10 Facts about the Russel Arnold - Sri Lanka’s Mr Dependable

10 Facts about the Russel Arnold – Sri Lanka’s Mr Dependable: The left handed Russel Arnold, known for his calm and cool temperament, was a brilliant finisher for the Sri Lankan team, especially in the ODIs when he got his team out of many tricky situations. An ideal number 6 batsman, Russel was a brilliant team man and was highly rated for his gritty qualities.

1. Birth: 

Russel Arnold was born on 25th October, 1973 in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

2. Early impressions:

Russel Arnold was an opening batsman at St. Peters College, Colombo and made his mark in Under 19 international cricket; on the tour of England in 1992 — in this role. Russel Arnold scored 242 runs at an average of 48.40 in three Tests in England.

3. Test career:

Russel Arnold made his Test debut against Pakistan at Colombo on 19th April 1997. He opened the innings in this drawn Test. Russel Arnold scored 31 in the first and 15 in Sri Lanka’s second innings.

Russel Arnold registered his first Test fifty in the second innings of the second Test scoring 50 off 168 balls. With this drawn Test the 2 match series ended 0-0.

Russel Arnold played 44 Tests scoring 1821 runs at an average of 28.01 with the help of 10 fifties and 3 tons. Russel Arnold also took 11 Test wickets with his occasional off-spin bowling.  His highest score is 123 against Pakistan in March 1999.

4. ODI career:

Russel Arnold had more success in ODIs compared to his Test cricket. Russel Arnold played 180 ODIs scoring 3950 runs at an average of 35.26 with the help of 28 fifties and 1 hundred. Russel Arnold was considered a finisher and had a sound temperament which helped his team in difficult situations.

Russel Arnold made his ODI debut against South Africa at Lahore on 6th November 1997. Opening the innings he scored 11 runs; South Africa won the match by 66 runs. Arnold’s middle-order position in ODI matches was sustained in the mid-2000s when Tom Moody was the Sri Lankan coach. Russel Arnold took 40 ODI wickets at an average of 43.47 with an economy rate of 4.83. His highest score is 103 against Zimbabwe at Bulawayo in December 1999.

5. Memorable performances:

In the first ODI against England on a difficult pitch at Dambulla, Sri Lanka in early 2001 Arnold walked in at 58 for 4 wickets and scored 39* off 83 balls and guided his team to 144 for 5 in 40 overs, thereby overhauling England’s low total of 143. In Australia in 2006 he scored 312 runs in 10 innings for an average of 53.50. He played a key role for Sri Lanka in the World Cup in the Caribbean in 2007 where the islanders reached the final and finished runners-up. Russel Arnold retired from international cricket after this tournament.

6. Batting style:

Russel Arnold was not as attractive a batsman as some of his other teammates. His had an odd stance which was squarer and more crouched. Russel Arnold used to nudge the ball and accumulate singles almost at will and hit the big ones when required.

7. Post retirement:

After retirement Russel Arnold played A-grade cricket in Sydney for Hornsby District Cricket Club. He also joined the unofficial Indian Cricket League, playing for the Chennai Superstars and ICL World XI. A ban on him was lifted in September 2008 and he was free to play domestic cricket back home.

8. Coaching:

Russel Arnold was a coach at Barker College, a well-known private school in Sydney’s north.

9. Broadcasting career:

Russel Arnold regularly features as a TV commentator for Sri Lanka’s matches. He is also part of the commentary Team for the IPL. Russel Arnold also writes a weekly Q+A column on Island Cricket, a Sri Lanka cricket website that is partly powered by content submitted by cricket fans.

10. Nick name:

Russel Arnold keeps his fans entertained using his iPhone app ‘Ask Rusty’ launched in 2012. He was given the nick name of ‘Rusty’ by Roshan Mahanama and Pramodya Wickramasinghe complementing his batting style as tough and durable but not pretty.