Gareth Batty Profile

Profile

Gareth Jon Batty was born 13 October 1977 in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England) is an English cricketer, more specifically a spin-bowler. The off-spinner has been largely backup to Ashley Giles throughout his career, though he did play four Tests in the English tour of the subcontinent in 2003, as conditions favored the inclusion of a second spinner in a team. He was picked the tour of the West Indies in 2003/04. Batty was the bowler Brian Lara faced when he scored his world record 400th run in the 4th Test Match in Antigua. He was picked as second spinner for the South African tour the next season. Worcestershire off-spinner Gareth's Batty's retention in England’s Test and one-day squads therefore makes perfect sense. Despite modest returns to date, Batty has the character and ability to reward the selectors' loyalty handsomely in years to come, and his inclusion should be viewed as a wise investment in England's future. Batty experienced mixed fortunes in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (srē läng`kə) [Sinhalese,=resplendent land], formerly Ceylon, ancient Taprobane, officially Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, island republic (2005 est. pop. and there was speculation that the selectors might drop him in favor of Glamorgan's Robert Croft Robert Damien Bale Croft (born May 25, 1970 in Swansea) is a Welsh cricketer who has played international cricket for both England and Wales. He is an off-spin bowler who plays for Glamorgan, and captained the county from 2003 to 2006.