Muskit Gergous at 08:23, 16 August 2023

2023-08-16T08:23:16Z

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{{short description|Indian cricketer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = Gunwant Desai
| image =
| country = India
| fullname =
| nickname =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1941|1|30|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Hariya, near [[Atul, Gujarat|Atul]], [[Gujarat]], India
| death_date =
| death_place =
| heightft =
| heightinch =
| batting =
| bowling =
| role = Opening bowler
| club1 = [[Railways cricket team|Railways]]
| year1 = 1968-69 to 1974-75
| columns = 1
| column1 = [[First-class cricket|First-class]]
| matches1 = 18
| runs1 = 115
| bat avg1 = 7.66
| 100s/50s1 = 0/0
| top score1 = 29
| deliveries1 = 2989
| wickets1 = 86
| bowl avg1 = 13.34
| fivefor1 = 6
| tenfor1 = 2
| best bowling1 = 8/54
| catches/stumpings1 = 7/0
| date = 28 March 2018
| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/28463.html Cricinfo
}}
'''Gunwant Desai''' (born 30 January 1941) is a [[former cricketer]] who played [[first-class cricket]] for [[Railways cricket team|Railways]] in [[India]] from 1968 to 1974.

Desai was a highly effective opening bowler for Railways in the [[Ranji Trophy]], averaging nearly five wickets a match at a very low average and with a strike-rate of a wicket every 34.75 balls.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/38/38703/38703.html| title = Gunwant Desai| publisher = CricketArchive| accessdate =28 March 2018}}</ref> He took 12 wickets in the match (7 for 46 and 5 for 24) in the innings victory over [[Haryana cricket team|Haryana]] in 1971-72.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/32/32152.html| title = Railways v Haryana 1971-72| publisher = CricketArchive| accessdate =28 March 2018}}</ref>

In 1974-75 he set a Railways record for match figures that still stands when he took 13 for 77 (8 for 54 and 5 for 23) in another innings victory, this time over [[Services cricket team|Services]].<ref>{{cite web | url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Records/India/Firstclass/Railways/Bowling_Records/Best_Match_Bowling_For.html| title = Best match bowling for Railways | publisher = CricketArchive| accessdate =28 March 2018}}</ref> He also made his highest score in the same match when, batting as usual at number 11, he made 29 of a tenth-wicket stand of 30.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/34/34756.html| title = Railways v Services 1974-75| publisher = CricketArchive| accessdate =28 March 2018}}</ref>

He was never selected to play for [[North Zone cricket team|North Zone]] in the [[Duleep Trophy]]. He twice played in Ranji Trophy quarter-finals, each time against [[Rajasthan cricket team|Rajasthan]]. The second time, in 1973-74, he felled the [[Test cricket|Test]] batsman [[Salim Durani]] with a bouncer, and Durani had to be taken to hospital for an operation and played no further part in the match. Rajasthan won narrowly on their first-innings lead. Railways were 241 for 9 when Desai went to the crease, needing 15 for the lead, but he was [[bowled]] for a [[duck (cricket)|duck]].<ref>S. Giridhar and V. J. Raghunath, ''Mid-Wicket Tales: From Trumper to Tendulkar'', SAGE Publications, Mumbai, 2014, p. 89.</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/34/34038.html| title = Railways v Rajasthan 1973-74| publisher = CricketArchive| accessdate =29 March 2018}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{cricinfo|id=28463}}
*{{cricketarchive|id=38703}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Desai, Gunwant}}
[[Category:1941 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian cricketers]]
[[Category:Railways cricketers]]

Gunwant Desai - Revision history

Muskit Gergous at 08:23, 16 August 2023