ASHES HERO Gary Pratt has had an unusual career trajectory since his heroics against Australia in 2005.
The Durham native is best known for his iconic running out of Australia captain Ricky Ponting as a substitute fielder in 2005’s Ashes series.
GettyGary Pratt is best known for his running out of Australia captain Ricky Ponting at the 2005 Ashes[/caption]
But for Pratt, who was in his early twenties at the time, life has not followed on from that moment of glory in the way most might have expected.
Now 43, Pratt runs Lorimers cricket shop in his home town of Bishop Auckland, County Durham.
He plays his cricket for North Yorkshire and South Durham Premier League’s Richmondshire, as he has done since arriving at the club in 2012.
It is a far cry from his peak, playing six years of first class cricket for Durham as a youngster between 2000 and 2006.
In conversation with The Times, Pratt attributed part of his career’s fall off to his most heroic moment.
“I scored 1,000 runs for Durham in the Championship [in 2003] and stuff like that.
“But after [Ponting], I wasn’t known for holding the cricket bat. I was just literally someone who could just throw a ball.”
His moment came as Ponting and batting partner Damien Martyn set off for an ambitious single after the latter rolled an Andrew Flintoff delivery away to his right.
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Pratt scooped it up and fired the ball back at the stumps from range, catching Ponting out as he stretched for the crease.
The image of the youngster being hoisted into the air by his teammates became a rallying point, around which England would go on to win the series.
PA:Empics SportPratt’s heroics could not have come from an unlikelier source, with the young cricketer only playing due to an injury to Simon Jones[/caption]
“I wouldn’t say it hampered my career,” Pratt continued. “But it probably did in a way because there was a lot of attention on me for that reason.
“I could have just plodded on in the background, with this not happening. I could have probably still been playing today, really.”
Pratt also plays social cricket for a local car dealership, SG Petch, and receives a car in return for his participation in matches and charity events.
Between playing for his multiple clubs and running his cricket shop, Pratt is still clearly as in love with the game as ever.
He told The Times: “You don’t realise there is a different life. All I have is cricket, literally.
“From when I was ten years old it was just cricket non-stop. It was all I wanted to do.
“In a way, I kind of achieved it, but finished too soon.”
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