Two great cricketers of the past:

Pakistan's Imran Khan and Lankan Marvan Atapattu

By A.C. De Silva

FLASHBACK... For two great cricketers of the past-Imran Khan of Pakistan and Sri Lanka's Marvan Atapattu, both of whom have had the honour of captaining their countries with distinction, the month of November has had a special significance as both of them will celebrate their birthdays side by side.

Sri Lankan coach Marvan Atapattu seems to be having a close race with South Africa's Mark Davis - a member of the Sussex Coaching Staff for the job of being Sri Lanka's No.1 coach.

Samson Marvan Atapattu was born on 23rd November in 1970, while Imran Khan was born in Lahore on November 25 in 1952.

The Pakistan legend Imran Khan became the fourth Pakistani to be inducted formally into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame at Lord's. The former Pakistan captain received his commemorative cap from the ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat.

Imran joins batsman Hanif Mohammad and Javed Miandad as Pakistan's representatives in the initial intake of 55 players into the Hall of Fame.

After the presentation, Imran said: "It is a great honour to be inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame and to be recognised for my cricketing achievements for Pakistan.

"I achieved many things during my cricketing career; including winning a World Cup in 1992, but to be named amongst the initial 55 inductees, alongside Hanif and Javed makes me very proud."

Imran Khan Pakistan in 48 or his 88 Test matches scoring 3,807 runs averaging 37.69 runs, while with the ball he claimed 362 Test wickets with an economical rate of 2.54.

His career averages put him at the top of the quartet of all-rounders (fellow Hall of Fame members Sir Ian Botham, Sir Richard Hadlee and Kapil Dev being the other three) who dominated Test cricket during the 1980s.

He led Pakistan to its first series victory in England in 1987, taking 10-77 to claim victory for the side at Headingley after every other match of the series had been drawn.

Imran played 175 ODIs for Pakistan and captained the side on 139 occasions between 1982 and 1992. He claimed 182 wickets at an average of 26.61 and scored 3709 runs at an average of 33.41.

21 years at top

The crowning glory of his 21 years at the top of international cricket came in 1992 when he led Pakistan to victory in the Cricket World Cup over Graham Gooch's England by 22 runs. The side Imran led featured two of his fellow Pakistani Hall of Famers Javed and Wasim while the side faced featured fellow Hall of Famers Gooch and Botham.

ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said: "It was an honour to present Imran Khan, one of the true legends of the game, with his ICC Cricket Hall of Fame cap at Lord's during such a historic Test match. Imran's brilliance in Test Match cricket and in the 50 over One Day International format had captured the imagination of fans, including me, across the world. He played in great spirit and built a reputation as a magnificent all rounder in both formats.

"The Hall of Fame continues to recognise the players who have built the legends on which our great sport is built."

ICC Cricket Hall of Fame - initial inductees (55):

Sydney Barnes, Bishan Bedi, Alec Bedser, Richie Benaud, Allan Border, Ian Botham, Geoffrey Boycott, Donald Bradman, Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, Denis Compton, Colin Cowdrey, Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, Lance Gibbs, Graham Gooch, David Gower, WG Grace, Tom Graveney, Gordon Greenidge, Richard Hadlee, Walter Hammond, Neil Harvey, George Headley, Jack Hobbs, Michael Holding, Leonard Hutton, Rohan Kanhai, Imran Khan, Alan Knott, Jim Laker, Harold Larwood, Dennis Lillee, Ray Lindwall, Clive Lloyd, Hanif Mohammad, Rodney Marsh, Malcolm Marshall, Peter May, Javed Miandad, Keith Miller, Bill O'Reilly, Graeme Pollock, Wilfred Rhodes, Barry Richards, Vivian Richards, Andy Roberts, Garfield Sobers, Brian Statham, Fred Trueman, Derek Underwood, Clyde Walcott, Eventon Weekes, Frank Woolley, Frank Worrell.

2009 Inductees: Herbert Sutcliffe, Steve Waugh, Wasim Akram, Victor Trumper, Clarrie Grimmett.

Atapattu - great name in Sri Lanka cricket

Coming into Sri Lankan Marvan Atapattu - now this is a name that is synonymous with Sri Lanka Cricket for more reasons that one. He began his international cricket career on a disastrous note scoring just one run in his first six Test innings that included five ducks. But he fought back from that slump which would have disheartened any ordinary cricketer to finish as the sixth highest run-getter for his country in both formats of the game - Test and One-Day Internationals.

He aggregated 5502 runs (average 39.02) in Tests converting six of his 16 Test hundreds into doubles and 8529 runs (avg.37.57) in ODIs with 11 hundreds. He captained in 18 Tests and 63 ODIs and scored the second largest number of ducks in Test cricket (22) after Muthiah Muralitharan (32) for Sri Lanka. Atapattu began as a middle-order batsman and moving to the position as opener brought the best out of his talent.An elegant player with a technically sound approach Atapattu who retired from international cricket four years ago is today the batting coach of the Sri Lanka team.

Briefly he helped Canada in their 2011 World Cup campaign as batting coach and was director coaching of Singapore in 2010. Marvan Atapattu was the Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year in 1990. Earlier than that, he was captain of Ananda College and that year was the year he became Observer Schoolboy Cricketer of the year 1990. He made his Test debut in 1991. Then he was a member of the 1996 World Cup Winning team.

Atapattu captained Lanka

He also captained Sri Lanka from 2003 to 2006 and had played 90 Test matches and 270 ODI's.

Marvan Atapattu has 16 Test hundreds and 6 double hundreds and scored a hundred against every Test playing country.