Dominic Cork

At 53 years old, Dominic Cork has this physical status:

Dominic Gerald Cork (born 7 August 1971) is a retired English county and international cricketer.

Cork, a right-handed lower-order batsman who bowled right-arm fast-medium, was known for his swing and seam control.

On Test debut, he recorded 7 for 43, making his first appearance in first-class cricket against the West Indies in 1995.

He made 69 appearances for England from 1992 to 2002.

Cork played for Derbyshire for 13 years before moving to Lancashire in 2004 under tumultuous circumstances.

Cork came from Lancashire after the 2008 season, and he served as captain for a portion of the 2010 and 2011 seasons.

He won the 2009 Friends Provident Trophy and captained the county to victory in the 2010 Friends Provident t20 at Hampshire.

He was released by Hampshire at the end of the 2011 season and revealed his retirement on Sky Sports News on September 22, 2011.

"Corky" is his common nickname.

Early life

Cork was born the youngest of three boys in Newcastle-under-Lyme's Mary and Gerald Cork, both Catholics of West Country origin. Archibald Cork, his grandfather, played non-league football for Port Vale F.C. In the 1910s, there were records of a migrant population. His father worked as a financial advisor. He attended St. Joseph's College, Stoke-on-Trent, before starting his studies at Newcastle-under-Lyme College.

Personal life

Cork married Jane, his first wife, when he was 22, but his marriage was ended in divorce due to the stresses of being away on international service. Since joining the county's Academy, Cork's Greg, one of his debut for Derbyshire in 2014, has played four Twenty20 matches. His son is also an all-rounder.

Cork lives in Derby and is married to Donna, his second wife, five years his senior. Stoke City, F.C., has been a lifelong fan.

Cork regularly reviews Sky Sports' games. When he was commentating on Sri Lanka's tour of Pakistan for the Pakistan Television Corporation, he was one of the many people wounded in the 2009 attack on the Sri Lanka national cricket team. Following his remarks that match referee Chris Broad had fabricated parts of the attack, he chastised Pakistan Cricket Board chief Ijaz Butt. Cork also has an opinion about the Indian Premier League. When England toured Bangladesh in February 2010, Cork made his debut as a summarizer on Test Match Special. Cork was selected as one of the participants of series 6 of Dancing on Ice with Finnish figure skater Alexandra Schauman in December 2010. Following a skate-off with host Jeff Brazier, he was disqualified in week four after being voted out by six of his fellow contestants.

Cork is a Conservative Party.

Cork's father was admitted to hospital after suffering a heart attack in July 2011, but he was diagnosed with cancer and given only three weeks to live. In his final days, Cork went from playing for Hampshire to being with his father, with Gerald dying on August 13.

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International career

Cork made his Youth ODI debut against New Zealand Under-19s in August 1989 while playing for Staffordshire. He made his Youth Test debut against the same opposition in August. He appeared in six more Youth Tests to 1990 and five more Youth ODIs to 1990. Following his good results against Derbyshire in the 1991 season, he earned a call up to the England A team for their 1992 tour of the West Indies, where he appeared in two first-class matches against the Windward Islands and West Indies A.

In a One Day International against Pakistan at Old Trafford later this year, following further success for Derbyshire, he made his full international debut. In the match, Inzamam-ul-Haq, he took just one wicket. Cork played infrequently for England over the next two seasons, winning just two ODIs each against Australia and South Africa respectively in 1993 and 1994. Nonetheless, he played in three ODIs against the West Indies in May 1995, taking 6 wickets at a bowling average of 21.81, with best figures being 3/27.

He made his Test debut against the same opposition later this season. He hit the first ball he received for 4 runs before going on to score 30 runs in England's first innings, before being bowled by Courtney Walsh. He scored 23 runs in the second innings before being dismissed by Ian Bishop. When he dismissed Ian Bishop, he was his first Test wicket in the West Indies' first innings. Cork unleashed a bowling spell that saw him take 7/43 – the best figures by an Englishman on Test debut – to dismiss them for 223. Cork's success demonstrated that at the time, he was the best all-rounder in England, as well as his name on the Lord's Honours Boards. It also earned him the nickname of "the new Botham" from the media. Two Tests later, he made a Test cricket hat-trick (only the 22nd in Test history) as he dismissed Richie Richardson, Junior Murray, and Carl Hooper in successive balls in the West Indies second innings; he was the first Englishman since Peter Loader in 1957 to achieve the feat. Cork won by 26 wickets at an average of 25.42. In the 4th Test, he scored his maiden Test half century by making an unbeaten 56 runs.

