Former England spinner Derek Underwood died at the age of 78 on April 15. Underwood, whose illustrious career spanned 24 years, from 1963 to 1987, was renowned as the most successful spin bowler in Test cricket history as he stood as the sixth-highest wicket-taker for England in Test cricket. He claimed 297 wickets in 86 Tests with 32 in one-day internationals.
Underwood, fondly known as ‘deadly’ for his unique skill on the cricket pitch, formed a formidable partnership with wicketkeeper Alan Knott, both for Kent Cricket and England cricket teams.
A true legend of the game: England Cricket
England Cricket shared Underwood's photo on the Social media platform ‘X’ with the caption, “One of our greatest-ever spinners and a true legend of the game. Rest in peace, Derek.”
‘His name in the history books forevermore’
"Derek was an outstanding contributor to both Kent and England, winning trophies for club and country and etching his name in the history books forevermore," said Kent chairman Simon Phillip in a club statement.
"Watching Derek weave his unique magic on a wet wicket was a privilege for all who were able to witness it. His induction into the ICC (International Cricket Council) Hall of Fame shows the esteem in which he was held in world cricket,” he continued.
“An advocate for growing our game worldwide whilst protecting our sport's rich heritage, Derek also made substantial contributions off the field as well as on it, and he will be sorely missed by everyone at Kent Cricket.”
One of Underwood's standout performances occurred in 1968 at The Oval, where he played a crucial role in England's Test triumph over longstanding rivals Australia.
Underwood made his First-Class debut at the age of 17. He amassed over 900 appearances spanning three decades from 1963 to 1987. He claimed 2,465 wickets with an impressive average of 19.04 in first-class cricket. His England debut came in 1966 at the age of 21, and he concluded his Test career in 1982. Overall, Underwood bagged 3,037 wickets in his career, including 572 salps in List-A cricket.
After he retired from playing cricket, he remained involved in cricket in various capacities. Notably, he served as the president of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in 2009.
According to the retrospective ICC Men's Test Bowler rankings, Underwood held the title of the world's No.1 bowler from September 1969 to August 1973.
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