SHAUN TAIT

'Shaun William Tait' (born February 22, 1983, in Bedford Park, Adelaide, South Australia) is an Australian Test and ODI cricketer. He is a right arm fast bowler.

Contents

Early career

Test career

ODI

Bowling style

Teams

Australian state

English county

External links

Early career

Tait made his first-class debut with the South Australian state team in the 2002-03 season at the age of nineteen.
He was named as Australia's Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year for the 2003-04 season and won a call-up to the Australian national squad for the tour of Sri Lanka, although he did not play a game. He was later offered a Cricket Australia contract as one of the top twenty-five players in Australia.
In August 2004, Durham signed Tait for the second half of the English County Championship season. His first match was a rain-affected match against a Somerset side containing Australian captain Ricky Ponting. He had a poor county cricket debut, including 21 no balls and recording a bowling analysis of 0/113 in just 12 overs in Somerset's only innings. His second game was also poor: against Essex at Colchester, he bowled just six overs but conceding 63 runs. Tait returned home without playing again for Durham after being confined to the bench.
Back in Australia in the 2004-05 season, Tait showed that his English experience had not destroyed his confidence. He had a record-breaking season for his state side, taking 65 first-class wickets, to surpass Clarrie Grimmett's 1939-40 record for a South Australian bowler.

Test career

After an impressive domestic summer Tait was called up to the Australian squad for the 2005 England Ashes tour. As a result of injury to Glenn McGrath and poor form of Jason Gillespie, Tait made his Test debut at Trent Bridge in the Fourth Test. Tait had match figures of 3/121 off 28 overs in a 3-wicket loss to England. He played in the final Fifth Test as well, but on his return to Australia severely injured his shoulder. He underwent shoulder surgery and as a result was not in a position to press for selection in the 2005/06 international cricket season. He underwent staged rehabilitation and for a time was able to bowl but unable to throw from his usual boundary fielding position. Nonetheless he was a part of the South Australian state team that contested the 2005/6 ING Cup Final, securing impressive figures of 6 for 41 off 10 overs.

ODI

Tait made his One-Day International debut on 2 February 2007 against England at the SCG. ^[1]
Tait was selected in Australia's 2007 World Cup squad. With Brett Lee missing the entire tournament due to an ankle injury Tait had to assume the responsibility of being a key bowler and Australia's main strike bowler. Despite this added pressure he was very impressive throughout the tournament, with the highlight being a career best 4-39 in the 2007 Cricket World Cup semi-final where Australia easily defeated South Africa. ^[2] Tait finished the tournament with 23 wickets from 11 matches (equal second highest for the tournament, after Glenn McGrath with 26 wickets) at an average of 20.30. ^[3]
Tait capable of bowling in the 150s was immediately effective on the fast and bouncy pitches of SOuth Africa. He has the ability of giving hostile bowling spells though he is erratic at times.

Bowling style

Tait's delivery action is unique and marked by significant lateral twisting of the spine. However he delivers the ball with phenomenal pace at around 150km+, and occasionally faster - one delivery was measured at 160km/h in an ODI on 4 February 2007 against New Zealand.

Teams

Australian state

★ South Australian Redbacks (current)

English county

★ Durham

External links

★ Cricket-Online player profile - Shaun Tait

★ Cricinfo page on Shaun Tait