During their winter tour, Cork had a fruitful time in South Africa, playing five Tests and six ODIs during the tour. Cork was once more England's top wicket taker, with 19 Test wickets at an average of 25.52 and best innings figures of 5/84. With the ball, he was both efficient in the ODI series, and England's second best wicket taker behind Derbyshire teammate Phil DeFreitas with 10 wickets at 26.40 a piece. Cork was selected in England's squad for the 1996 World Cup in India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Cork was the top English wicket taker in a tournament in which no one of the England bowlers shone, with 8 wickets at 27.00. Despite this, Cork and the rest of the England team were heavily chastised in the media for an unsuccessful tournament that saw them defeated by eventual winners Sri Lanka in the quarterfinals.

Cork had a less fruitful time in Test cricket than before, taking ten wickets in India's three-match Test tour at an average of 36.90. He had 12 wickets at a little over 36 points apiece during a quiet Test series against Pakistan earlier this year. In either case, his form with the bat was no better, with his all-round ability evidently abandoning him. Despite this, he was named a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1996. Cork's first marriage to his first wife Jane was marred by his personal problems off the track prior to his tour of New Zealand. His personal problems influenced his playing on the track, as shown by his bowling performances. He had taken just 7 wickets at an average of 42.85 at the end of the Test series. His batting did well in the first Test, scoring 59 in the first Test and leading England to a landslide victory in the 3rd Test, bringing together 76 runs with John Crawley to remind people of the batting aspect of his game. Despite this, he did much worse in the ODI series, taking just a single wicket throughout at a cost of 145 runs. He would not play again in an ODI until 2001. Cork said he was not in the right frame of mind to play international cricket at the time and how his results were affected by this, while still claiming he had no idea when running in to bowl that he would send down to the batsman. However, there was a suspicion in some quarters that Cork was "more style than substance," and he was the object of Geoffrey Boycott's remark that Cork had "an attitude problem." When injury prevented him from playing during much of the 1997 English season, Cork was unable to answer Boycott's back.

During South Africa's 1998 tour of England, he appeared in the Test series more than a year after his previous Test appearance for England. Cork's return to form was fruitful, with 18 wickets taking an average of 31.83 and best innings figures of 6/119. In the second Test at Lord's, his best results came in, putting his name on the Lord's honours board for the second time. In a match won by ten wickets, he later played in England's sole Test against Sri Lanka at The Oval, where he claimed the wickets of Marvan Atapattu and Romesh Kaluwitharana. Cork later went on to Ashes Tour in the winter. He took the first two Tests at the Gabba and The WACA, taking only 4 wickets in total at 41.25. This was to be the last time Cork would test outside of England.

Cork was named in the England Test squad for the West Indies tour of England in 2000, where he appeared in four Test matches. Cork was in superb form with the ball throughout the series, with the exception of his Test debuts. He took 20 wickets at an impressive average of 12.25 against a West Indian team that was in decline, but the team retained talented players such as Brian Lara, Courtney Walsh, Curtly Ambrose, and Shivnarine Chanderpaul. Cork's best Test cricket moments came during the series, when England's second Test Test England was 149/7 and needing to reach 188 to win, Cork's first Test cricket match was played. When required, Cork scampered singles and crossed boundaries, including a pulled six off Franklyn Rose's bowling, leading to a two wicket victory in the dusk at Lord's shortly before 7 p.m. He was later barred from entering Pakistan's winter tour due to a back injury.

Cork appeared in the Pakistani tour of England in 2001 and then was recalled to participate in the ODI series involving Pakistan and Australia. Cork had limited success on his return to the game, taking six wickets at an average of 35.83. He later played in the 2nd Test of the 2001 Ashes at Lord's, scoring 24 runs in England first-innings before being dismissed by Jason Gillespie. He only scored 2 runs in England's second innings before being dismissed by Glenn McGrath. In the match, Steve Waugh in the Australians first-innings was ineffective with the bat, taking just one wicket. Cork continued his Test against Sri Lanka in 2002 and lost his final Tests against India. In the 2002 ICC Champions Trophy against India and Zimbabwe, Cork's last ODI appearances for England. He had little success and seemed to lose his ability to outswing the ball, and he continued to bowl the bouncer more often and escalated sledging toward opponents.

