Famous Cricketers No 85 - Derek Underwood

1973/74 - MCC in the West Indies As so often on overseas tours Underwood was unable to replicate his English wicket-taking feats but his value as a miserly and durable stock bowler was inestimable, and in England’s victory in the last Test - and it would be sixteen years before England beat the West Indies again - he bowled 49 overs for only 76 runs. Own Team O M R W Opp Ct Total Total 322. MCC v Trinidad, Port-of-Spain, January 28, 29, 30, 31 (Match drawn) lbw b R.R.Jumadeen 11 293 34 14 48 1 R.Nanan lbw 312 1 did not bat - 387-6 323. ENGLAND v WEST INDIES, Port-of-Spain, February 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 (West Indies won by seven wickets) not out 10 131 23 8 56 1 G.S.Sobers c M.H.Denness 392 1 c R.B.Kanhai b L.R.Gibbs 9 392 12 2 48 2 A.I.Kallicharran c A.W.Greig132-3 C.H.Lloyd c F.C.Hayes 324. ENGLAND v WEST INDIES, Kingston, February 16, 17, 19, 20, 21 (Match drawn) c R.C.Fredericks b G.S.Sobers 24 353 36 12 98 0 583-9d c D.L.Murray b G.S.Sobers 12 432-9 325. MCC v Barbados, Bridgetown, February, 28, March 1, 2, 3 (Barbados won by ten wickets) c A.L.Padmore bV.A.Holder 12 270 27 5 80 2 D.A.Murray c A.P.E.Knott 462-8d W.E.Ashby lbw c C.L.King b C.A.Selman 10 199 - - - - 11-0 326. MCC v Guyana, Georgetown, March 14, 15, 16, 17 (Match drawn) did not bat - 326-3d 34 9 67 2 T.R.Etwaroo c and b 393 2 P.D.Blair b did not bat - 139-1 31 15 64 2 C.H.Lloyd c F.C.Hayes 202-9d L.E.Skinner c R.W.Taylor 327. ENGLAND v WEST INDIES, Georgetown, March 22, 23, 24, (26), 27 (Match drawn) not out 7 448 17.5 4 36 1 R.B.Kanhai b 198-4 328. ENGLAND v WEST INDIES, Port-of-Spain, March 30, 31, April 2, 3, 4, 5 (England won by 26 runs) b L.R.Gibbs 4 267 34 12 57 0 305 not out 1 263 15 7 19 1 G.S.Sobers b 199 1 SEASON’S AVERAGES Batting and Fielding M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct Test matches 4 7 3 67 24 16.75 - - 2 Other matches 3 3 0 33 12 11.00 - - 3 Tour 7 10 3 100 24 14.28 - - 5 Career 328 352 90 2341 80 8.93 - 1 142 Bowling O M R W BB Ave 5i 10m Test matches 137.5 45 314 5 2/48 62.80 - - Other matches 126 43 259 7 2/64 37.00 - - Tour 263.5 88 573 12 2/48 47.75 - - Career (6-ball) 11234.3 4603 } 24742 1268 9/28 19.51 83 26 (8-ball) 422 110 1974 Underwood played in all six Tests against India and Pakistan so that his appearances for Kent were very limited. Nevertheless he produced outstanding returns against Surrey at Maidstone and Gloucestershire at Dover. His 13 for 71 in the second Test against Pakistan remains the best match analysis for England against Pakistan. In the final Test of the season against Pakistan at The Oval England began their first innings 35 minutes before the close of play and lost Lloyd at 14. Underwood was sent in to partner Amiss as nightwatchman and scored a single before the close. On the third day he batted for three hours for his 43, helping to add 129 for the second wicket. 44