Full name William Eric Russell Bowling style Right-arm medium Name Eric Russell | Batting style Right-hand bat National side English Role Cricket Player | |
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Born 3 July 1936 (age 87) ( 1936-07-03 ) Dumbarton, Scotland | ||
Eric Russell (born William Eric Russell, 3 July 1936, Dumbarton, Scotland) is an English former cricketer. He was an opening batsman who played for Middlesex from 1956 to 1972, and in Tests for England between 1961 and 1967.
The cricket correspondent, Colin Bateman, commented, "a smooth, assured opening batsman, Eric Russell suffered from never getting a settled sequence in the England team. His 10 Tests were spread over seven series and five countries, and two half-centuries in 18 innings did not do his ability justice."
Life and career
He was a stylish right-hander, whose international appearances were limited by injury, and the dominance of Geoff Boycott and John Edrich. He played ten Tests against six different countries and toured three times, but could never establish himself in the England side. His dour demeanour did not always endear him to team-mates, although his humour was not helped in the 1965–66 Ashes series when hand injuries finished his tour in the first Test.
He joined Middlesex in 1956 at the age of 20, and played over 400 games for them, recording over 25,000 first-class runs with 41 centuries, and a career best of 193 against Hampshire at Bournemouth in 1964. He scored 1,000 runs in a season 13 times, a testament to his reliability, and topped 2,000 on three occasions, his best return being his 2,343 at 45.92 in 1964. He also took 22 wickets with his occasional medium pacers and held 304 catches.
He played Minor Counties cricket for Berkshire after his time at Lord's, taught at Shiplake College and later played an important role in the development of MCC's Shenley cricket centre.