Local celeb, once a football sensation for England, now operates a shop in his native town, having transformed into a casual thrower of balls.
Gary Pratt: The Unforgettable Substitute Fielder
Gary Pratt, a native of Durham, will always be remembered for his extraordinary moment in the 2005 Ashes series. At the age of 22, Pratt became a cult hero when he ran out Australia captain Ricky Ponting, a feat that catapulted him into the limelight [1][2].
Despite this spectacular achievement, Pratt's professional cricket career did not reach great heights. He played six years of first-class cricket for Durham between 2000 and 2006, scoring 1,000 runs in the Championship in 2003, but never played a Test match for England. By the end of 2006, at the age of 25, he was out of first-class cricket [1].
After his brief stint in the spotlight, Pratt's career seemed to plateau. The search results do not provide detailed information about his post-cricket professional activities or current occupation as of 2025. However, it is known that he plays cricket for the North Yorkshire and South Durham Premier League's Richmondshire, a club he joined in 2012 [5].
Pratt's heroic moment at the 2005 Ashes series involved a throw from a distance that caught out Ponting after he and Damien Martyn set off for a single. The image of Pratt being hoisted into the air by his teammates after the run-out became a rallying point for England, who went on to win the series [3].
In an interview with The Times, Pratt attributed part of his career's decline to the attention his famous moment brought. While he felt he had achieved his dream of having a career in cricket, he expressed that it ended too soon [4]. After his heroic moment, Pratt was not as widely recognized for his batting skills and was often seen as someone who could just throw a ball.
Despite this, Pratt continues to be passionate about cricket, as evidenced by his involvement in multiple clubs and running his cricket shop named Lorimers in Bishop Auckland, County Durham [2]. He also currently plays social cricket for a local car dealership, SG Petch, and receives a car in return for his participation in matches and charity events [2].
In conclusion, Gary Pratt became a household name for his run out of Ricky Ponting in the 2005 Ashes, but his professional career did not extend beyond first-class cricket. Currently, he plays cricket for Richmondshire and continues to be involved in the sport through his cricket shop and social games. The search results do not provide detailed information about his post-cricket professional activities or current occupation as of 2025.
[1] Cricket Archive [2] The Times [3] BBC Sport [4] The Telegraph [5] Richmondshire Cricket Club
Gary Pratt, despite his brief stint in the limelight for his run-out of Australia captain Ricky Ponting in the 2005 Ashes series, has continued his love for sports by playing cricket for various clubs and even operating a cricket shop named Lorimers in Bishop Auckland, County Durham.
His enthusiasm for sports, particularly cricket, persists, as demonstrated by his involvement in social cricket for a local car dealership, SG Petch.
