Richardson a role model for the underdog

By Martin Gough

Richardson on his Lord's ton

Looking back over the last year in English cricket, which century was the most momentous?

Was it man-of-the-summer Andrew Flintoff's smashing 167 against West Indies at Edgbaston or Chris Gayle's 105 from 87 balls in a losing effort at The Oval?

Nasser Hussain's match-winning ton at Lord's was such a brilliant moment that he promptly announced his retirement.

But there was another ton in that opening match against New Zealand and, for the man who scored it at least, it was far more memorable.

In fact Mark Richardson hinted on announcing his retirement that he has struggled to equal that high again.

After six hours and 42 minutes at the Lord's crease, Richardson pushed a suitably anonymous single to reach three figures, leaped in the air in glee and waved to his partner Mary in the grandstand.

Some who watched it would argue it was the most activity they had seen from the left-hander in two days after he nudged, blocked and - for the majority - left alone the English bowling.

RICHARDSON FACTFILE Mark Hunter Richardson Born: 11 June 1971, Hastings, Hawke's Bay Left Hand Bat; Slow Left Arm Orthodox bowler 38 Tests, 2776 runs at 44.77, best 145 156 first-class matches, 9959 runs at 42.92, best 306

In the stands, fans were working out what Richardson could have done instead of spending 402 minutes in the middle at the home of cricket.

Fly two-thirds of the way back to New Zealand? Boil 134 eggs? Watch the first two of the Lord of the Rings trilogy (filmed in NZ), plus 45 minutes of The Return of the King?

But, while there may have been little to entertain the thrill-seeker in Richardson's knock, it was a master class in making the most of what you have.

Asked where this ranked in his lifetime ambitions, he replied: "Belting a six to win the World Cup at the MCG would be pretty good but I'll take this as the runner-up."

Simply making his Test debut, after more than 10 years of first-class cricket, was an accomplishment for Richardson.

Mark Richardson has been the anchor in most of New Zealand's rare successes in Test cricket From Dave Have your say on TMS

Originally a slow left-arm bowler, he suffered from the yips and was forced to reinvent himself as a batsman just to get back into his provincial side.

Sheer weight of runs saw him force his way into the Test team, which until his arrival had operated a revolving door policy at the top of the batting order.

His regular columns for BBC Sport displayed the degree to which he analysed the game, looking for weaknesses and making the most of strengths, even if they were few.

Richardson v Lehmann in photos

In the Test arena he managed to average 44.77 despite criticism that he often failed to convert half-centuries into big scores.

That World Cup dream was to remain unfulfilled, however, as the pressure to score runs quickly, coupled with his lack of mobility in the field, saw him dropped after just four one-day internationals.

Typically, given Richardson's self-deprecating sense of humour, he made the most of his reputation.

It became a feature at the end of each Test series for him to challenge the slowest member of the rival side to a foot race in the outfield.

Pakistan's Danish Kaneria and Darren Lehmann of Australia were the only opponents vanquished as he completed the set of travelling to every Test nation in the space of four years.

The event gained new cult status last summer when Richardson donned a Cathy Freeman-style catsuit to take on England's Ashley Giles.

Giles, dubbed the "wheelie-bin" by cruel commentators, won by a head.

Richardson's reaction?

"That is final proof those suits don't work."