RIP John Edrich

Some sad news on Christmas day for us this year I'm afraid. England and Surrey great John Edrich has passed away at the age of 83 from natural causes.

One of only five England batsman to score a test triple century putting him in the deserved company of Sandham, Hammond, Hutton and Gooch. Scoring that triple ton on the then lively Headingley wicket also puts him in the illustrious company of Bradman who scored both his test triples at Headingley as well.

Edrich also scored the first boundary in ODI cricket. Whilst one day cricket began in the middle of his career he adapted his game to it better than many. Perhaps surprising given his reputation as a first-class and Test player who excelled through outstanding temperament and knowing his games limitations.

A prolific and remarkably brave batsman he faced his battle with leukemia with the same stoicism he approached fearsome pace bowlers. After being given a prognosis of seven years in 2000 he lived on to see out another two decades.

The following quote comes from his cricinfo bio and made me smile:

On the rare occasions he was struggling for runs, he turned to Wisden to check how many runs he had made. "Twenty thousand, eh?" he would say to himself: "I can't be such a bad player after all!"

Rest in peace John.

John Edrich was an immensely talented and determined opening batsman. Remarkably brave as well - never more so than when facing the West Indian pace attack here in '76. I had the pleasure to briefly chat to him about this at the Oval a few years ago. Although his memories were clear, he spoke with modesty and understatement. A good man. RIP.

PS Sad to also learn that John Edrich's Surrey colleague Robin Jackman died today. 'Jackers' had great success with his seam bowling at county level across around two decades and in the veteran stage of his career in the early '80s played a handful of Tests for England where he more than held his own.

Indeed a sad couple of days for the veterans of Surrey...Jackman of course also remembered as a commentator in SA after his retirement from the game.
Edrich was a wonderful player...immense powers of concentration and seemed to have really refined the art of completely forgetting about the previous ball if it had beaten or troubled him and just getting on with the job. Must have been a great aid to his batting partners to see such a calm stable presence at the other end.
At least he achieved many "extra" years of life after his initial diagnosis...his fighting qualities clearly not confined to the cricket field.
RIP both of them.

Just heard of the death of another former Surrey and England player, Joey Benjamin. Lively right arm seamer. Aged just 60.

He came late into the first class game, firstly for Warwickshire and then moving to Surrey for whom he played for much of the 1990s. An excellent season in 1994 saw him bag 80 wickets and win what turned out to be his only Test cap. That was against South Africa in the final Test that season at the Oval. The match is understandably remembered for Devon Malcolm's nine wicket haul in the visitors' second innings. Largely forgotten now is the highly creditable fourfer that Joey took in their first dig. He went on the Ashes tour down under the following winter but, hindered early on by a bout of chickenpox, never added to his one cap although he did play a couple of ODIs.

He had recently been coaching at Reigate Grammar School who confirmed his death yesterday. Desperately sad.

Such a shame to hear about Benjamin. 60 is no age at all.

He featured in a cricinfo article a while back with many of the players from both sides of that memorable Test at the Oval. Stewie is also featured in it and praises Benjamin's skills as a bowler.

He had such a lovely delivery stride. That wippy, languid, high arm action. A very Windies inspired bowling action, you could see the influence watching those greats whilst growing up in St Kitts must have had.