A left-hander, in his first eight years in first-class cricket he had his fingers broken four times
25 December 2020 • 4:28pm
John Edrich on his way to an unbeaten 100 for England in the first Test against India at Old Trafford in 1974
Credit: Patrick Eagar/Popperfoto via Getty Images
John Edrich, who has died aged 83, was one of the most prolific, and also one of the most underrated, of all England batsmen.
The 5,138 runs he scored at an average of 43.54 in 77 Tests between 1963 and 1976 exceeded the totals of all other England left-handers of his era. As an opener, moreover, Edrich had to face the full, fresh fury of Hall and Griffith, Procter and Pollock, Lillee and Thomson, Holding and Roberts.