Mike Edwards (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
Michael John 'Mike' Edwards is a former English
cricket
er who played for Cambridge University
from 1960 to 1962 and for Surrey
from 1961 to 1974. He was a batsman who had only limited success until he became an opener in 1966. He was also a fine short-leg fielder.
, he went to Cambridge University. He played only eight times for the university team in three years (once in 1960, four times in 1961 and thrice in 1962), having little success and failing to get his Blue.
He played twice for Surrey in 1961 while still at Cambridge, his first match being against Warwickshire
at the end of July. He did not appear for Surrey in 1962, and then played on three more occasions in 1963. It was not until 1964 that he began to appear regularly. In that year he played in 18 games, scoring 669 runs at an average of 22.30. The following season, 15 games brought him 401 runs at 19.09.
. The pair would go on to have 17 century partnerships for the first wicket. Edwards made his first century that season, and reached 1,000 runs, the first of five occasions on which he did so. In 21 matches he made 1,064 runs at 30.40. He also held 41 catches, almost two catches per match. During the season he was awarded his county cap.
The following year he scored 1,413 runs in 31 matches, with two more hundreds. He also held 53 catches. Excluding wicket-keepers, this is the ninth highest number of catches ever held in a season for Surrey.
In 1967-8 he toured Pakistan with a Commonwealth XI
. He managed five fifties in 13 innings, though without scoring a century.
In 1968 his average declined to 24.27, well down on the previous two English seasons. However he still managed 1,408 runs in 32 matches, with one hundred. He held 39 catches.
1969 was his best season with the bat. He scored 1,428 runs at 36.61 in 25 matches, including four centuries. He took 25 catches.
He toured the West Indies with the Duke of Norfolk's XI
in 1969-70, but in three first-class fixturex he scored only 67 runs.
The next English season brought him 1,281 runs in 22 matches at 32.84, with one century. He held 29 catches.
for the first time since 1958. However he did not have one of his better seasons, 19 matches bringing him only 903 runs at 26.55 and one century. His number of catches reduced to 14.
1972 was another disappointing year. 19 matches resulted in 791 runs at 23.26, with one hundred.
1973 saw something of a revival. He scored 760 runs at 29.23 in 16 fixtures, again with a single hundred.
He suffered a severe loss of form the following year. 15 matches brought him only 402 runs at 16.08, with only two scores of over fifty in 27 innings. At the end of the season he retired.
made 250 for 8 wickets, and his 53* at number seven helped Surrey to make 252 for 5 to win by five wickets.
On July 22, 1966 Surrey played the touring West Indians
in a 60 overs a side match. Edwards scored 108* out of 188-9, but the tourists still won by 7 wickets.
, in its early days. He was appointed its first Treasurer in 1968, and was elected Chairman in 1970. He subsequently resigned the post following a majority decision by the membership to accept a donation from the Transvaal
in apartheid-era South Africa
.
Working Party on Racial Equality.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
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 for Cambridge University
Cambridge University Cricket Club
Cambridge University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team. It now plays all but one of its first-class cricket matches as part of the Cambridge University Centre of Cricketing Excellence , which includes Anglia Ruskin University...
from 1960 to 1962 and for Surrey
Surrey County Cricket Club
Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions...
from 1961 to 1974. He was a batsman who had only limited success until he became an opener in 1966. He was also a fine short-leg fielder.
Early struggles
After attending Alleyn's SchoolAlleyn's School
Alleyn's School is an independent, fee-paying co-educational day school situated in Dulwich, south London, England. It is a registered charity and was originally part of the historic Alleyn's College of God's Gift charitable foundation, which also included James Allen's Girls' School , Dulwich...
, he went to Cambridge University. He played only eight times for the university team in three years (once in 1960, four times in 1961 and thrice in 1962), having little success and failing to get his Blue.
He played twice for Surrey in 1961 while still at Cambridge, his first match being against Warwickshire
Warwickshire County Cricket Club
Warwickshire 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 Warwickshire. Its limited overs team is called the Warwickshire Bears. Their kit colours are black and gold and the shirt sponsor...
at the end of July. He did not appear for Surrey in 1962, and then played on three more occasions in 1963. It was not until 1964 that he began to appear regularly. In that year he played in 18 games, scoring 669 runs at an average of 22.30. The following season, 15 games brought him 401 runs at 19.09.
