John Edrich only Test batsman to hit 50 boundaries

By A.C De Silva

The only Test batsman to hit 50 boundaries in an innings is John Edrich of England against New Zealand at Headingley, Leeds, England on that Thursday 8th July 1965.

Batting at Headingley, John Edrich hit an unbeaten 310 for England against New Zealand in an innings that lasted 532 minutes. Edrich hit 5 sixes and 52 fours as England declared at 546 for 4 wickets.

England then bowled out New Zealand for 193 and 196, having enforced the follow-on.

Learnt from cousin Bill

Born at Blofield into the famous Norfolk cricketing family, Edrich was instinstively drawn into the game.

He first watched his cousin Bill Edrich, DFC, feared England Test cricketer, tear to shreds every reckoned paceman and then be carried shoulder - high by frenzied spectators.

He then decided to pursue the tradition without fault.

Edrich took to the game seriously from the outset. At school he was outstanding. His very presence in the middle instantly caused a psychological damper to the opposing team and runs began flowing uninterruptedly from his bat as does the river Ravi in the Punjab.

And quite naturally, when he left school to work as a Public Relations Officer for a cigarette company, country cricket authorities pounced on him.

Edrich played in Sri Lanka

Edrich is no stranger to Sri Lanka, having come here twice with MCC teams on their way to Australia in 1964-65 and again in 1970-71. The diminutive Surrey left-hander who represented his country in 77 Tests between 1964 and 1975 and in seven one-day internationals was in Sri Lanka with his wife exploring the possibilities of bringing a group of England supporters for the then tour to here by the England cricket team.

He chose Surrey as his first come and has since steadfastly stood by it through its long period of turbulent cricket. He has been the mainstay of Surrey batting and has proved that no spur is needed for him to unleash strokes. His inborn impulse is to go for runs.

This stocky left-hand batsman has been the most prolific run-getter in county cricket. His best county season was in 1961, when he slammed over five centuries totalling nearly 2,000 runs.

That same season, he also proved his class as an outstanding close-in fielder, taking 29 catches. But all newspapers meaningfully spotlighted his hurricane hitting and helped him to gallop away with a special cash prize for most sixes and fours, leaving such smiters as Freddie Trueman far behind.

England's backbone in batting

Playing for England for many years in the Test series against all recognised countries, Edrich has proved the backbone of the batting. With several fantastic scores to his credit, he has defied pace bowlers in every time, those particularly who have struck terror in the hearts of renowned batsmen. He has toyed with such ruthless giants as Keith Miller and Wesley Hall down to Jeff Thomson and Dennis Lillee.

He has entered his name in the cricket record books with several remarkable achievements. Edrich has been quoted in the Wisden more than any other England cricketer and many of his attainments are yet unequalled. He has often been hailed as the saviour of the England side - pulling the team out of the coals when defeat was imminent.

When South African speedster Peter Pollock struck him with a shattering blow on the right temple in a crucial game several years ago. Edrich was rushed to a London hospital. Here, he came under the direct care of both the medical and nursing staff. A month after he left hospital, he married Judith Cowan, a nursing sister in the same hospital who attended on him.

But despite all his flare and fluency and his great cricketing attributes, Edrich, who was also conferred with the MBE by the Queen in recognition of his contribution to the game, is superstitious bent. If he drops a batting glove the thinks it unlucky to pick it up. He asks a team-mate!