Cork had appeared in 37 Test matches during his international career after the tournament. He played a total of 867 runs at an average of 18.00, with three-quarter centuries and a high score of 59. He caught 18 catches on the field. With the ball, he took 131 wickets at an average of 29.81, his best figures of 7/43 were claimed on debut. In ODIs, he played 32 games, winning 180 runs at an average of ten.00, with a high score of 31*. He took 41 wickets at an average of 33.36, with the best figures being 3/27. In the Test environment, his benefit as an all-rounder was most apparent.

Domestic career

Cork played county cricket for Staffordshire in the Minor Counties Championship against Bedfordshire, aged just 17. In 1989, Cork played three more games for Staffordshire, and the following season, he appeared in his only MCCA Knockout Trophy match for Staffordshire, against Shropshire. He made his full Derbyshire debut against the touring New Zealanders in 1989 after playing for the Derbyshire Second XI. In Mark Priest's second innings, he took his first wicket during this match, that of opening batsman Trevor Franklin in his first over which ended as a wicket maiden, and in the New Zealanders' second-innings. In Derbyshire's last County Championship match of the same season, he made his County Championship debut against Leicestershire. He made his List A debut against Yorkshire in the 1991 Refuge Assurance League as a regular member of the Derbyshire team throughout the season. Cork's early years as a potent all-rounder came as a result of a high scoring average of 21.15 runs and 57 first-class wickets at a bowling average of 25.62. In the Essex first-innings, a good Essex team put on a good showing, with Cork winning figures of 8/53. Future Test player Nick Knight and Pakistani international Saleem Malik were among his victims.

During England's tour of the West Indies, his exploits in the 1991 season earned him a call up to the England A team. Cork forged his place in the Derbyshire squad in the coming season with consistently strong results in both first-class and List A cricket. He scored 578 runs at an average of 30.42 in first-class cricket, bringing his second-class debut to a close finish. He was less efficient with the ball this season, but he took 48 wickets. In the same season, he stood out with the ball in the one-day game, taking 27 wickets an average of 28.85, including his first five wicket haul in List A cricket. It was his regular appearances with the ball that earned him his One Day International call-up in 1992. Cork scored his second first-class century against Gloucestershire in 1993, taking 104 runs. Cork was man-of-match in the final of the 1993 Benson & Hedges Cup against Lancashire, scoring an unbeaten 92 and losing by 6 runs as Derbyshire defeated the team by 6 runs. Despite playing a few more ODIs in general, Cork's 1993 and 1994 seasons were less fruitful for the team with the bat, with 37 first-class wickets in both seasons. Cork's 1995 was supposed to be his best season ever, with 90 first-class wickets against Northamptonshire, his best figures to date, as well as Cork's debut.

Cork was a regular member of the England team in the coming seasons, with limited appearances for Derbyshire. He made limited appearances in both first-class and List A cricket in 1996, but after a groin injury in the first County Championship match of 1997, he did not play any international cricket this season and limited his appearances for Derbyshire. Cork was appointed Derbyshire captain on a full-time basis in 1998, swapping Phil DeFreitas who had been assisting after Dean Jones' departure in 1998. In 1998, a return to the England Test fold in 1998 stifled his County Championship appearances, but he did appear in more county competitions this season. In one-day cricket, he scored 280 runs and took 23 wickets at just below average of 30 runs. In the 1998 NatWest Trophy final loss to Lancashire at Lord's, he captained Derbyshire. Cork's recent international cricket struggles, where he had lost his ability to bowl his much-loved outswinger, resulted in him playing for Derbyshire for the bulk of the 1999 season, where he averaged 55 wickets at an average of 22.34. Cork returned to the England Test squad in the following season. A personal note of achievement in the county Championship match against Durham, where he made a double century while scoring an unbeaten 200.

