Oliver Philip Rayner (born 1 November 1985) is an English former professional cricketer. He is a right-arm off break bowler and right-handed batsman who most recently played for Middlesex County Cricket Club. In May 2019, he was selected to represent the German cricket team. In March 2020, Rayner announced his retirement from cricket.[1]
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Oliver Philip Rayner | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 1 November 1985 Walsrode, Soltau-Fallingbostel, West Germany | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname | Mervin, Rocket | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-arm off break | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Bowler | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2011 | Sussex | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | → Middlesex (on loan) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2019 | Middlesex (squad no. 2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018 | → Hampshire (on loan) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019 | → Kent (on loan) (squad no. 2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FC debut | 18 May 2006 Sussex v Sri Lankans | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LA debut | 4 June 2006 Sussex v Kent | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: ESPNcricinfo, 26 September 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career
editSussex
editRayner represented the Sussex first-team since 2006, having been an occasional part of the Second XI team since his debut in 2002.
Rayner hit a century in the first match of his first-class career, against the touring Sri Lankan cricket team, becoming the first Sussex player to do so for 86 years.[2] In spite of this strong start, the beginning of his County Championship career was shaky, though he put in an occasional good spell with the ball.
Generally speaking, Rayner occupied the lower order, while working on the reliability and consistency of his batting.
Middlesex
editRayner joined the Middlesex County Cricket Club on loan for the start of the 2011 season until mid-May.[3] In August 2011, Rayner returned to Middlesex on loan for the remainder of the season.[4] Rayner, then aged 25, hit 266 runs and took 11 wickets in eight County Championship games for Middlesex during 2011.
On 11 October, the all-rounder signed on a three-year deal after he impressed with his previous two loan spells.[5]
In the 2013 season, Rayner took 46 wickets at an average of 22.0,[6] lifting him into some discussion of landing a place in the England Lions cricket team.[7]
On 21 January 2014, Rayner was called up to the England Lions Squad for the forthcoming tour of Sri Lanka. He replaced the injured Simon Kerrigan who would be monitored with the possibility of him joining the squad later on in the tour if his condition improved.[8]
Germany
editIn February 2019, Rayner attended a training camp with the German national cricket team, with the view to help Germany qualify via the Regional Finals of the 2018–19 ICC World Twenty20 Europe Qualifier group for the 2020 ICC T20 World Cup.[9] In May 2019, he was named in Germany's squad for the Regional Finals of the 2018–19 ICC T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier tournament in Guernsey.[10][11]
References
edit- ^ "Ollie Rayner confirms retirement after Middlesex release". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
- ^ "Ace debutant makes county history". Eastbourneherald.co.uk. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
- ^ "Rayner to join Middlesex on loan". Bbc.co.uk. 3 February 2011. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
- ^ "Sussex's Rayner rejoins Middlesex". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
- ^ "Middlesex sign Rayner from Sussex". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
- ^ "The Home of CricketArchive". Cricketarchive.com. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
- ^ "England's Test team: Who stays? Who goes?". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
- ^ "Rayner called up to Lions squad". ESPNcricinfo.com. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
- ^ "Ich bin ein Berliner". Cricket Europe. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
- ^ "ICC Men's T20 World Cup – wir fahren nach Guernsey!". Deutscher Cricket Bund. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
- ^ "Squads announced for ICC Men's T20 World Cup Europe Final 2019". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 31 May 2019.