Damien Fleming is a former Australian right hand medium fast bowler who played 20 Tests and 88 ODIs from 1994-2001. He was part of the 1999 World Cup winning squad and the 1996 World Cup where Australia were runners up. He bowled a decisive last over in the semi final against South Africa in the 1999 WC and dismissed Courtney Walsh in the last over of the 1996 semi final.

A native of Perth, Western Australia, Fleming started playing for the state of South Australia at the age of 19. A prolific performer at the domestic level, he was first inducted into the squad for the tour of Pakistan in 1994. By that time he had already played some ODIs and proved himself to be adept at the international stage. But the stage was set for bigger things to happen. In Rawalpindi, Fleming picked up a hat-trick in the Pakistan’s second innings, thus becoming only the third Test cricketer to achieve the feat on his debut which included the wicket of Salim Malik, Australia’s arch nemesis. He missed the next game because of an injury, and this turn of events was to set the tone for future events. Whenever Fleming was fit, his pacy outswingers and ability to reverse the old ball was a key foil to the disciplined bowling of McGrath and Gillespie. Bowling of a shortened run- up he was known to be very stingy in the ODI format which meant that he regularly bowled at the death. In Test cricket, his best figures of 5/31 came against India in Adelaide where he could have picked up another hat-trick if Shane Warne at second slip had not dropped a sitter.

Probably the best moment of Fleming’s career came in the semi final of the 1999 World Cup. Given his ability to bowl yorkers at the death, he was chosen to bowl the last over against a rampaging Lance Klusener who needed just 9 runs off the last over, albeit with just a wicket in hand. He was smashed for consecutive boundaries off the first two balls, but Fleming regained his composure and sent in the next two into the blockhole. Thanks to some maniacal running, Australia managed to tie the game and the rest is, as they say, history. Performing under pressure was nothing new for Fleming as he had taken Australia to victory under similar circumstances in the semi-final of the 1996 World Cup against West Indies. By the time he had picked up 134 wickets in 88 ODIs for Australia, he succumbed to various injuries and announced retirement in 2000-2001 from all forms of the game. Following his retirement, he was appointed head coach at the Australian Cricket academy in 2003. This is where he started developing his famous ‘Bowlology’ theories. Today he is a popular figure on the public speaking circuit and is known for his wicked sense of humor when on commentary duties for the both domestic and home international matches.

Facts:

1) He has made regular appearances on the Australian show ‘Thank God You're Here’

2) His highest Test score is 71* in the drawn Gabba Test against England in 1998. He has two Test fifties to his name.