da cassino： Top prospect Andrew Strauss waltzed to a career-best during Middlesex’s recent CricInfo Championship win at Lord’s
Matthew Appleby30-Jul-2001Top prospect Andrew Strauss waltzed to a career-best during Middlesex’s recent CricInfo Championship win at Lord’s.The 24-year-old South African-born batsman made 176 off 286 balls against a weakened Durham attack.With 21 boundaries, Strauss orchestrated Middlesex to a key Division Twovictory.The opener told CricInfo: “It was one of the few days when everything wentmy way.” His 100 came off 151 balls, before he eventually holed out tosquare leg to make the total a commanding 301/4.A fourth-wicket Middlesex record was established in the match, withpartner and old Radley College chum Ben Hutton going on to score 120. Theprevious record was set by Mark Ramprakash and John Carr back in 1995.Strauss and Hutton, both left-handed batsmen, have a lot in common. Theywere born in the same South African hospital just a month apart.”We first started batting together aged 13. We were both so tiny we couldhardly hit the ball off the square then, but we’ve developed together quitewell,” revealed Strauss.Ironically, Strauss is a former student at Durham University, where hegained a BA(Hons) degree in economics in 1998. In that year he made hisfirst-class debut for Middlesex. He also played rugby and golf for hisuniversity during his undergraduate years of 1996-8.’Johan’s’ third first-class century and second of the season was achievedin his 41st first-class match. He now has 727 runs for the season at anaverage above 40.His ambition is to “reach the top. I aim to make the most of my abilities”.And with a famous name (albeit musical – no relation) and with a Hutton(grandson of Sir Len) to support him, getting noticed may be just that biteasier.