Derek Underwood: England’s greatest spin bowler

Derek Underwood, the most prolific spin bowler in England’s Test history, has died at the age of 78. Underwood, affectionately known as “Deadly”, claimed 297 scalps in 86 Test appearances with his brisk left-arm spin, as well as another 32 in ODIs. Underwood also played over 900 times for Kent across three decades and claimed a staggering 2,523 wickets along the way.
Derek Underwood, England’s greatest spin bowler, dies aged 78

[@walrtbstudios5430]

The season that he retired from f/c cricket The Guardian did a lengthy piece on him, positing that his innings figures for Kent a few seasons previously (34-29-11-7) should be inscribed on his headstone. I’d like to think that this will happen, but whether or no, what a memorial that analysis is. RIP DLU

[@user-xg4td3gg7e]

RIP. 🙏🏼

[@PauloRodriguesGoa]

Great bowler, i enjoyed watching. RIP.

[@DaNiyaHodge]

Rip Derek Leslie Underwood, you will be missed

[@johnlawrence2757]

As he frequently was ha ha ha

[@michaelsmall4196]

King of Kent. Thanks for the memories, RIP.

[@peternicholson1700]

Derek Underwood was great to watch. R.I.P.

[@stantheman5657]

Great to see the old black and white tv recordings on probably Tuesday afternoon with the sawdust protecting the pitch ,the match on bbc and hopefully ending with an England win before the Magic roundabout the News and tea. Pity John Betjamin didn’t write a poem about it. What a pity nostalgia is not what it used to be.

[@bhaskarpuvvala5849]

R I P to an utter legend. Greatest English Spinner followed by Graeme Swann

[@user-tp2cq5ic1u]

Rip😢

[@raheelakhtar7]

The pace that he bowled at (almost medium pace) was different. Would’ve been a decent T20 bowler

[@andrewganley9016]

One of the all time greats played back in the day when Cricket was still a sport unlike todays high 5-ing bowlers and batters who touch gloves after every ball! rest easy Derek

[@johnlawrence2757]

Well he was definitely one of England’s best spinners but he never got anywhere near Jim Laker whose 19/20 wickets at Old Trafford is a record that will never ever be equalled let alone beaten. His bowling average in tests is also 4 points higher than Laker’s and much the same as Tony Lock’s though admittedly they played fewer matches in those days.

[@rogerparker4468]

Laker, Verity, Rhodes, and a few others before Deadly, whose strike rate was signficantly inferior.

[@terrya8989]

Great bowler on doctored or pitches that were uncovered which was the norm back in his day. Only had a bowling average of 31 in Australia. Jim Laker was England's greatest spinner not Underwood.