John Edrich

Infobox Cricketer


nationality = English
country = England
country abbrev = ENG
name = John Edrich
picture = Cricket_no_pic.pngbatting style = Left-handed batsman
bowling style = Right arm medium
tests = 77
test runs = 5138
test bat avg = 43.54
test 100s/50s = 12/24
test top score = 310*
test overs = 5
test wickets = 0
test bowl avg = n/a
test 5s = 0
test 10s = 0
test best bowling = n/a
test catches/stumpings = 43/0
ODIs = 7
ODI runs = 223
ODI bat avg = 37.16
ODI 100s/50s = 0/2
ODI top score = 90
ODI overs = 0
ODI wickets = 0
ODI bowl avg = n/a
ODI 5s = 0
ODI best bowling = n/a
ODI catches/stumpings = 0/0
date = 13 July
year = 1976
source = http://www.cricinfo.com/db/PLAYERS/ENG/E/EDRICH_JH_01001203/

John Hugh Edrich MBE (born 21 June 1937 in Blofield, Norfolk)is a former English cricketer who played for Surrey and England. He earned a reputation as a dogged and fearless batsman, and his figures show that he was amongst the best players of his generation. He played a total of 77 Test matches for England in an international career lasting from 1963 to 1976. He was renowned for playing the cut, cover drive and was strong off his legs.

He came from a cricketing family, his four cousins Eric Edrich, Bill Edrich, Geoff Edrich and Brian Edrich all having played first-class cricket. He was educated at Bracondale Private School from the ages of 8 to 17, during which time he played cricket at weekends and was coached by former cricketer CSR Boswell.

Career

Having played four first-class matches for Combined Services in 1956 and 1957, whilst doing his National Service, Edrich made his first-class debut for Surrey in their final fixture of the 1958 season. The following year, he came to the fore, scoring 1,799 runs at an average of 52.91. Over the next four years he and Micky Stewart became a very effective opening partnership for the county, to the extent that both were called up for England for the Test series against the mighty West Indies, who were dominating the sport at this time. Despite Edrich's fine performances for his county, he managed to total only 108 runs in six innings facing the likes of Hall, Sobers and Griffith.However, injuries gave him an opportunity to break back into the international side when Geoffrey Boycott was injured during Australia's tour of England in 1964. He was called up to the side for the second Test and did not disappoint, scoring 120. The match ended in a draw due to rain. [ [http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/154875.html Cricketer of the Year] "www.cricinfo.com". Retrieved on 10 August 2007.] However he was not selected for the 1964-5 tour of South Africa.

Injuries to other players resulted in a recall to the England side for the Third Test against New Zealand at Headingley in July 1965, where he scored 310 not out. This colossal innings spanned over 8 hours, and included 52 fours and 5 sixes - 238 runs or 77% of his innings [ [http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/england/content/story/128733.html Edrich's epoch] "www.cricinfo.com". Retrieved on 8 August 2007] . Commentators at the time said that he might have broken the existing Test record of 365 within another 90 minutes or so if his captain, Mike Smith, had not felt it necessary to declare the innings closed fact|date=October 2007. However a week later during the 1st Test vs South Africa, he suffered a blow to the head from a short-pitched delivery by Peter Pollock. This was before helmets came into use, and he was forced to retire hurt on 7 not out. [ [http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/england/content/player/12490.html John Edrich's Cricket profile] "www.cricinfo.com". Retrieved on 29 July 2007]
Wisden named Edrich as Cricketer of the Year in 1966 for his achievements in 1965, alongside Colin Bland, Dick Motz, Graeme Pollock and brother Peter Pollock. As well as his Test triple century, he had scored a total of 2319 runs at an average of 62.67 during the season, including eight hundreds. At one stage, in nine successive innings he scored 139, 121*, 205*, 55, 96, 188, 92, 105 and 310*. Not previously known as a big hitter, he struck 49 sixes during the course of the season.

He had by now become an established member of the England batting line-up, rarely omitted unless injured. Beginning with the 1965-6 tour of Australia, he sometimes batted at number three rather than, as hitherto, opening the innings. That tour and the two succeeding series against Australia, in 1968 and 1970-1, saw him scoring heavily.

Edrich played in the first ever One Day International, on the 5 January 1971 against Australia. The umpires called for a 40-over match consisting of eight-ball overs after the Third Test was called off due to rain. Edrich top scored with 82 runs, winning the Man of the Match award.

The following summer, Surrey won the County Championship for the first time since 1958, with Edrich's batting being an important factor. By now, Stewart had dropped down the order to number three, and Edrich had formed another successful opening partnership with Mike Edwards. Stewart retired after the 1972 season, and from 1973-77 Edrich succeeded him as Surrey's captain.

On the tour of Australia in 1974-75, his fortune regarding injuries did not improve. In the first Test a ball from aggressive pace bowler Dennis Lillee struck his hand and broke it, although he was able to continue batting. In the 4th Test, the then Captain Mike Denness dropped himself and Edrich was subsequently named as Captain. [ [http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/england/content/story/222039.html The Captain Who Dropped Himself] "www.cricinfo.com". Retrieved on 30 July 2007] He had little luck in that game, when Dennis Lillee broke his ribs with the first ball of his second innings, although he did recover to bat later on, scoring 33 runs. England lost the test, and it was to be his first and final appearance as Captain. [ [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/cricket/ashes_tour/article634109.ece Egos battered, Bruised and Bewildered] "www.timesonline.co.uk". Retrieved 30 July 2007.] [ [http://observer.guardian.co.uk/osm/story/0,,1931311,00.html Heads we lose] "www.observer.guardian.co.uk". Retrieved on 30 July 2007.] During the 1977 county cricket season, Edrich scored his 100th first-class century playing for Surrey, against opponents Derbyshire. In the same year he was awarded an MBE for services to cricket.

Edrich finished his first-class career in 1978 having scored 39,790 runs. He became a Test selector in 1981. [ [http://acscricket.com/Articles/2/2800.html Famous cricketers] "acscricket.com". Retrieved on 8 August 2007.]

In 1995 he was named as England's batting coach. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/868169.stm Edrich diagnosed with incurable leukemia] "www.bbc.co.uk". Retrieved 7 August 2007.]

In the summer of 2000 it was announced that he had been diagnosed with a rare form of incurable leukemia known as Waldenstrom's, and he was told that he had 7 years to live. In an interview with The Independent, Edrich said following his diagnosis [ [http://sport.independent.co.uk/cricket/article272567.ece Edrich battles with incurable leukemia] "www.independent.co.uk". Retrieved on 7 August 2007] :

In 2006 he was announced as President of Surrey County Cricket Club.

References

External links

* [http://www.cricinfo.com/db/PLAYERS/ENG/E/EDRICH_JH_01001203/ Cricinfo]
* [http://www.cricketarchive.com Cricket Archive]