Bill Edrich DFC - A Maverick
Joe Maiorana | March 27, 2024
Bill Edrich DFC (1916 – 1986) was a first-class cricketer who played for Middlesex, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), Norfolk and England.
His three brothers, Brian, Eric, and Geoff, and also his cousin, John, all played first-class cricket. Locally in Norfolk the Edriches were able to raise a full team of eleven. In 1938 a team composed entirely of Edriches beat Norfolk in a one-day match.
Playing association football as an amateur for Norwich City and Tottenham Hotspur during the 1930s
A Wisden Cricketer of the Year in the 1940 edition of Wisden.
In the post-war era, he was one of the most dependable players for England in international cricket. He is fondly remembered for his gritty batting displays in tough conditions and this ability to step up in adversities made him a popular name in international cricket.
His first-class career started in 1934. He played for Middlesex for most of his first-class career. In 1938, the moment came that he was long waiting for. He got the opportunity to make his Test debut in 1938 against the Ashes rivals Australia in Nottingham.
Edrich was a brave lad who would face the fastest of deliveries with indomitable courage. He could tackle the bouncers and short-pitched deliveries with utmost ease and that is what made him stand apart from others. Additionally, it is not just his batting that made him a centrepiece in the combination of the English team. Edrich was an effective fast bowler as well. His fast bowling was a major asset for the English team.
A Maverick
Bill represented England in 39 Test matches over his 17-year-long international career. The right-hand bat scored 2440 runs in his international career at an average of 40.
He registered 6 centuries and 13 half-centuries in his Test career. Apart from a fairly successful stint in international cricket, he had a durable first-class career.
The English all-rounder played an astounding 571 matches in his first-class career. In those 571 matches, he scored 36965 runs at an average of 42.39.
This is an insane volume of runs. On top of that, he had 479 wickets to his credentials. These stats define the kind of champion all-rounder Edrich was. In his playing days, he was one of the elite all-rounders in international cricket. The English veteran played his last Test match in 1955 against England. Whereas, his first-class career came to an end in 1958.
He sadly passed away following a fall at his Chesham, Buckinghamshire home on the 24th April 1986, aged 70.
The MCC named the twin stands at the Nursery End at Lord's Cricket Ground, in his and Denis Compton's honour. Cricket writer, Colin Bateman, noted, "it is a dull, practical structure which does little justice to their mercurial talents and indomitable spirits".
