Another sporting hero from my youth, Derek Underwood, has died at the age of 78. His biggest claim to fame was probably the final test match against Australia in 1968: With England 1-0 down in the series, Australia were 85 for five on the last day when a thunderstorm drenched the ground. However, a desperate mop-up operation by the crowd allowed play to restart with 75 minutes remaining, and in the concluding half-hour Underwood took the last four wickets for just six runs in 27 deliveries, securing his final scalp with only six minutes left and ending up with 7 for 50.
He was defined as a slow left arm spinner, but it seemed to me that he bowled 'straight' middle pace. I could never understand why he was so successful.There was a boy at school in my year who was in the same class as me for a few years, but we never had much to do with each other; he was a bowler who seemed to base himself on Underwood and was in the first XI. I have no memory of ever facing his bowling.
News of a different kind: I have finally been informed that a date has been set for my final doctoral examination - 20 May. That will give me plenty of time to remind myself what the research was about. I'll probably have a meeting with my supervisor a week prior to the date.
| Title | Tags | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | Weird weather | Weather | |
| 244 | Travelling by train/Outliers/Memories of school | Trains, Outliers | |
| 829 | Vinyl log 5 - 16 April | Vinyl log, Blodwyn Pig, Nice enough to eat | |
| 1493 | The malleability of folk songs | Fairport Convention |
