Dan Christian

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Dan Christian

| image = Daniel Christian.jpg

| fullname = Daniel Trevor Christian

| nickname = DC, siri

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1983|5|4|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Narrandera, New South Wales, Australia

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling = Right-arm fast-medium

| role = All-rounder

| international = true

| internationalspan = 2010–2021

| country = Australia

| odidebutdate = 5 February

| odidebutyear = 2012

| odidebutagainst = India

| odicap = 191

| lastodidate = 26 July

| lastodiyear = 2021

| lastodiagainst = West Indies

| odishirt = 54

| T20Idebutdate = 23 February

| T20Idebutyear = 2010

| T20Idebutagainst = West Indies

| T20Icap = 44

| lastT20Idate = 9 August

| lastT20Iyear = 2021

| lastT20Iagainst = Bangladesh

| T20Ishirt = 54

| club1 = New South Wales

| year1 = {{nowrap|2005/06–2006/07}}{{efn|Only teams Christian has played for in more than one season are listed here.}}

| club2 = South Australia

| year2 = 2007/08–2012/13

| club3 = Deccan Chargers

| year3 = 2011–2012

| club4 = Brisbane Heat

| year4 = 2011/12–2014/15

| club5 = Royal Challengers Bangalore

| year5 = 2013, 2021

| club6 = Victoria

| year6 = 2013/14–2017/18

| club7 = Nottinghamshire

| year7 = 2015–2020, 2022

| club8 = Hobart Hurricanes

| year8 = 2015/16–2017/18

| club9 = Jozi Stars

| year9 = 2018–2019

| club10 = Melbourne Renegades

| year10 = 2018/19–2019/20

| club11 = Sydney Sixers

| year11 = 2020/21–2022/23

| columns = 4

| column1 = ODI

| matches1 = 20

| runs1 = 273

| bat avg1 = 21.00

| 100s/50s1 = 0/0

| top score1 = 39

| deliveries1 = 727

| wickets1 = 20

| bowl avg1 = 29.75

| fivefor1 = 1

| tenfor1 = 0

| best bowling1 = 5/31

| catches/stumpings1 = 10/–

| column2 = T20I

| matches2 = 23

| runs2 = 118

| bat avg2 = 14.75

| 100s/50s2 = 0/0

| top score2 = 39*

| deliveries2 = 279

| wickets2 = 13

| bowl avg2 = 30.61

| fivefor2 = 0

| tenfor2 = 0

| best bowling2 = 3/27

| catches/stumpings2 = 6/–

| column3 = LA

| matches3 = 120

| runs3 = 2,844

| bat avg3 = 32.68

| 100s/50s3 = 2/14

| top score3 = 117

| deliveries3 = 3,896

| wickets3 = 107

| bowl avg3 = 33.50

| fivefor3 = 3

| tenfor3 = 0

| best bowling3 = 6/48

| catches/stumpings3 = 43/–

| column4 = T20

| matches4 = 399

| runs4 = 5,778

| bat avg4 = 23.01

| 100s/50s4 = 2/17

| top score4 = 129

| deliveries4 = 5,721

| wickets4 = 277

| bowl avg4 = 29.11

| fivefor4 = 2

| tenfor4 = 0

| best bowling4 = 5/14

| catches/stumpings4 = 182/–

| source = https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/dan-christian-4864 ESPNcricinfo

| date = 30 December

| year = 2022

}}

Daniel Trevor Christian (born 4 May 1983) is an Australian professional cricketer with Aboriginal ancestry. He was considered a Twenty20 specialist and played for franchises all over the globe. Christian is known as a powerful hitter and a useful medium pacer. ESPNcricinfo's Peter English described him as a "natural all-rounder". He is seen as a cricket role model for Australia's indigenous population.{{cite web|url=http://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/457821.html|title=The man from Narrandera|last=English|first=Peter|date=30 April 2010|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=30 April 2010}}

Early life

Born in 1983, Christian grew up in the town of Narrandera in the Riverina region of New South Wales and is of British, Irish Catholic and Australian Indigenous Wiradjuri ancestry. He lived in Narrandera until the age of 13 when he moved to Sydney to attend St Gregory's College, Campbelltown.{{cite news |title=Cricket's gain is league's loss |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=AWNB&req_dat=1054640702C8DBC0&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F13BC9A136C09A2C8 |access-date=26 October 2023 |work=Daily Telegraph (Sydney) |via=Newsbank |date=22 December 2011}}

Cricket career

File:Brisbane Heat vs Melbourne Stars T20 5.jpg match in 2014]]

In 2003, Christian attended the Australian Cricket Academy.{{cite web|url=http://www.cricinfo.com/blank/content/story/131050.html|title=ACB and AIS announce 2003 Commonwealth Bank Cricket Academy scholars|date=2 May 2003|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=15 February 2010}}

