Cricinfo - Blogs - Rob's Lobs - The best pound-for-pound captain

In terms of longevity, nobody can match his 298 games (126 wins, 133 defeats) in charge. Leading New Zealand 80 times in Tests, second only to Allan Border’s 93, he won 28, drew 25 and lost 27: a better winning percentage, it bears noting, than Border, Atherton or Imran Khan. He also participated in three World Cups and 218 ODIs as captain: 25 more than his nearest rival, Arjuna Ranatunga. Overall, his one-day reign encompassed 98 victories, giving him a better winning percentage than Greg Chappell, Javed Miandad and Sunil Gavaskar.

His former teammate Mark Richardson commented a couple of days ago that Fleming was a dictator who may have exerted too much control, that he did it his way too often, at least until John Bracewell’s appointment as coach. The selflessness, nonetheless, shone through. “I'll have a lot of regrets, most of them statistical,” Fleming admitted last week, “because I haven't been able to gear myself up as a player who achieves statistically great things. I've tried but I've loved the thrill of the battle and the competition [too much].” If that sounded self-serving, a flimsy alibi for individual under-achievement, it should not.

The last time our paths crossed was at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium shortly before the 2002-03 Ashes, during the ill-fated Power Cricket experiment. The previous winter, but for a couple of dubious umpiring decisions, New Zealand – aided, admittedly, by some charitable weather that prompted Steve Waugh to take undue risks - would have been the first to win a Test series in Australia since 1993. As it was, the hosts failed to prevail at home for the first time in a dozen rubbers. Only India have subsequently come so close to bearding the lion in its own den. No-one was in any doubt as to where the inspiration lay.

Fleming’s most important instruction was crystal-clear: ignore anything Glenn McGrath pitches outside the stumps. The fruits were plentiful: the galaxy’s most metronomic fast bowler wound up with five wickets in the series at 65 apiece. What a pity, the precipitously de-striped Fleming must have mused in recent weeks, that the likes of Bell, Sinclair and McCullum are too fond of nibbling, and far too indisciplined, to follow suit against lesser mortals such as Sidebottom, Anderson and Broad.

In essence, Fleming summed up that Welsh evening, it had been a case of refusing to be bullied. “The whole time we were [in Australia] we were bombarded with this, this…environment. Not intimidating so much as intense. But we were surprisingly confident after the planning we put in. You do so much preparation you make up the gap and breed confidence. They never bowled us out – we prided ourselves on that. You’ve got to stand up to them.”

Standing up and being counted: Stephen Fleming has spent his entire career doing just that. Let’s hope, for his sake, that he can drag that average up to 40, but his place in the game’s hall of fame, and our affections, should not depend on it.

Flem is one of a kind, thrown into test crickets number one job so young, dealt with an endless supply of injured bowlers, normally at their peak. Yet also held together a team, a batting line up and a countries hopes for so long. Well done for getting his needed runs for 40 and I hope he gets a big century. Might somehow make up for declaring when he was only 25 runs away from the highest ever test score for a New Zealand batsman and dare I suggest the first to reach 300 ( kiwi wise ). Something that never shows in stats is when the word all rounder is used, you dont see keepers or captains both who do spend so much of the matches mentally involved, yet have to bat and only judged on that stat. Anyway getting back on topic, great to give tribute to the toast of NZ.

Of all the retirements, that have come through over the past season this one I feel is the most painful one for me presonally. Can't deny the aura that Gilchrist brought to the modern day cricket but the astute, and masterminded Fleming has given his bit to the game. For once I feel that statistics can be misleading for the man had much more to offer. No doubt a name synonomous to New Zealand Cricket. They call Chaminda Vaas as "Poor Man's Wasim Akram", but then Fleming has been the unruffled Poor Man's Lieutenant bearing the flag for more than a decade now for a side not as gifted as some of the others. 2004 saw Fleming receive the award for presenting the Spirit of the game in its best form. Thats the tribute to the man of few words. It wont be wrong to call Fleming the CEO of New Zealand Cricket. And if statistics are anything to go by, he has been one of the safest pair of hands in the game in addition to being to longest serving ODI captain. My salute to this super strategist.

Hammad, if you, as you claim, "hate playing the race card", then why do it? Why not just say, "well played"? As soon as anyone praises someone from Australia or NZ, there's always some wally making comparisons to a past Pakistan player. I think Inzi was fabulous too. A simply great batsman and a good attacking captain who has at times been treated very poorly by his own countrymen. But someone has just got to do the whole "white man" thing. I agree with Prashant re Fleming's century at the 2003 world cup. It was probably one of the finest one day centuries in the game's history. Personally I think Fleming's batting, like Sourav Ganguly or Mark Waugh, is poorly served by looking just at his test average. Shane Warne after playing against Fleming in a Post-Tsunami one day fundraiser said that he had never seen anyone destroy an attack like Fleming did that day. He was a very astute thinker both on and off the field. Australian fans, myself included have always regarded him very highly.

