted
09:07with the slow pace of other English bestmen, who were cautious against the potent Indian spin
09:12try of Anil Kumble, Raju, and Rajesh Johan.
09:16However, the partnership ended when Graham Hick was dismissed like before
09:20by Rajesh Johan.
09:21Following his dismissal, England's first innings faltered rapidly, collapsing from 157-2 to a
09:28total of just 286 runs.
09:30India, in response, built up, massively driven by Sanchez-Namnodges Sudhu and Sachin Tundalkar.
09:36India went on to win the match by an innings and 22 runs, a convincing victory that highlighted
09:41England's struggle with Spain on that tour.
09:44Hick was one of the few bright spots for England during a difficult series and actually ended the
09:49tour as England's top-run scorer.
09:51This particular inning was followed by his median test century 178 in the next match in Mumbai.
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10:00Thank you very much.
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