Rajesh Maru

Rajesh Jamandass Maru (born 28 October 1962) is a Kenyan-born English cricket coach and former cricketer. Maru moved to England with his parents as a child, where he began playing cricket at school level. He represented Middlesex in age-level cricket from the age of nine, and signed his first professional contract with the county in 1979. A slow left-arm orthodox spin bowler, he played first-class and one-day cricket for Middlesex until 1983, but struggled to establish himself in the Middlesex side due to the presence of spinners Phil Edmonds and John Emburey.

Maru was subsequently released by Middlesex in 1984, and signed for Hampshire shortly after, playing for them until his retirement in 1998. He made 213 first-class and 102 one-day appearances for the county, taking 504 and 82 wickets respectively. He continued to play for the Hampshire Cricket Board in the minor counties one-day competition and domestic one-day competition. After retiring, he was a development coach at Hampshire, and later director of coaching at Lancing College.

Early life and education Rajesh Jamandass Maru was born in Nairobi in October 1962. He moved with his family to England in 1972, after his father had been headhunted by Mercedes-Benz. They settled in London, when Maru was 8 years age.

Cricket Middlesex Maru signed a contract for Middlesex in 1979, and began playing for their Second XI in the same year, topping their bowling averages. He played for England Under-19 in 1980 and 1981, at Youth Test and One Day International level. Maru made his debut in first-class cricket for Middlesex against Essex in the 1980 County Championship at Southend-on-Sea, making eight appearances in the competition, and taking 12 wickets at an average of 34.33. He also made his debut in List A one-day cricket, playing once in the John Player League against Kent at Lord's. He made four first-class appearances in the 1982 season, playing twice in the County Championship, in addition to appearing against Cambridge University and the touring Pakistanis;

Hampshire First-class regular After being linked with a move to Nottinghamshire, He established himself in Hampshire's first team in the 1984 season, making 17 first-class appearances – 15 in the County Championship. and his second (7 for 79) in August against Middlesex. In one-day cricket, he made two appearances in the John Player Special League. He took 73 wickets at an average of 26.34 and claiming five wickets in an innings on three occasions; He scored his first half-century against Sussex, when batting as a nightwatchman he made 62 and shared in a partnership of 120 runs for the second wicket with Chris Smith. In one-day cricket, he featured once in the 1985 John Player Special League against Kent.

Maru took 48 wickets at an average of 27.83 from 17 first-class appearances in the 1986 season. He was awarded his county cap in August. He made 26 first-class appaearances in 1987, taking 71 wickets at an average of 29.02 and five wickets in an innings on three occasions; Maru featured six times in Hampshire's one-day team in 1987. his half-century was again made as a nightwatchman, with him sharing in a partnership of 153 runs for the fourth wicket with Robin Smith. Whilst fielding against Northamptonshire, he equalled Tom Dean's record of seven catches by a Hampshire fielder (excluding wicket-keepers) in a match; it has since been equalled by Liam Dawson. his 8 for 41 were the best innings figures by a bowler in 1989. Throughout the season, he made 23 first-class appearances, taking 44 wickets at an average of 33.89. In 1990, Maru made 25 first-class appearances. He had his best season batting in 1990, scoring 520 runs at an average of 28.88, making three half-centuries. He featured regularly in Hampshire's one-day side in 1990, making 25 appearances. He made 11 one-day appearances across the season, but took just 6 wickets at a high average of 48.66. but fell out of favour as the season progressed, with Maru making eight first-class appearances. In 14 one-day appearances, he took 10 wickets at an average of 51.50, He played just once for Hampshire in 1993, a first-class match against the touring Australians at Southampton. He took 15 wickets in the Championship, at an average of 41.40. In eight one-day appearances, he took 4 wickets at an average of 66.50. He was afforded a benefit for the 1998 season, playing two final matches during the season, both first-class matches against Lancashire in the County Championship and the touring Sri Lankans.

Hampshire Cricket Board Maru was appointed captain of the Hampshire Cricket Board (HCB) in 1999. He played for the HCB four times in the 1999 MCCA Knockout Trophy, and captained the side in its maiden List A appearance in the NatWest Trophy against minor county Suffolk. Having defeated Suffolk in the first round, the HCB defeated another minor county, Shropshire, in the second round, before losing to Glamorgan in the third round. He was their leading wicket-taker in 2001, with 34, and guided them to promotion to the first division. He played for Portsmouth until 2002.

Playing style and statistics Maru was a slow left-arm orthodox bowler, Mark Nicholas, his captain at Hampshire, described his deliveries as "gentle". A right-handed lower order batsman, Maru was often employed as a nightwatchman, sent in to bat when a top-order batsman was dismissed at the end of the day, in order protect the wicket of the proceeding batsman. He was a good close-to-the wicket fielder. Batting, he scored 2,818 runs at an average of 17.50, making seven fifties. In one-day cricket, he made 109 appearances, with 102 coming for Hampshire. His 240 catches for Hampshire in first-class cricket makes him one of the few players to have averaged better than a catch a game for the county. he played an important role in the development of future England internationals Danny Briggs, Liam Dawson, and James Vince. In 2007, he coached Hampshire's under-17 side to the Under-17 County Championship. In the summer of 2013, he coached the cricket club at Wisborough Green in West Sussex. Maru has coached for the England and Wales Cricket Board's "Spin It Up" initiative, that sought to teach coaches bowling from a spinner's perspective.

Notes and references