From Boeta Dippenaar to Dilhara Fernando: The forgotten ODI mainstays of the 2000s

The 2000s was lit up by some of modern-day cricket’s finest white-ball careers, but beyond the glittery array of superstars lay plenty doing their thing in the background. Some of them played on either side of the decade, while others came and went exclusively in the 2000s, but all of them at least played 50 ODIs.

Stuart Matsikenyeri – Zimbabwe

113 ODIs, 2224 runs @ 22.01; 16 wickets @ 48.62

In an ODI career that stretched until 2015, Matsikenyeri played most of his matches in the Noughties, averaging in the low 20s and batting everywhere in the order barring No.9. He played in three World Cups, hitting 13 50s and no centuries in his 110 innings, picking up 16 wickets with his off-spin across his career.

Boeta Dippenaar – South Africa

107 ODIs, 3421 runs @ 42.23, 4 100s

Dippenaar had an accomplished ODI career, often moving around the order and coming up with respectable scores. The latter half of his career saw a second wave where he hit form as opener, often combining with Herschelle Gibbs and Graeme Smith at the top. But there wasn’t really an innings that really stood out, leaving him to do his bit around other matchwinners. The conversion rate probably hurt him – he only converted four of his 30 fifty-plus scores – as did the relatively low strike-rate of 67.78.

Justin Kemp

85 ODIs, 1512 runs, 1 100 @ 31.50; 32 wickets @ 31.71

Considered a suitable successor to Lance Klusener, Kemp had all the elements to be a successful all-rounder. In the early days of his career, he established a reputation of being a power-hitter, doubling up with his medium pace and electric fielding. His career came to an abrupt end when he decided to jump into the ICL boat in 2007, never returning to play for South Africa.

Owais Shah

71 ODIs, 1834 runs @ 30.56, 1 100

An U19 World Cup winner, Owais Shah seemed ready to graduate into international cricket early, scoring a fine fifty in only his second ODI. However, as his career progressed, the big scores eluded him and he often went for long patches without a substantial score. He scored less than 25 in close to 60 per cent of his innings, and was pushed out in a rapidly-changing England setup by the end of the decade.

Upul Chandana

147 ODIs, 151 wickets @ 31.90; 1627 runs @ 17.30

A wiry leg-spinner who played for 15 years, Chandana, a part of the 1996 World Cup-winning team, played well into the 2000s, but the second half of his career is largely forgotten. Apart from being a stellar fielder, he was a promising bat who played quick cameos down the order, but in a swiftly evolving Sri Lankan one-day setup, his spot vanished by 2005, barring a surprise one-off recall two years later, after which he didn’t play again.

Mervyn Dillon

108 ODIs, 130 wickets @ 32.44

A lanky quick who drew early comparisons with Courtney Walsh, Dillon had the unmistakable ability to move the ball in from a great height, establishing his spot in both formats in the late 1990s. He continued to hold his place until the first half of the next decade, primarily as a new ball bowler but faded away as West Indies shifted focus towards the younger lot.

Dilhara Fernando

147 ODIs, 187 wickets @ 30.20

The most capped player on this list, Fernando was a regular presence in the Sri Lanka line-up of the 2000s, but his rapid pace was often masked by inconsistent lines and a tendency to give away plenty of freebies. For a decade he was Sri Lanka’s preferred first-change bowler but was often expensive and wayward. Statistically their fourth most successful ODI seamer, Fernando’s erratic returns probably made him an easy man to be forgotten.

Dinesh Mongia

57 ODIs, 1230 runs @ 27.95, 1 100

A versatile left-handed batsman who was also a handy spinner, Mongia remained effective through his stay in the Indian team, even though there wasn’t much spectacular in his gameplay. In and out of the Indian team in the first half of the 2000s, he forced his way back for a second stint following a successful county stint at Leicestershire, but could only enjoy limited opportunities. Perhaps he needed a few more big scores such as his unbeaten 159 against Zimbabwe in 2002, his only one-day century. You can find which betting site is really the best in India here.

Daren Powell

55 ODIs, 71 wickets @ 31.53

Probably best remembered for bowling one of the most bizarre deliveries in Test history, Daren Powell’s swift pace didn’t see him play more than 55 ODIs, even if the problem partly lay in West Indies’ inconsistent selection. Powell played under seven different captains, and was their leading wicket-taker in the 2007 World Cup at home, but fizzled away two years later aged 30.