Sports
| By : Rachna Mukundan | Previous | Next |
| Posted on : 10 May, 2007 | Total Views : 177 |
Farokh Engineer
India
The handsome and dashing Indian wicketkeeper-opening batsman, Farokh Maneksha Engineer was born in Mumbai on the 25th of February 1938. The ‘Brylcreem Man’ of the 70s, he would have been an advertisers’ delight in the present day endorsement scenario with his flamboyant batting, stylish ‘keeping and of course his smashing good looks. An alumnus of the Podar College in Mumbai, he represented Mumbai and India, and settled down in Lancashire, England towards the end of his career.
Engineer made his test debut against England at Kanpur in 1961-62 and his one-day debut against England at Leeds in the Prudential Trophy series of 1974-5. He played his last test against the West Indies at Mumbai in 1974-5 and his last one-dayer in the World Cup of 1975 against New Zealand. He played 46 tests scoring 2,611 runs with an average of 31.08. He scored two centuries and his highest test score was 121. As a wicketkeeper, he took 66 catches and effected 16 stumpings. In five one-day internationals, he scored 114 runs at an average of 38.00, besides catching three and effecting one stumping. Engineer’s greatest moment in tests was perhaps the collaring of the bowling of Hall, Griffith, Sobers and Gibbs in the Madras test of 1966-7, when he scored 94 before lunch and then took one ball to reach his hundred after lunch. A brilliant ‘keeper, he was the first choice wicketkeeper for the Rest of the World side in the early 70s.
Engineer served Lancashire with distinction in County cricket – along with Clive Lloyd - after he settled down there in the late 70s.Doing well as a businessman, he occasionally commentates during important one-day games / test matches
