10 unsung World Cup Heroes

#4 Andy Bichel

Andy Bichel produced his career-best batting and bowling performances during the 2003 World Cup

Another Aussie player who hasn’t been given enough credit for Australia’s 2003 World Cup win is Andy Bichel. Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath were tremendous throughout the tournament but Bichel’s contribution to Australia’s win was more than substantial. He contributed immensely with the ball and a few times with the bat as well.

Bichel made his tournament debut in Australia’s third match of the tournament against the Netherlands and bowled a brilliant spell of 3/13. Jason Gillespie’s injury cemented Bichel’s place in the playing XI. He then played against Namibia and took two wickets in an over without conceding a single run.

The 32-year old then produced his finest performance of the tournament against England, bowling a career-best spell of 7/20. In that very match, he scored 34 with the bat and added 73 runs for the 9th wicket with Michael Bevan to win the match for Australia. He was eventually adjudged the Man of the Match.

In the Super Sixes, Bic scored a career-best 64 against New Zealand at Port Elizabeth to help Australia to 208/9 from 84/7. He ended the Super Sixes with a spell of 2/42 against Kenya at Durban.

Bichel bowled an extremely economical spell of 0/18 in the semi-final against Sri Lanka at Port Elizabeth. The pacer conceded 57 runs in the final against India at Johannesburg but took the crucial wicket of Rahul Dravid.

Andy Bichel ended the tournament as the joint 7th highest wicket-taker with 16 wickets at an impressive average of 12.31 which was the best average among all the bowlers who took 10 or more wickets.