England

Paul Jarvis

Born: June 29, 1965, Redcar, Yorkshire

Paul Jarvis bio

Paul William Jarvis, born on 18th May 1965, was an immensely talented cricket player hailing from England. Despite facing numerous setbacks, including injuries and inconsistent selection, he showcased his potential as a young player and left a lasting impact on the cricketing world.

At the age of 16 and two months, Jarvis became the youngest-ever cricketer to represent Yorkshire in the County Championship in 1981. His early achievements included becoming the youngest player to take hat-tricks in the Sunday League (1982) and the Championship (1985). Jarvis was recognized as Yorkshire’s cutting edge while still in his teenage years, despite his relatively short stature for a fast bowler, standing at 5’10”.

In 1986, after exceptional match figures of 11 for 92 against Middlesex, Jarvis was awarded his county cap. The following year, he played a pivotal role in Yorkshire’s triumph in the Benson and Hedges Cup, with notable performance such as 4 for 43 in the final against Northants. His outstanding form secured him a place on the winter tour of Pakistan, New Zealand, and Australia.

Jarvis made his Test debut in 1988 against New Zealand, showcasing his speed on slow pitches and taking six wickets in the first two games. However, despite his early success, he was dropped for the final Test. Recalled for the 1988 home series against the formidable West Indies, Jarvis impressed in the first two Tests, achieving his Test bests of 4 for 107 and scoring 29* at Lord’s. Unfortunately, a back strain sidelined him for the remainder of the series, just as he seemed poised to form a formidable opening partnership with Graham Dilley.

After a year-long absence, Jarvis returned to Test cricket at Lord’s against Australia. Although he troubled batsmen such as Steve Waugh, he struggled to take wickets, and soon found himself dropped once again. In 1989, Jarvis accepted an offer to join a rebel tour of South Africa, resulting in a three-year ban from Test cricket. However, he made a promising comeback in the 1992-93 tour of India and Sri Lanka, where he bowled well despite unhelpful pitches, but luck eluded him as he took four wickets in the first two Tests.

Recognized as England’s best bowler at the time, Jarvis continued to face perplexing team selections. Despite his performance, he was surprisingly dropped for the final Test in favor of Phil DeFreitas, who failed to take a wicket throughout the tour. Jarvis made his last Test appearance against Sri Lanka in Colombo, where he took 3 for 76 in the first innings.

Following his departure from Yorkshire at the end of the 1993 season, Jarvis joined Sussex and later moved to Somerset, finishing his county cricket career. Despite battling recurrent injuries, he displayed a fast arm action and remained a force in limited-overs cricket. In the 1999 NatWest Final against Gloucestershire, he redeemed himself with figures of 5 for 55 after an erratic start, encapsulating the ups and downs of his career.

Jarvis concluded his career with over 650 wickets and having represented England in 16 ODIs and nine Tests. Apart from his bowling prowess, he was also a reasonably talented tail-end batsman, achieving a career-best score of 80 for Yorkshire against Northants in 1992.

After retiring from cricket, Jarvis became a partner in a firm that provides agents for players. He also spent several winters playing club cricket in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, further honing his skills and widening his cricketing experience.

Despite enduring setbacks, Paul William Jarvis demonstrated exceptional talent and contributed significantly to the cricketing world with his bowling prowess. His determination and unwavering dedication to the sport continue to inspire future generations of cricketers.

Paul Jarvis career stats

Batting stats

Batting Matches Innings Nos Runs High score Ave BF SR 100s 50s 4s 6s Ct St
Tests 9 15 2 132 29* 10.15 339 38.93 0 0 11 0 2 0
T20Is - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
ODIs 16 8 2 31 16* 5.16 39 79.48 0 0 1 1 1 0
FC 215 268 67 3373 80 16.78 - - 0 10 - - 67 0
List A 276 161 54 1322 63 12.35 - - 0 1 - - 50 0
T20s - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Bowling stats

Bowling Matches Innings Balls Runs Wkts BBI BBM Ave Econ SR 4w 5w 10w
Tests 9 16 1912 965 21 4/107 4/154 45.95 3.02 91 1 0 0
T20Is - - - - - - - - - - - - -
ODIs 16 16 879 672 24 5/35 5/35 28 4.58 36.6 1 1 0
FC 215 - 35525 18914 654 7/55 - 28.92 3.19 54.3 - 22 3
List A 276 - 13238 9667 399 6/27 6/27 24.22 4.38 33.1 11 6 0
T20s - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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