Grannies, mummies and other ladies
Behind every famous cricketer there's a formidable female relative. We look at a dozen of cricket's better-known ones
Nishi Narayanan
21-Oct-2009
Holly Flintoff looks less than pleased to hear she'll have a 7pm curfew through her teenage years • Getty Images
Shane Warne's mother
Aka the pill-giver. She came into the spotlight at the 2003 World Cup, when Warne tested positive for a diuretic and tried to get away with an excuse Ben Johnson might have wished he had thought of: "Me mum gave it to me". But maternal love clearly meant little to the ICC, which banned Warne from international cricket for a year.
Aka the pill-giver. She came into the spotlight at the 2003 World Cup, when Warne tested positive for a diuretic and tried to get away with an excuse Ben Johnson might have wished he had thought of: "Me mum gave it to me". But maternal love clearly meant little to the ICC, which banned Warne from international cricket for a year.
Andrew Flintoff's daughter
The face of the anti-immigration movement. Father Fred worries about letting young Holly out at nights in Manchester where "stabbings, bottlings, shootings" are as common as Sunday church is elsewhere.
The face of the anti-immigration movement. Father Fred worries about letting young Holly out at nights in Manchester where "stabbings, bottlings, shootings" are as common as Sunday church is elsewhere.
Mitchell Johnson's mother
Or the relationship counsellor. We're sure Vikki Harber had the best intentions when, at the beginning of this year's Ashes, with Mitch hyped as Australia's answer to Flintoff, she complained about having lost her son to the karate-chopping hands of his girlfriend, Jessica Bratich. No more vacations for me to England, South Africa or the Bahamas, cried Ms Harber. "For the wives and the children, I think it is great that they support them and send them over there, but who are these girlfriends? They are just girlfriends," she said. Johnson refused to comment on the abandonment and went on to take eight wickets at 41.3 in the first two Tests.
Or the relationship counsellor. We're sure Vikki Harber had the best intentions when, at the beginning of this year's Ashes, with Mitch hyped as Australia's answer to Flintoff, she complained about having lost her son to the karate-chopping hands of his girlfriend, Jessica Bratich. No more vacations for me to England, South Africa or the Bahamas, cried Ms Harber. "For the wives and the children, I think it is great that they support them and send them over there, but who are these girlfriends? They are just girlfriends," she said. Johnson refused to comment on the abandonment and went on to take eight wickets at 41.3 in the first two Tests.
Geoff Boycott's grandmother
The female WG Grace. Not many outside Yorkshire may have seen Boycott's famed aged relative, but the legend of her cricketing talent is known from Basseterre to Brisbane. Beaten by late swing? Boycs' grandmum could have hit that for a six with a stick 'o rhubarb.
The female WG Grace. Not many outside Yorkshire may have seen Boycott's famed aged relative, but the legend of her cricketing talent is known from Basseterre to Brisbane. Beaten by late swing? Boycs' grandmum could have hit that for a six with a stick 'o rhubarb.
Sachin Tendulkar's babysitter
The formative influence. Laxmibai Ghirje used to bowl to Tendulkar when he was a wee thing. And that's when, we assume, he perfected the straight six over long-on.
The formative influence. Laxmibai Ghirje used to bowl to Tendulkar when he was a wee thing. And that's when, we assume, he perfected the straight six over long-on.
Ian Botham's mother-in-law
Brand ambassador for Pakistan's tourism ministry after Botham declared the country was just the place to send one's least favourite female relative, all expenses paid. Proof of the ICC's utter incompetence that they haven't yet used Beefy 'n Ma in a campaign to tell everyone just how safe Pakistan is.
Brand ambassador for Pakistan's tourism ministry after Botham declared the country was just the place to send one's least favourite female relative, all expenses paid. Proof of the ICC's utter incompetence that they haven't yet used Beefy 'n Ma in a campaign to tell everyone just how safe Pakistan is.
Yuvraj Singh's mother
A mother's love is blind. That's the only reasonable explanation for Mama Singh's outrage every time poor Yuvi is jilted by a movie starlet. Like Johnson's mum, Yuvraj's would like more control over her son's life, particularly when it comes to who he dates. "I don't want someone who throws tantrums or is very high-flying for him. She should know the basics of cooking, especially Indian vegetarian food. Considering he travels so often, she should also be able to pack well and take care of his clothes."
A mother's love is blind. That's the only reasonable explanation for Mama Singh's outrage every time poor Yuvi is jilted by a movie starlet. Like Johnson's mum, Yuvraj's would like more control over her son's life, particularly when it comes to who he dates. "I don't want someone who throws tantrums or is very high-flying for him. She should know the basics of cooking, especially Indian vegetarian food. Considering he travels so often, she should also be able to pack well and take care of his clothes."
Neil McKenzie's sister
A sibling every cricketer dreams his team-mate will have: swimsuit supermodel Megan McKenzie was voted Sexiest South African in 2003.
A sibling every cricketer dreams his team-mate will have: swimsuit supermodel Megan McKenzie was voted Sexiest South African in 2003.
Harbhajan Singh's mother
The case for why the anti-doping movement's whereabouts clause won't work. What will Harbhajan do when his mother expresses a desire to visit the Golden Temple in Amritsar? Tell her, "Well, I wrote in my whereabouts form that I'll be studying Australian social customs today, so I can't really take you there"?
The case for why the anti-doping movement's whereabouts clause won't work. What will Harbhajan do when his mother expresses a desire to visit the Golden Temple in Amritsar? Tell her, "Well, I wrote in my whereabouts form that I'll be studying Australian social customs today, so I can't really take you there"?
Runako Morton's grandmother
The get-out-of-class-card for the not-so-bright. Morton excused himself from the 2002 Champions Trophy squad by saying his grandmother had passed away. But it was later found out that one of Morton's grandmothers had died 16 years ago and the other was very much alive. He was handed a one-year ban by the West Indies board for killing off the old lady.
The get-out-of-class-card for the not-so-bright. Morton excused himself from the 2002 Champions Trophy squad by saying his grandmother had passed away. But it was later found out that one of Morton's grandmothers had died 16 years ago and the other was very much alive. He was handed a one-year ban by the West Indies board for killing off the old lady.
Jacques Kallis' sister
The one who dances for the opposition. As a cheerleader in the IPL earlier this year, Janine started dancing at the fall of a Royal Challengers Bangalore wicket only to discover it was brother Jacques trudging back to the pavilion. "I don't mind really," said Kallis. "Except, she really did seem to be doing her job very well when I was out. She didn't have to look so pleased!"
The one who dances for the opposition. As a cheerleader in the IPL earlier this year, Janine started dancing at the fall of a Royal Challengers Bangalore wicket only to discover it was brother Jacques trudging back to the pavilion. "I don't mind really," said Kallis. "Except, she really did seem to be doing her job very well when I was out. She didn't have to look so pleased!"
Roy Park's wife
The one who dropped her knitting. Now the deftest of us have done the same at some point in our sweater-making lives but Mrs Park dropped hers right when her husband went out to bat in his only innings for Australia. By the time she retrieved the evasive ball of wool, Dr Park's international career had ended: he was bowled first ball.
The one who dropped her knitting. Now the deftest of us have done the same at some point in our sweater-making lives but Mrs Park dropped hers right when her husband went out to bat in his only innings for Australia. By the time she retrieved the evasive ball of wool, Dr Park's international career had ended: he was bowled first ball.
Nishi Narayanan is a staff writer at Cricinfo