Christian played List A cricket for New South Wales in 2006 and 2007. After he was not offered a new contract for the 2007–08 season, he moved to South Australia where he soon found himself playing first-class cricket for the state team.[http://content-www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/4864.html ESPNcricinfo - Players and Officials - Daniel Christian] ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 7 December 2007

In 2009, Christian captained an Indigenous Australian cricket team that toured England.{{cite web|url=http://www.cricinfo.com/australia/content/story/409292.html|title=Aboriginal tour to mark 1868 groundbreakers|date=16 June 2009|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=15 February 2010}} ESPNcricinfo noted that "With the bat Christian can be brutal, particularly when aiming at Adelaide's square boundaries, and he is one of those rare strikers whose eyes don't need a warm-up ball." He was brought into Australia's Twenty20 team "following a series of brutal, clever and consistent performances."

In February 2010, he made his Twenty20 International debut against the West Indies. The following month, he was selected as a member of Australia's squad for the 2010 ICC World Twenty20 tournament.

Christian played for Hampshire in their victorious 2010 Twenty20 Cup campaign.

Additionally, Christian was a part of the Deccan Charger’s team which competed annually in the DLF IPL - he was purchased for US$900,000.{{cite web|url=http://www.ipl-schedule.com/382-players-sold-in-ipl-auction-2011.html |title=Players sold in IPL Auction 2011 |publisher=Ipl-schedule.com |date=2011-01-08 |access-date=2013-08-06}}

On 2 March 2012, he took figures of 5/31 which included a hat-trick in an ODI match against Sri Lanka at the MCG. Despite his impressive figures, Australia were unable to win the match.

He was picked up by the Royal Challengers Bangalore for a sum of US$100,000, and joined them for their IPL-6 campaign.

In 2013, Christian signed for the English side Gloucestershire Gladiators to play in the 2013 Twenty20 Cup,{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/county-cricket-2013/content/current/story/624878.html |title=County news : Gloucestershire sign Daniel Christian for T20. Cricket News. County Cricket 2013 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=2013-08-06}} although he did play a first-class game for Gloucestershire against Australia A. The following year he signed for Middlesex Panthers to play in the 2014 t20 Blast,{{cite web|url=http://www.middlesexccc.com/articles/2014-04-24/dan-christian-signs-to-play-natwest-t20-blast-cricket-for-middlesex|title=Dan Christian signs to play Natwest T20 Blast cricket for Middlesex|publisher=Middlesex County Cricket Club|access-date=2014-04-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140424195450/http://www.middlesexccc.com/articles/2014-04-24/dan-christian-signs-to-play-natwest-t20-blast-cricket-for-middlesex|archive-date=24 April 2014|url-status=dead}} a spell which included an innings against Kent of 129, which included ten sixes and to date is the highest score by a batsman in a T20 game at the St. Lawrence Ground.[http://www.espncricinfo.com/county-cricket-2014/content/story/750761.html Christian's brilliance fails to end Middlesex slump]{{Cite web|date=2021-05-16|title=Canterbury T20 Blast Statistics and Records|url=https://t20-head-to-head.com/t20-blast-stadium-statistics-records/canterbury/|access-date=2021-05-18|website=T20 Head to Head|language=en-GB}}

In 2015, Christian signed for his 4th English County, Nottinghamshire in a spell that would bring both him and the club great success in the t20 Blast competition.{{Cite web|title=Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club : Dan Christian|url=https://www.trentbridge.co.uk/cricket/players/2018/dan-christian.html|access-date=2021-06-02|website=www.trentbridge.co.uk}}

In February 2017, he was bought by Rising Pune Supergiants team for the 2017 Indian Premier League.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/indian-premier-league-2017/content/story/1083407.html |title=List of players sold and unsold at IPL auction 2017 |access-date=20 February 2017 |work=ESPNcricinfo|date=20 February 2017 }} In January 2018, he was bought by the Delhi Daredevils in the 2018 IPL auction.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/22218394/ipl-2018-player-auction-list-sold-unsold-players |title=List of sold and unsold players |access-date=27 January 2018 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}

During the summer of 2018, he scored his first T20 hundred for the Notts Outlaws against Northamptonshire posting a record score at the County Ground in the process.{{Cite web|date=2021-05-16|title=Northampton T20 Blast Statistics and Records|url=https://t20-head-to-head.com/t20-blast-stadium-statistics-records/northampton/|access-date=2021-06-02|website=T20 Head to Head|language=en-GB}}

