Eddie Hemmings (cricketer)
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Full name | Edward Ernest Hemmings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England | 20 February 1949||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Batting | Right-handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bowling | Right-arm offbreak | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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National side |
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Test debut (cap 497) | 29 July 1982 v Pakistan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last Test | 4 January 1991 v Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
ODI debut (cap 65) | 17 July 1982 v Pakistan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last ODI | 9 February 1991 v New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Source: CricInfo, 27 November 2017 |
Edward Ernest Hemmings (born 20 February 1949)[1] is a former English cricketer, who played in 16 Test matches and 33 One Day Internationals for the England cricket team between 1982 and 1991. He made his England debut relatively late in his career, at the age of 33, having predominantly represented Nottinghamshire in the County Championship. His chance came when several England players announced their intention to go on a rebel cricket tour to South Africa. He was a part of the English squad which finished as runners-up at the 1987 Cricket World Cup.
Life and career
Originally operating as a seam bowler for Warwickshire, Hemmings changed to bowling off-spin for Nottinghamshire, which led to Test match appearances from the age of 33.
England test teams at that time used to have one spinner, usually an off spinner since
At Brisbane during the 1982-3 Ashes series, Hemmings was mocked for his ample girth in an incident in which a group of home supporters smuggled a pig into the ground and release it onto the outfield, having scrawled "Eddie" onto one flank and "Botham" onto the other.[3] (Team-mate Ian Botham had also begun to fill out around the waist at this stage of his career.)
A change in England selection policy after this tour saw the spin department filled by left armers such as
Hemmings also appeared in three Tests that winter, taking his then best Test figures at Sydney (the ground on which he took more of his test wickets than anywhere else),[8] but then lost his place in the side. Earlier that winter he was a bystander in one of the most notorious incidents in Test cricket; he was attempting to deliver the ball when an unseemly row ensued between England captain Mike Gatting and umpire Shakoor Rana.[9]
In
Selected as part of Graham Gooch's touring squad that winter, Hemmings played in one day internationals only – often being the most economical bowler. Hemmings was England's first choice off spinner throughout 1990 as the hot weather demanded England adjust their policy of 4 fast bowlers – which had largely worked during the Caribbean tour.
During the first test against India at Lord's in 1990, Hemmings was famously hit for four consecutive sixes by Kapil Dev from the last four balls of his over. This 24 was the exact amount required for India to avoid the follow on – they were nine wickets down at the time and Kapil Dev did not want to expose Narendra Hirwani to Angus Fraser's next over, as Fraser had Hirwani lbw first ball. (England still won the match.) Hemmings had had a happier match in the previous Test against New Zealand in which (now aged 41) he took his only Test five-wicket haul, figures of 6/58.[12]
Hemmings toured Australia with the full England side in 1990–91 that winter, playing in one test match – his last test match – at Sydney and again featuring as a containing bowler in most of the one day games. England did not make the finals of the World Series Cup. Hemmings last played for England during the short one day international series in New Zealand which followed the Ashes tour.
All in all, Hemmings was probably the second best off-spinner in England from around 1982–1991 and was largely unfortunate that his best years coincided with John Emburey's. He was perhaps underused in
Before retiring from first-class cricket at the age of 46, he also played for Sussex. In his last season he helped the county to inflict a rare innings defeat on the touring West Indies, taking 4/33.[14]
Hemmings holds the record for the most runs conceded by a bowler when taking all ten wickets in an innings – 49.3-14-175-10 for the International XI against a West Indies XI at Kingston, Jamaica in 1982–83.[15]
He now runs a village shop in West Butterwick, Lincolnshire.[16] He has also worked as a talent scout for the ECB.[17]
His niece, Beth Morgan, was also an England Test cricketer.[18]
References
- ISBN 1-869833-21-X.
- ^ "Full Scorecard of Australia vs England 5th Test 1982/83". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- ^ "Animal antics". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
- ^ "Full Scorecard of England vs West Indies". ESPNcricinfo.
- ^ "Full Scorecard of England vs India 2nd SF 1987/88 – Score Report | ESPNcricinfo.com". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- ^ "Reliance World Cup Final". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- ^ "Full Scorecard of England vs Australia". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- ^ "Fury in Faislabad". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
- ^ "Full Scorecard of Australia vs England 5th test 1989". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
- ^ "Records/List A matches/Bowling/Most wickets in career". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
- ISBN 0747222037.
- ^ "Where are they now?". 31 May 2008.
- ^ "Eddie Hemmings exclusive interview". Big star cricket. 24 December 2006. Retrieved 14 February 2009.
- ^ "Eddie Hemmings player profile". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 14 February 2009.