I'm a staunch indian supporter but have lived in the nz for the last 17 years...and i gotta say flem's walk of the pitch today def had a tear in my eye...the man has single handedly (for the most part) kept nz on the cricketing map...it's a sad time for cricket...we're loosing some of the greatest ever, with Gilly's retirement and as our friend Hammad noted inzzy too, lara and the list goes on. We'll prob loose a few more greats too over the next year or so...I'm really grateful i got to see live, (not always cause NZ can't afford tv rights lol) some of the best players the game i love has ever produced...If you look at the whole package Flemming provided nz...i would put him up there with the best.

Hammad, I agree with the others about the race card. Using this excuse for trivial matters dilutes issues when the race is really an issue. Fleming capatined a country with a population of 3 million (more sheep than humans in NZ). The whole population of NZ lives in a city like Karachi, Lahore, Mumbai etc.. This has to be considered when you look at the stats under Fleming. His teams consistently reached the semis of the world cups and always put up a good fight against the great teams. A lot of this was purely due to the planning and tactical changes that Fleming brought to the game. He will be missed from that aspect. I am looking forward to hear him provide expert commentary on the TV broadcast. Sky TV Uk should sign him up now!!

well i agree with advait n neil that thereaint a need to play the race card. as a captain i feel fleming wud be close to the best ever seen.just look at the resoyrces he had and still the amazing results he got from them. as a player also even though he wudnt be remembered as the elite one but there were days when he could be unstoppable be it the one dayers or even tests. i remember his double hundred(274*) against the lankans in sri lanka in 2003 against the likes of Murali, arguably the best spinner of our generation. that effort was one of extreme determination and one that highlights his true value as a leader of his pack.i still feel he could have given them nz cricket much more if he hadnt been removed from the captaincy.that said hats off to a brilliant cricketer and a superb leader. may he light up the IPL with his strokeplay now.wud be great if he captains the chennai franchise.

Stephen Fleming greatest loss is that he has been pensioned off at 34 because of some weird policy within NZ cricket management relating to succession.What other country would take their best performing batsmen and greatest ever test captain and decide to replace him when he obviously wanted to continue and is still batting every bit as well as he ever has, not to mention 170 odd test catches?Flemings batting record could be viewed more favorably in a home and away light where his overseas average is 45 (Better wickets more conducive to his strokeplay). New Zealand has too few resources and too little depth to approach their selection in this way- never mind the dis-respect shown to Fleming for his services to NZ cricket. Undoubtedly with his batting order for the last ten years struggling to average 35, a bowling attack whilst useful, not entirely world class(Shane Bond excepted)he has fashioned a record that many other international captains could never emulate with NZ's plyers-Shame

Raju, sorry but as a proud kiwi I have to correct a few of your statements. You are definitely correct in regards to New Zealand's lack of playing depth but we have a population of 4 million and not everyone lives in one city! Yes, Auckland's population is 1 million but there are plenty of other cities and towns. I really can't understand why Hammad is pulling out the race card as Fleming's main attribute has always been his captaincy and has captained a side always weaker individually than most teams but stronger than most collectively. I always felt that things could of been dramatically different if Fleming was chosen to be captain of the ICC world team that played Australia. If any man could of brought together a team to beat the Australians, Flem was your man.

I was 11 years old when I first watched Fleming bat, I am now 25. I have grown up watching Flem and his retirement brings me great sadness. His languid and elegant strokeplay has been a pleasure to watch.

He has been a stalwart servant of New Zealand cricket, both on and off the field, and he will be sorely missed.

NZ cricket teams have always been very short on talented players, due wholly to our small population ( the likes of Sinclair, Bell and Grant Elliot are given multiple chances at international level because there is simply no depth in the domestic competition). As others have pointed out, Flemings astute captaincy has enabled us to punch above our weight for a number of years.

Fleming is arguably the greatest captain in the modern era. That is one hell of an achievement.

Sam Holdem
Wellington
New Zealand

Fleming sure was the tactically the most sound captain.The way he worked of the field helps his team out think much stronger opposition .Though many think that his status is based on 0-0 with australia they forget that his journey as a successful captain began with '99 victory in england and that his team didnt lose a test series from 2001 to late 2003 .This spell included a drawn series in india ,a record that not even the mighty aussies could show .His departure leaves a huge gap in the new zealand team and being their biggest fan outside newzealnd i can only hope that the Taylors, the Ryders,the Todds, theGuptills and the Flynns can some how fill this huge void.

yeh i agree rob! well put! nz and world cricket lost arguably its greatest ambassador of fair play and the 'old school' thought of cricket being a gentlemans game with it. some people in their posts wrote about better captains but how would they have fared with the same resources afforded to flem?? not as well i imagine. he held together the slim fabric that was nz cricket and not only raised a team of hard battles and never say die attitude but did it in a way that even the australians wish they had. (aus ind series that just went). inzi im sorry to say was not even in the same league! how many batsmen did he have with avg above 40? flem was the only one in the nz lineup and that was in his last match. hats off flem

I stand by every word I wrote on this subject. I admired Fleming as a cricketer but I still fail to comprehend the accolades gushing forth for a man who at best can be described as 'competent'.

As for the race thing, I disagree with Raju that this a trivial matter . I feel this was a point that needed to be brought up. As for Neil, I brought up the race card because in my opinion it was relevant and last time I checked freedom of expression is one of my fundamental rights. So stop getting your panties in a bunch.

And Advait, even though the English left in '47, looks like they left some trash behind.