An Eye for Business Here are some cricketers who have dabbled with entrepreneurship to augment their considerable wealth post retirement.

Duncan Fearnley Born in 1940, Fearnley had a phenomenal record at school level, but his professional career never took off. He began crafting cricket bats during the winter months to supplement his flagging income as a first class cricketer. A fringe player for Yorkshire, and then Worcestershire, Fearnley began marketing his gear among teammates and contemporaries. By the 1980s, the brand had acquired market dominance, with Ian Botham, Sunil Gavaskar, and Clive Lloyd among the cricketers using Fearnley products. The company currently produces roughly 5,000 bats a year and is popular among players in the county circuit.



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Mahela Jayawardene & Kumar Sangakkara The Sri Lankan duo, famous for amicably sharing captaincy during their playing days, now co-owns Ministry of Crab, a chain of seafood restaurants. The former cricketers roped in Dharshan Munidasa, a celebrity chef in their native Sri Lanka to export the island nation’s delicacies. The venture, which finds mention in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list 2018, has outlets in Colombo, Shanghai Mumbai and Manila.

Gary Kirsten The former South African cricketer had a successful stint as coach of the Indian national team, guiding the Men in Blue to the World Cup title in 2011. Kirsten formed a close relationship with Paddy Upton, who served as the team’s Mental Conditioning coach during his tenure. They went on to co-found Performance Zone, a consultancy that helps individuals and businesses optimise their productivity. After quitting as India coach, he set up a travel agency in South Africa, while devoting time to the Gary Kirsten Cricket Academy, an elite facility that provides training to promising youngsters.