Geoff Lawson

Born on December 7, 1957, Geoff Lawson is a former Australian cricketer widely known for his brave and vibrant personality. 

He gained the attention of selectors after being named the ‘Young Australia Cricketer of the Year’. 

Lawson made his international debut in an ODI fixture against New Zealand on November 23, 1980. A few days later, the talented bowler featured in his maiden Test match and scalped three wickets. 

In his only third red-ball match, the New South Wales-born cricketer finished with figures of 7/81 against England. 

Then, Lawson returned as the best bowler in the 1982/83 edition of the Ashes with 34 wickets in five matches, which helped the Australian team regain the Ashes. 

In the same year, he added another feather to his cap as he picked up 16 wickets in 10 matches in the World Series Cup. His efforts paved the way for the Aussie team to clinch the title. 

However, the seamer emerged as the best bowler in the Pakistan series with 24 wickets. 

In the 1984/85 season against West Indies, he claimed his career-best red-ball figures of 8/112. 

After missing a couple of years due to injuries, he again made a comeback and took 29 wickets at 27.27 in the 1989 Tour of England. 

He last appeared in Baggy Green against Sri Lanka in December 1989. In 46 Tests, Lawson scalped 180 wickets. On the other hand, he had 88 wickets in 79 appearances in ODIs. 

Lawson served as the head coach of the Pakistan national team for a little over a year from 2007-08; he was relieved from his duty after an uneasy relationship with PCB. 

(As of July 2022)