John Lever
Encyclopedia
John Lever MBE
(born John Kenneth Lever, 24 February 1949, Stepney
, London
) is an English
former cricket
er, who played in twenty one Tests
and twenty two ODIs for England from 1976 to 1986. Lever was a left-arm fast-medium bowler, who predominantly swung the ball into the right-handed batsmen, to try to outwit them.
Cricket correspondent, Colin Bateman, remarked, "for 23 years he plied his trade with Essex, becoming the finest left-arm pace bowler in the country. Tough, astute, and entertaining in the dressing room, Lever was, as the title of his autobiography suggests, A Cricketer's Cricketer".
. It was one of the first publicised 'doctoring' (using unfair means to enhance the swing or seam abilities) of the cricket ball by a bowler, when Lever reportedly rubbed vaseline onto one side of the ball so it would swing better. The claim was later rejected and Lever was cleared of any wrongdoing. In that Test against India in Delhi
, Lever recorded the best Test bowling figures for an English debutant (7-46), a record that stood until Dominic Cork
beat it by three runs on his debut against the West Indies in 1995. Lever finished the match with bowling figures of 10-70, another English debutant's record, which he enhanced with a half century whilst giving banter.
Lever gave 22 years of service to Essex
in one of the most successful periods in the club's history. Lever was awarded an MBE
for his services to cricket. He was also involved in the rebel tour to South Africa
in 1982 during the apartheid era, where he formed strong links in the country, and later spent many winters there playing for the provincial side of Natal. He earned another, rather belated Test cap, at the age of 37.
More recently, Lever has taken up teaching physical education at Bancroft's School
, and is currently the bowling coach for Middlesex
.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born John Kenneth Lever, 24 February 1949, Stepney
Stepney
Stepney is a district of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in London's East End that grew out of a medieval village around St Dunstan's church and the 15th century ribbon development of Mile End Road...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
) is an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
former cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er, who played in twenty one Tests
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
and twenty two ODIs for England from 1976 to 1986. Lever was a left-arm fast-medium bowler, who predominantly swung the ball into the right-handed batsmen, to try to outwit them.
Cricket correspondent, Colin Bateman, remarked, "for 23 years he plied his trade with Essex, becoming the finest left-arm pace bowler in the country. Tough, astute, and entertaining in the dressing room, Lever was, as the title of his autobiography suggests, A Cricketer's Cricketer".
Life and career
He is sometimes remembered for the vaseline incidentVaseline incident
Vaseline incident was one of the first publicised 'doctoring' of the cricket ball by a bowler, when John Lever reportedly rubbed vaseline onto one side of the ball so it would swing better....
. It was one of the first publicised 'doctoring' (using unfair means to enhance the swing or seam abilities) of the cricket ball by a bowler, when Lever reportedly rubbed vaseline onto one side of the ball so it would swing better. The claim was later rejected and Lever was cleared of any wrongdoing. In that Test against India in Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, Lever recorded the best Test bowling figures for an English debutant (7-46), a record that stood until Dominic Cork
Dominic Cork
Dominic Gerald Cork is a former English cricketer. Cork is a right-handed lower-order batsman who bowls right-arm fast-medium, and is renowned for his swing and seam control. Making his début in first-class cricket for Derbyshire in 1990, he was selected to play for England in 1992, aged 21. He...
beat it by three runs on his debut against the West Indies in 1995. Lever finished the match with bowling figures of 10-70, another English debutant's record, which he enhanced with a half century whilst giving banter.
Lever gave 22 years of service to Essex
Essex County Cricket Club
Essex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Essex. Its limited overs team is called the Essex Eagles, their team colours this season are blue.The club plays most of its home games...
in one of the most successful periods in the club's history. Lever was awarded an MBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
for his services to cricket. He was also involved in the rebel tour to South Africa
South African rebel tours
The South African rebel tours were a series of seven cricket tours staged between 1982 and 1990. They were known as the rebel tours because South Africa was throughout this period banned from international cricket due to the apartheid regime...
in 1982 during the apartheid era, where he formed strong links in the country, and later spent many winters there playing for the provincial side of Natal. He earned another, rather belated Test cap, at the age of 37.
More recently, Lever has taken up teaching physical education at Bancroft's School
Bancroft's School
Bancroft's School is a co-educational independent school in Woodford Green, London. The school has around 1,000 pupils aged between 7 and 18...
, and is currently the bowling coach for Middlesex
Middlesex County Cricket Club
Middlesex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Middlesex. It was announced in February 2009 that Middlesex changed their limited overs name from the Middlesex Crusaders, to the...
.