5 most famous Steves of cricket

Cricketer's names are household entities, especially in a country like ours where we don't hesitate in hero-worshipping our representatives of the sport. Stories of children being named after their parent's favourite cricketers are innumerable: Sunil Gavaskar naming his son after legendary West Indian batsman Rohan Kanhai being a noteworthy example.

With cricket being a global sport there are many around the world who happen to share their names. But does a certain common name link many famous people associated with the gentlemen's game? The examples are many and this article talks about one such name - Steve.

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Steve Waugh

Legendary Australian captain Steve Waugh is perhaps the most famous and successful cricketer with the name 'Steve'. Waugh is one of the most ruthlessly competitive cricketers to have graced the game, his calm exterior never giving anything away to the opposition.

An aggregator of more than 10,000 Test runs across a then-record 168 matches, Steve Waugh successfully led Australia in the 1999 World Cup in addition to 15 victories in their famous run of 16 consecutive Test wins.

With a win percentage of 71.93 in Tests and 63.21 in ODIs, the stylish right-handed batsman is one of the most successful captains of all time. Keeping aside the stats that prove his credentials as a legend of the game, it was the culture that he infused in the Australian team that will always be remembered.

Waugh turned his team into a merciless invincible force that not just defeated opponents on the cricket field but also in their minds. The famous 'mind games' are a product of Waugh's tactics to mentally deflate his opponents in order to win advantage over them and pounce on the same.

Steve Smith

Steve Smith is a modern batting legend

If one Steve gave Australia the culture and attitude that helped them rule world cricket for close to two decades, then the other happened to be at the receiving end of the same legacy left behind by his namesake.

Steve Smith was at the peak of his batting prowess and leaving bowlers across the globe clueless when he fell trap to unacceptable brain fade in a bid to justify the Australian way of winning.

Captain of the Australian team amidst the Sandpaper Gate on their 2018 tour of South Africa, the No.1 ranked Test batsman took responsibility for the malicious act of his teammate that tried violating the rules and the prestige of the game.

Prior to the one year ban placed on him by Cricket Australia, 29-year-old Smith had scored 6199 Test runs at a staggering average of 61.37 that included 23 centuries. Leading his team from the front, Smith was the solid rock in the Australian middle order, scoring the bulk of runs and putting his team in a winning position.

It remains to be seen how the talented Smith comes back after serving his punishment; whether he will be able to replicate his success and make up for the lost time in his career and mend the tarnished image among his countrymen.

Steve Harmison

Steve Harmison was one of England's premier fast bowlers, for a short time albeit

English fast bowler Steve Harmison may not have had a very long cricket career, but it was enough for him to make many headlines and get his name etched as one of the famous players to have represented English cricket in the 21st century.

In a career that spanned between 2002 and 2009, Harmison's major achievements include his ascent to the top of the ICC Rankings for Test bowlers in 2004 and being a member of the victorious England team that regained the Ashes in 2005.

In fact, in the second Test at Edgbaston, the tall right-handed pacer picked up the wicket of Michael Kasprowicz with a well-directed bouncer to help England pull a victory out of the jaws of defeat and go on to script a memorable series win.

In his 63 Test career, Harmison ended up taking 226 scalps, his performance of 7/12 against West Indies being his best ever. A premier fast bowler who swung the ball both ways, Harmison was often bogged down by his homesickness that inhibited him from performing overseas.

Steve Tikolo

Steve Tikolo is the first name that comes to mind for Kenyan cricket

The first cricketer from a non-Test playing nation to feature in 100 ODIs, former Kenyan captain Steve Tikolo is one of the most famous names amongst players from Associate nations.

A veteran of the sport as far as Kenan cricket is concerned, Tikolo played 135 ODIs and scored 3428 runs in addition to his tally of 94 wickets. His run tally is the highest and his wicket-count second best for any cricketer from the African nation of Kenya.

In an illustrious career that spanned between 1996 and 2014, the all-round cricketer epitomised the sport for his country as his stint saw Kenya scaling their peak in international cricket.

Leading his side to the semi finals of the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup, playing a crucial hand of 29 in a low scoring encounter that upset the mighty West Indies in the 1996 World Cup and leading the player protest against his own Board's internal politics that forced a change in the administration will be the highlights of what has truly been a remarkable career for a cricketer from a country that seldom got opportunities to showcase their abilities.

Steve Bucknor

Steve Bucknor will remain one of cricket's most known officials

Jamaican umpire Steve Bucknor was one of the most famous (Indians read infamous) umpires to have officiated cricket matches over a career span of 20 years (1989-2009).

The 6 ft 3 in West Indian became popular for the extra time he took before making decisions, also earning him the moniker 'Slow Death'. He officiated in 128 Test matches, which is a record, and was the first to reach the milestone of 100.

Bucknor has also officiated in 181 ODIs, being a member of ICC's Elite Panel of Umpires from its inception till his retirement. He was chosen to stand in the final of the 1992 Cricket World Cup and ended up umpiring the finals of the next four editions in 1996, 1999, 2003 and 2007.

In the latter stages of his long career, he came under serious scrutiny as his poor umpiring started raising questions over his credibility as a cricket official. India's loss to Australia in the Sydney Test of 2008 because of ordinary decision-making was a blip that he could hardly justify and also led to his ouster from future assignments in the series.

Also, he was one of the five officials suspended after the final of the 2007 World Cup as they let play continue even with light not permitting. He finally called it a day in 2009.