However, Derbyshire was beset with internal divisions from Dean Jones' departure from the captaincy two years ago. During that 1998 season, England's chairman of selectors David Graveney dropped Cork out of the 1999 World Cup squad, citing that the problems at Derbyshire were too pressing on Cork's mind for him to play international cricket. Cork begged the Derbyshire committee to return a few of positions to the captaincy before the 1999 season, and if his demands were unfull, he threatened to resign from the county entirely. Kim Barnett and Karl Krikken, who were allies with Cork in the conflict, were among the competitors. Cork responded well to his challenge and asked to be released from the remainder of the four seasons that remain on his deal. However, Derbyshire refused to end the deal. The Derbyshire committee, six months after the scandal began, gave Cork's demands that he have more say in playing matters, as well as the departure of Andy Hayhurst and Harold Rhodes from county offices, both of whom Cork cited as making his captaincy untenable. Former Cork captaincy tactics and his "negative" effect on the dressing room became public knowledge soon. His form began to deteriorate during the conflict, but another injury in 2001 did not help him. In 2001, he was given a benefit year, with some of his charity appearances being postponed by the Derbyshire committee; this was a season in which Cork's appearances were limited to only a few due to his England duties and return to England's one-day tour.

Cork's playing time for Derbyshire in 2002, but pressure began to build on his captaincy with Derbyshire's poor results in List A cricket and ending the season 6th in the County Championship, although he did take 64 wickets at 18.90. In 2002, Cork's international career came to an end, allowing him to concentrate his efforts with Derbyshire for the rest of his life. Cork's form with both bat and ball was erratic in 2001, down from 51.50, 18.90 in 2002 and 27.26 in 2003. His one-day cricket performances were still stronger. The 2003 season was also one of Cork's most turbulent. Cork branded Australian Brad Hodge a cheat after he appeared to touch Steven Selwood after crossing the boundary rope in the Twenty20 Cup. Tim Lamb, England and Wales Cricket Board's chief executive, also described the England and Wales Cricket Board's response as "pathetic." Following Hodge's words, the politician considered legal action. The England and Wales Cricket Board took action, summoning Cork to a hearing where they fined him £1,000 and banned him for three matches. For a year, the three match ban was suspended. With Derbyshire rooted to the bottom of the County Championship Division Two table at the end of the season, and Derbyshire's incoming Director of Cricket David Houghton's refusal to name him captain for 2004 only revealed him as captain from the remainder of his three-year contract extension, which was originally scheduled only at the beginning of the 2003 season. The county granted him his freedom.

Cork played 158 first-class matches for the county from 1990 to 2003, averaging of 5,870 runs in five centuries and thirty-five centuries. He had 125 catches on the field. With the ball, he took 55 wickets at a bowling average of 25.76, including 22 five wicket hauls, 5 ten wicket hauls, and his best innings figures of 9/53. His record in List A cricket for the county was equally impressive, with 184 games and scoring 2,947 runs at an average of 22.49, with 16 half centuries and a high score of 93. He caught 83 catches in the field. He claimed 234 wickets at an average of 26.05, with four five wicket hauls and best figures of 6/21, which remain his best figures. He formed vital bowling teams with colleagues Phil DeFreitas, Devon Malcolm, and Ole Mortensen. Kim Barnett, the first captain he competed for at Derbyshire, has been praised as the best captain he has played for, despite his characterization of him as his "guide and mentor." In fact, Cork's wish was to see Barnett return to the county in an administration capacity that was instrumental in Cork's demise in the county.

Cork joined Lancashire in the 2004 season after being released from his Derbyshire contract. Cork made his county debut in a County Championship match against Northamptonshire after recovering from ankle surgery. Cork's early days in his new county saw mixed success, with the County Championship's Division One demise in 2004 and a lack of form. Cork's maiden season with Lancashire saw him play a part in the Twenty20 Cup in Edgbaston, where he appeared in the team's semi-final defeat at Surrey. In 2004, he was given his county cap. The county was returned to Division One the following season, with Cork taking 46 first-class wickets at 26, and 17 List A wickets at an average 27.47. This season was a marked improvement on Cork's debut season for Lancashire. Lancashire mounted a challenge to the County Championship in 2006, with Cork taking 42 wickets at an average of 25.50. Lancashire was eventually defeated by Sussex to win the title. Cork also played a key role in Lancashire's bid to the final of the 2006 Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy, where they competed Sussex. Kyle Hogg started the bowling but did not take any Sussex wickets, but Richard Montgomerie and Carl Hopkinson did run out Richard Montgomerie and Carl Hopkinson. As Sussex ran out winners by 15 runs in a low scoring match, his not out 35 runs in Lancashire's innings was in vain.

