Random Cricket Photos Post 58
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Anyone who remembers India's famous NatWest trophy win of 2002 also has a vague memory of this catch from an India-England match early in the tri-series. Sourav Ganguly was the batsman who perished trying to clear long on when someone by the name James Kirtley swooped in like a bird and took one of the finest outfield catches ever seen on a cricket field with his left hand. Credits to Tom Shaw for getting this perfect picture.
Well, despite a brilliant start to his Test career (he took a final innings 6 wicket haul to help England beat South Africa) Kirtley didn't have the longest of careers and this match was one of the 15 internationals he managed to play for England.
But he, if his mother is to be believed, had one weird connection to a man who took 405 Test wickets at an average of 21 in a much longer career that spanned 98 Tests.
Kirtley's granddad worked as a minister and missionary in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean during the 1960s. It is believed that in 1963 he baptized a boy born in Antigua. In a 2003 interview, Kirtley's mom said that the custom there was to name a child after the name of the minister who had carried out the baptism.
And so, the Antiguan kid who was named after Kirtley's granddad got the name, you guessed it right, Curtly.
That's not the end of the story though. Curtly Ambrose's mother herself was one big fan of the Australian pacer Ray Lindwall and when a son was born to her, she inserted in his name Lynwall to make it 'Curtly Elconn Lynwall Ambrose'.
Three eras. Three countries in three different continents. Three cricketers. Coincidentally, all right arm pacers. All connected in a weird weird way.
Well, despite a brilliant start to his Test career (he took a final innings 6 wicket haul to help England beat South Africa) Kirtley didn't have the longest of careers and this match was one of the 15 internationals he managed to play for England.
But he, if his mother is to be believed, had one weird connection to a man who took 405 Test wickets at an average of 21 in a much longer career that spanned 98 Tests.
Kirtley's granddad worked as a minister and missionary in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean during the 1960s. It is believed that in 1963 he baptized a boy born in Antigua. In a 2003 interview, Kirtley's mom said that the custom there was to name a child after the name of the minister who had carried out the baptism.
And so, the Antiguan kid who was named after Kirtley's granddad got the name, you guessed it right, Curtly.
That's not the end of the story though. Curtly Ambrose's mother herself was one big fan of the Australian pacer Ray Lindwall and when a son was born to her, she inserted in his name Lynwall to make it 'Curtly Elconn Lynwall Ambrose'.
Three eras. Three countries in three different continents. Three cricketers. Coincidentally, all right arm pacers. All connected in a weird weird way.
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