Famous Cricketers No 44 - Sir Alec V. Bedser, C.B.E.

He was very proud to be elected President of Surrey C.C.C. in 1987. His national honours were the award of the OBE in 1964, the CBE in 1982, culminating in his knighthood in 1997. In any book on Alec Bedser, full reference must be made to his brother Eric who supported him throughout his career with no hint of jealousy. Eric Bedser had a slow start to his Surrey career but came through to be the finest all-rounder that Surrey had possessed since the days of Percy Fender. He is one of only six Surrey players who have scored over 100 runs and taken 10 wickets in one match, achieved in 1951 with scores of 71 & 30 and taking 7-142 & 3-89 against Gloucestershire at Kennington Oval. The other five players to achieve this feat were W.H.Lockwood in 1902, J.N.Crawford in 1906, P.G.H.Fender in 1926, R.J.Gregory in 1930 and K.T.Medlycott in 1991. Eric was considered a high-class bowler but had to compete with Jim Laker for a place in the Surrey Team. Nevertheless, he did appear in one Test Trial at Bradford in 1950, in the famous match where Laker took 8 wickets for 2 runs in the first innings of The Rest who were bowled out for 27, Eric Bedser 3. In the second innings, 202 runs behind, Hollies took 6 wickets as The Rest were dismissed for 113, Eric Bedser being the top scorer with 30. This was the nearest that Eric ever came to Test match representation. His career record and some statistics are given at the end of the book. 7