Damien Fleming

Damien Fleming

Personal information
Full name	Damien William Fleming
Born	(1970-04-24)24 April 1970 Bentley, Western Australia
Nickname	Flemo
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-armfast-medium
Role	Bowler
International information
National side	Australia(1994–2001)
Test debut (cap361)	5 October 1994 vPakistan
Last Test	27 February 2001 vIndia
ODI debut (cap115)	16 January 1994 vSouth Africa
Last ODI	21 June 2001 vEngland
ODI shirt no.	17
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1988/89–2001/02	Victoria
2002	Warwickshire
2002/03	South Australia
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI Matches 20 88 Runs scored 305 152 Batting average 19.06 11.69 100s/50s 0/2 0/0 Top score 71* 29 Ballsbowled 4,129 4,619 Wickets 75 134 Bowling average 25.89 25.38 5 wickets in innings 3 1 10 wickets in match 0 0 Best bowling 5/30 5/36 Catches/stumpings 9/– 14/–
Medal record Men'sCricket RepresentingAustralia ICC Cricket World Cup Winner 1999 England-Wales -Ireland-Scotland-Netherlands Runner-up 1996 India-Pakistan-Sri Lanka Commonwealth Games 1998 Kuala Lumpur
Source:Cricinfo,12 December 2005

Damien William Fleming(born 24 April 1970) is an Australian cricket commentator and formercricketerwho played for theAustralian national cricket teamand domestic cricket forVictoria.He played in 20Testsand 88ODIsfrom 1994 to 2001 and was part of the all-conquering Australian teams underSteve WaughandMark Taylor.In recent years Fleming has spent time refining his theory of Bowlology, a set of scientific coaching principles to help developing bowlers. Fleming was a part of the Australian team that won the1999 Cricket World Cup.

Injury problems shortened his career, with the side-on bowling action that generated his swing, also putting more strain on his body.

International career

Fleming's 20Testsbetween 1994–95 and 2000–01 returned 75 wickets at an average of 25.89 with best figures of 5/30. He is one of only three men (along withMaurice AllomandPeter Petherick) to have taken ahat-trickon Test debut. Fleming's hat-trick was taken against Pakistan at Rawalpindi where he claimed Australia's nemesisSalim Malikin the second innings as his third wicket.

His Test match record is impressive, with the 1999–2000 season Fleming's finest hour: he claimed 31 wickets in six Tests against Pakistan and India. His career best figures of 5/31 came against India at Adelaide in December 1999, where if not for Shane Warne spilling up a difficult slips catch, Fleming would have claimed a second hat-trick.

Fleming's ODI record is equally impressive, representing his country 88 times including twoWorld Cupfinals and taking 134 wickets at an average of 25.38. He was seen by many to be a one-day specialist, especially in the latter overs when his fine economy rate kept runs down. Fleming was the last-over specialist in both the1996and1999World Cup Semi-Finals. In 1996 at Mohali with the West Indies needing six runs to win off five balls, Fleming bowled Courtney Walsh for victory.In 1999 atEdgbaston,with South Africa requiring one run with four balls remaining, it took anAllan Donaldbrain-fade to send Australia into the final.

Domestic career

He played 78 First Class Matches forVictoriataking 258 wickets. He took 6/37 on First Class debut vsWestern Australiain 1989/90.

Fleming was named in theSouth Melbourne Cricket Club’s team of the 20th century, alongside such greats asBill Woodfull,Keith MillerandClarrie Grimmett.

Post-retirement

Following his retirement from all cricket in 2003, he was briefly appointed head coach at theAustralian Cricket Academy.

Like many of his counterparts, Fleming became a cricket commentator for both internationals and domesticSheffield Shieldmatches. He has been heard onTriple M MelbourneandSEN 1116radio, and is a specialist cricket commentator forSeven Networkhaving previously worked forABC Radio Grandstand,Channel 10andFox Sports.

Fleming, a keenHawthornfan, appeared onBefore the Bouncein 2009 withJason DunstallandDanny Frawley,a weeklyAustralian footballprogram broadcast onFoxtel,before becoming a regular on the show's successorAfter the Bounce.Recognising his own capacity for sporting insights (developed through deep contemplation of Bowlology theory) the show's producers gave Fleming a role akin to 'editor at large' in his segmentTurn It Up.In this segment, Fleming cast a critical eye over theAFLand society in general, raising the questionable and confronting issues that others thought inappropriate. He also ran a part of the show featuring a broken chocolate wheel. No longer in his role onAfter The Bounce.The chocolate wheel was never seen again.

Fleming began to make appearances during the fourth season (2009) ofThank God You're Herewhere he parodied the prevalence of sportspersons (notably cricketers) endorsing anything in the Australian media.

In May 2018, it was announced that Fleming would join theSeven Network's cricket commentary team, after the network won the Cricket Australia broadcast rights from the 2018/19 season.In August 2018 it was announced that he would also join the SEN 1116 radio commentary team.

External links

• Damien FlemingatESPNcricinfo