Derek Underwood: Former England and Kent spinner dies aged 78 | Cricket Information

Former England and Kent spinner Derek Underwood has died on the age of 78, the county have introduced.

Underwood was capped 86 instances by England in Take a look at matches throughout a enjoying profession which started in 1963 and resulted in 1987, and his 297 wickets are the sixth-most by a participant within the nationwide group’s historical past.

At home degree, he was one-club participant and took 2,523 wickets throughout his three many years enjoying for Kent, the place he gained three County Championships, two One-Day Cups, three Nationwide Leagues and three Benson & Hedges Cups.

“The Kent Cricket household is in mourning following the passing of certainly one of its best ever gamers,” the county’s chair Simon Philip stated.

“Derek was an impressive contributor to each Kent and England, successful trophies for membership and nation and etching his title within the historical past books forevermore.

“Watching Derek weave his distinctive magic on a moist wicket was a privilege for all who have been capable of witness it. His induction into the ICC Corridor of Fame reveals the esteem through which he was held in world cricket.

“An advocate for rising our recreation worldwide while defending our sport’s wealthy heritage, Derek additionally made substantial contributions off the sphere in addition to on it, and he might be sorely missed by everybody at Kent Cricket.”

Underwood, affectionately generally known as ‘Lethal’, made his Kent debut as a 17-year outdated and have become the youngest bowler to take 100 wickets in his debut season, together with 4-40 in his first innings.

Generally known as a grasp of uncovered pitches, he first performed for his nation at Take a look at degree as a 21-year-old in 1966 and made his remaining worldwide look in 1982. He performed 26 in one-day internationals as nicely, taking 32 wickets.

No different spinner has taken extra Take a look at wickets for England and his file tally would have been even increased had it not been for his choice to play in Kerry Packer’s World Collection Cricket and the primary insurgent tour of South Africa.

Nevertheless, he nonetheless sits 42 wickets forward of his nearest rival amongst spinners, Graeme Swann.

After retiring from enjoying, Underwood was named MCC president in 2008, after serving as Kent’s president in 2006, and was inducted into the ICC’s Cricket Corridor of Fame in 2009.

In 2011, the Annexe Stand at Kent’s house floor in Canterbury was renamed the Underwood and Knott Stand in recognition of his and former membership and nation team-mate Alan Knott’s contributions to the county.