In October 2018, he was named in Jozi Stars' squad for the first edition of the Mzansi Super League T20 tournament.{{cite web|url=https://www.sport24.co.za/Cricket/live-mzansi-super-league-player-draft-20181017 |title=Mzansi Super League - full squad lists |work=Sport24 |access-date=17 October 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.iol.co.za/sport/cricket/domestic/mzansi-super-league-player-draft-the-story-so-far-17521199 |title=Mzansi Super League Player Draft: The story so far |work=Independent Online |access-date=17 October 2018}} In July 2019, he was selected to play for the Dublin Chiefs in the inaugural edition of the Euro T20 Slam cricket tournament.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/27222261/eoin-morgan-represent-dublin-franchise-inaugural-euro-t20-slam |title=Eoin Morgan to represent Dublin franchise in inaugural Euro T20 Slam |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=19 July 2019}}{{cite web |url=https://www.cricketeurope.com/DATABASE/ARTICLES2019/articles/000010/001060.shtml |title=Euro T20 Slam Player Draft completed |work=Cricket Europe |access-date=19 July 2019 |archive-date=19 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190719163945/https://www.cricketeurope.com/DATABASE/ARTICLES2019/articles/000010/001060.shtml |url-status=dead }} However, the following month the tournament was cancelled.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/27387389/inaugural-euro-t20-slam-cancelled-two-weeks-notice |title=Inaugural Euro T20 Slam cancelled at two weeks' notice |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=14 August 2019}}

In September 2019, he was named in the squad for the Jozi Stars team for the 2019 Mzansi Super League tournament.{{cite web |url=https://cricket.co.za/news/31555/MSL-20-announces-its-T20-squads |title=MSL 2.0 announces its T20 squads |work=Cricket South Africa |access-date=4 September 2019 |archive-date=4 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190904081427/https://cricket.co.za/news/31555/MSL-20-announces-its-T20-squads |url-status=dead }} Christian led the Notts Outlaws to victory in the 2020 T20 Blast competition with a man of the match performance.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/54408622|title=T20 Blast: Notts Outlaws beat Surrey to win trophy for second time |work=BBC |access-date=4 October 2020}}

In November 2020, he was picked by Karachi Kings for Pakistan Super League. He played the first few matches but withdrew from tournament in March 2021 due to a Covid-19 outbreak.{{cite web |title=A timeline of how Covid-19 forced PSL 2021 to be suspended |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/a-timeline-of-how-covid-19-forced-the-psl-2021-to-be-suspended-1253711 |website=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=5 April 2024}} Before that he had played for Multan Sultans in the PSL 2019.{{cite web |title=Pakistan Super League, 2018/19 - Multan Sultans batting averages |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/tournament/averages-batting-bowling-by-team/pakistan-super-league-2018-19-12804?team=6413 |website=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=5 April 2024}}

In February 2021, Christian was bought by the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL auction ahead of the 2021 Indian Premier League.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/ipl-2021-auction-the-list-of-sold-and-unsold-players-1252152 |title=IPL 2021 auction: The list of sold and unsold players |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=18 February 2021}}

On 8 August 2021, Christian scored 30 runs off an over bowled by left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan as part of a 15-ball 39 scored against Bangladesh,{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/aug/08/australia-finally-beat-bangladesh-in-t20-thanks-to-christian-heroics |title=Australia finally beat Bangladesh in T20 thanks to Christian heroics |work=The Guardian |date=7 August 2021 |access-date=9 August 2021}} to become the first Australian to hit five sixes in a single over of a T20 international.{{cite web|url=https://www.cricket.com.au/news/australia-bangladesh-lowest-scoring-series-dan-christian-t20-world-cup-dhaka/2021-08-08 |title=Records loom as 'crazy' series hits new scoring low |work=Cricket.com.au |access-date=9 August 2021}} Later the same month, Christian was named as one of three players as injury cover in Australia's squad for the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/1274020.html |title=Josh Inglis earns call-up and key names return in Australia's T20 World Cup squad |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=19 August 2021}}

In early January 2025, Christian came out of retirement to join the Sydney Thunder for the rest of the 2024–25 Big Bash League season. He had been serving as Thunder's assistant coach over the previous two seasons and answered a late call-up to bolster the team amid a mounting injury toll.{{cite news |title=Dan Christian made available for BBL return as Thunder announce squad ahead of clash with Heat {{!}} Sydney Thunder |url=https://www.sydneythunder.com.au/news/4194261/dan-christian-made-available-for-bbl-return-as-thunder-announce-squad-ahead-of-clash-with-heat |access-date=10 January 2025 |work=www.sydneythunder.com.au |date=5 January 2025 |language=en}}

Books

In 2022 he wrote The All-rounder - The inside story of big time cricket with Gideon Haigh about his exploits in cricket during 2021 with RCB, Australia and in the Hundred.{{cite web|url=https://www.harpercollins.com.au/9781460761175/the-all-rounder/ |title=The All-rounder|access-date=14 April 2022}}