England and Kent spinner Underwood dies aged 78

During his time playing for England, Derek Underwood achieved an impressive record of taking 297 wickets with an average of 25.83.

Derek Underwood, who was an exceptional bowler for England and Kent, has passed away at 78 years of age. He will be deeply missed.

Underwood, a left-handed bowler who played for England between 1966 and 1982, took a total of 297 wickets in 86 Test matches, making him the most successful spinner in English cricket history.

Throughout his outstanding 24-year career in domestic cricket, he solely represented his birth county, Kent, and took an impressive total of 2,465 wickets across 676 first-class matches.

In 1981, Underwood received the title of MBE and later became the president of the Marylebone Cricket Club in 2009.

Additionally, he managed to secure 32 wickets in 26 one-day international matches. His international career could have seen more opportunities with England, however, he made the decision to join World Series Cricket in 1977 and took part in the rebel tour of South Africa during the 1981-82 season.

Underwood, who was given the nickname 'Deadly', became part of the 55 initial members of the International Cricket Council Hall of Fame when it was established in 2009.

The chairman of Kent Cricket, Simon Philip, shared that the club is grieving the loss of one of its top players who has recently passed away.

He included: "Derek made remarkable contributions to both Kent and England, achieving victories both for the club and the country, and leaving a lasting memory in the history books."

Famous for being very precise, Underwood used to throw the ball faster than many other spinners, yet he was also able to trick batters by changing the speed and distance of his throws.

He was a tough opponent to deal with when playing on wet, uncovered pitches. He had the ability to bowl at a faster pace, which made the ball move quickly towards the batters. Furthermore, he could make use of the pitch conditions and get the ball to spin when the surface started to dry out.

Philip said that it was an honor for everyone who was able to see Derek's exceptional skills while playing on a damp cricket pitch.

The fact that he was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame demonstrates how highly regarded he was in the realm of international cricket.

Derek was not only a great player on the field, but he was also a strong supporter of expanding cricket around the globe without forgetting about its roots and traditions. He made significant contributions to the development of the sport beyond his playing career, and his absence will be deeply felt by the entire Kent Cricket community.

On the Test wicket-takers list for England, Underwood ranks sixth and has managed to claim 42 more wickets than the following spinner, Graeme Swann, and seventh overall.

Underwood was born in the year 1945 in Bromley. At the young age of 17, he made his Kent debut in 1963 and then went on to make his Test debut against West Indies after three years.

In the final moments of the 1968 Ashes fifth Test at The Oval, England secured a notable victory over Australia with the assistance of one player. He was instrumental in taking the last four wickets to fall, managing to do so within a span of only 27 balls. This feat was achieved amidst a frenzied atmosphere, as the crowd pitched in to help dry the ground following a short delay caused by rain.

Underwood and wicketkeeper Alan Knott had a successful collaboration not just for England, but also for Kent. In 1977, both players decided to participate in the new World Series Cricket league initiated by Kerry Packer. This choice meant they had to put their international careers on hold until the tournament finished in 1979.

Underwood's tenure with the English national team concluded in 1982, after he decided to travel to South Africa with a squad captained by Graham Gooch. This action was in opposition to the athletic embargo that was imposed on the country during the period of Apartheid.

At the age of 39, he played against Sussex and scored his one and only first-class century. He went in to bat as a nightwatchman.

In 1987, Underwood put an end to his career in cricket. He had managed to garner three County Championships, two One-Day Cups, three National Leagues and three Benson & Hedges Cups for the county of Kent.

The head of the England and Wales Cricket Board, Richard Thompson, expressed his sorrow at the loss of an important figure in English cricket.

Derek Underwood's legacy as an exceptional spin bowler hails in our memories, with his outstanding achievements reaffirming his unwavering talent.

We extend our condolences to Derek's loved ones, acquaintances at Kent, and those who had a personal connection with him.