Successful mid career
Until now he had been batting in the middle of the order, but at the end of June, 1966 he was given the chance to open the batting, with Mickey Stewart dropping down the order. This transformed his fortunes, and he struck up a productive opening partnership with John EdrichJohn Edrich
John Edrich, MBE is a former English cricketer, who played for Surrey and England. He earned a reputation as a dogged and fearless batsman, and his figures show that he was amongst the best players of his generation...
. The pair would go on to have 17 century partnerships for the first wicket. Edwards made his first century that season, and reached 1,000 runs, the first of five occasions on which he did so. In 21 matches he made 1,064 runs at 30.40. He also held 41 catches, almost two catches per match. During the season he was awarded his county cap.
The following year he scored 1,413 runs in 31 matches, with two more hundreds. He also held 53 catches. Excluding wicket-keepers, this is the ninth highest number of catches ever held in a season for Surrey.
In 1967-8 he toured Pakistan with a Commonwealth XI
Commonwealth XI cricket team
The Commonwealth XI cricket team played over 100 first-class cricket matches from 1949 to 1968. The team started out as a side made up of mostly English, Australian and West Indian cricketers, that toured the subcontinent but later on played first-class fixtures in England...
. He managed five fifties in 13 innings, though without scoring a century.
In 1968 his average declined to 24.27, well down on the previous two English seasons. However he still managed 1,408 runs in 32 matches, with one hundred. He held 39 catches.
1969 was his best season with the bat. He scored 1,428 runs at 36.61 in 25 matches, including four centuries. He took 25 catches.
He toured the West Indies with the Duke of Norfolk's XI
Duke of Norfolk's XI
The Duke of Norfolk's XI is a scratch cricket team. It was originally named for the 16th Duke, but following his death in 1975 the team played on in his widow's name as Lavinia, Duchess of Norfolk's XI...
in 1969-70, but in three first-class fixturex he scored only 67 runs.
The next English season brought him 1,281 runs in 22 matches at 32.84, with one century. He held 29 catches.
Decline
In 1971 he was a member of the Surrey side that won the County ChampionshipCounty Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
for the first time since 1958. However he did not have one of his better seasons, 19 matches bringing him only 903 runs at 26.55 and one century. His number of catches reduced to 14.
1972 was another disappointing year. 19 matches resulted in 791 runs at 23.26, with one hundred.
1973 saw something of a revival. He scored 760 runs at 29.23 in 16 fixtures, again with a single hundred.
He suffered a severe loss of form the following year. 15 matches brought him only 402 runs at 16.08, with only two scores of over fifty in 27 innings. At the end of the season he retired.
List A achievements
He played in his first List A fixture in 1964 and his last in 1974. He won one match award, in the Gillette Cup semi-final of 1965. MiddlesexMiddlesex 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...
made 250 for 8 wickets, and his 53* at number seven helped Surrey to make 252 for 5 to win by five wickets.
On July 22, 1966 Surrey played the touring West Indians
West Indian cricket team in England in 1966
The West Indies cricket team toured England in the 1966 season to play a five-match Test series against England. West Indies won the series 3-1 with one match drawn....
in a 60 overs a side match. Edwards scored 108* out of 188-9, but the tourists still won by 7 wickets.
Involvement with the Cricketers' Association
He was heavily involved with the Cricketers' Association, since renamed as the Professional Cricketers' AssociationProfessional Cricketers' Association
The Professional Cricketers' Association is the representative body of past and present first-class cricketers in England and Wales, founded in 1967...
, in its early days. He was appointed its first Treasurer in 1968, and was elected Chairman in 1970. He subsequently resigned the post following a majority decision by the membership to accept a donation from the Transvaal
Transvaal Province
Transvaal Province was a province of the Union of South Africa from 1910 to 1961, and of its successor, the Republic of South Africa, from 1961 until the end of apartheid in 1994 when a new constitution subdivided it.-History:...
in apartheid-era South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
Cricket coach and administrator
He served as the Surrey Cricket Board's director of cricket development for over a decade from 1990. With two assistants, he oversaw cricket coaching in 400 schools. He is a member of the ECBEngland and Wales Cricket Board
The England and Wales Cricket Board is the governing body of cricket in England and Wales. It was created on 1 January 1997 combining the roles of the Test and County Cricket Board, the National Cricket Association and the Cricket Council...
Working Party on Racial Equality.