Roger Prideaux

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Roger Prideaux
Personal information
Full nameRoger Malcolm Prideaux
Born (1939-07-31) 31 July 1939 (age 82)
Chelsea, London
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm medium
International information
National side
Test debut25 July 1968 v  Australia
Last Test28 February 1969 v  Pakistan
Career statistics
Competition Test First-class
Matches3446
Runs scored10225,136
Batting average 20.3934.29
100s/50s0/141/130
Top score64202*
Balls bowled12333
Wickets 3
Bowling average 58.66
5 wickets in innings 0
10 wickets in match0
Best bowling2/13
Catches/stumpings 0/–301/–
Source: CricInfo, 4 June 2020

Roger Malcolm Prideaux (born 31 July 1939) [1] is an English former cricketer, who played in three Tests for England from 1968 to 1969.

Life and career

Prideaux was educated at Tonbridge School and Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. [2] A talented, stroke playing opening batsman, he won blues at Cambridge University from 1958 to 1960, and began his first-class cricket career at Kent. [1] Moving to Northants, he scored a thousand runs in his first season, formed a powerful opening combination with the pugnacious Colin Milburn and captained the county from 1967 to 1970. [1] He marked his Test debut in 1968, against Australia at Headingley with a 64, but missed the final Test of the series, at the Oval, with pleurisy. [3] His absence allowed the selection of Basil D'Oliveira, and the subsequent controversy led to the abandonment of the 1968/9 tour to South Africa, for which Prideaux had been selected. He played in two Tests on tour against Pakistan, but was dropped thereafter. [3]

In 1967, Prideaux was elected as the first chairman of the fledgling Professional Cricketers' Association. [3] Prideaux ended his long career at Sussex, batting in the middle order. He also played for Orange Free State in the early 1970s, and later emigrated to South Africa. [1]

His former wife Ruth (1930-2016) (née Westbrook) was also involved in international cricket, managing and coaching the England women's cricket team. Under her maiden name, she had earlier played eleven Tests between 1957 and 1963. [1] They are one of the few married couples who have both played Test cricket.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Roger Prideaux". Cricinfo.com. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
  2. "Cambridge XI To Play Surrey". The Times (54135). London. 26 April 1958. p. 10.
  3. 1 2 3 Bateman, Colin (1993). If The Cap Fits. Tony Williams Publications. p.  134. ISBN   1-869833-21-X.