Cork was banned from the first 50-over game of 2007 after an incident in the previous season's final against Sussex and fined £2,500. On appeal, the price was later reduced to £500. The 2007 season ended in a similar fashion to the previous season's County Championship, with the title race between Sussex and Sussex continuing to the final day of the season. Surrey at The Oval, Lancashire, needed nothing less than a victory to win the trophy. Cork had a dogged 47 in Lancashire's second innings, but the team came up short by 25 runs. Chasing 489 runs to win, Cork had a dogged 47 to win. Lancashire, Cork, Scotland's pecking order, did not participate in any one-day matches in 2008 and only played a handful of County Championship matches. Lancashire will not be renewing Cork's deal for the 2009 season, according to the publication on August 12, 2008. While Cork said that "it hurts, decisions like this," he also said that he intends to continue playing cricket at the highest level that he could. Stuart Law, the Lancashire captain, said he had not been informed of the decision and that Cork had not been consulted, and that he wanted Cork to remain at the club. Cork was released "with the long-term growth of the playing staff in mind and the desire for the team to develop," the club said. Andrew Flintoff, a Lancashire and England all-rounder, had questioned Cork's decision to remove the cork.

Cork played 64 first-class games in his five seasons with Lancashire, scoring 1,822 runs at an average of 24.95, with three centuries, eight half centuries, and a high score of 154. In comparison, he caught 49 targets in the field. He took 173 wickets on Old Trafford's slowest wickets at 28.29, with four wicket hauls and best innings figures of 7/120. He played 57 matches, winning 749 runs at an average of 22.69, with two half centuries and a high score 57. He caught 15 times in the field. With the ball, he took 58 wickets at an average of 28.98, with the best figures being 4/14. Since the first season of Twenty20 cricket, Cork had left Derbyshire, so with Lancashire he had greater exposure to the style. He batted for Lancashire at an average of 13.63, with a high average of 28 runs. With the ball, he took 26 wickets at an average of 22.72, with best results of 4/16.

He joined Hampshire after signing a two-year contract on October 2, 2008, making his debut against Worcestershire in the 2009 County Championships at the Rose Bowl. Having been a vital part of the Hampshire squad during the 2009 Friends Provident Trophy, where he was instrumental in guiding them to the final. Hampshire defeated Hampshire by 6 wickets in the final. Cork was man-of-the-match, 16 years after his man-of-the-match appearance for Derbyshire in the 1993 Benson & Hedges Cup final. Cork's figures stood at 4/41, including England wicket-keeper Matt Prior's for a second ball duck and Pakistani national Yasir Arafat. Cork's first season was a good success, with him taking 62 wickets in both formats. After being in the Division One relegation zone for the majority of the season, Nick's first season form helped Hampshire to a late-season rally.

After Dimitri Mascarenhas' absence for the majority of the 2010 season, Cork took over the captaincy when Nic Pothas stood down following a string of poor results. Cork led the team to victory in the 2010 Friends Provident t20 finals at the home of Hampshire cricket, the Rose Bowl. During the final, he took the wickets of Jos Buttler and Arul Suppiah, as well as striking Kieron Pollard in the eye with a bouncer, resulting in Pollard's needing hospitalization. During the incident, Cork was lauded for his sportsmanship. Following the match, Cork was promised a new one-year contract by Hampshire, a contract he said he was likely to sign but that he would still consider over the coming weeks. Cork had signed a one-year contract extension, taking him into the 2011 season, his 21st appearance in first-class cricket. Cork was also given captaincy for the 2011 season on a permanent basis.

If Cork's 2011 season was anything but fruitful, he would play for the all-rounders' double in first-class cricket. Off the bowling of Ajmal Shahzad, Cork scored his 10,000th run in Hampshire's County Championship match against Yorkshire at Headingley. Hampshire started badly in the County Championship, where they sat second bottom without any victories, but in one-day cricket they did not fared well. Hampshire, on the other hand, saw a change in fortunes, be it in the Friends Life t20, with Cork captaining them to five wins out of five, guiding them to their second consecutive finals day. They lost in the semi-finals against Somerset on Friday, on finals day. Cork's form continued to decline as the season progressed, but towards the end of the 2011 season, he took a break to look after his father, who had been diagnosed with cancer and given a matter of weeks to live. He paid an emotional tribute to his father, who died just days before, in the Twenty20 finals. Hampshire will be releasing Cork at the end of the 2011 season, according to the octagon on September 10th. Cork dropped just shy of 1,000 first-class wickets after 21 years in first-class cricket, with Cork ending his first-class career with 989.

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