Former England spinner Derek Underwood has tragically passed away at the age of 78, his county Kent have confirmed.
The slow-left armer took 297 wickets in 86 Tests between 1966 and 1982, the most by an English spinner in the history of Test cricket.
Underwood had great success against the old enemy Australia, picking up 105 wickets in 29 Ashes Tests.
His dismissal of Terry Jenner in the seventh Test of the 1970-71 Ashes meant England regained the famous urn with a 2-0 series victory in Australia.
A career-best haul of 13/71 came in a drawn Test against Pakistan at Lord’s in August 1974.
Although his international record was a stellar one, his England career was arguably cut short after appearing in the World Series of Cricket in 1977 and the infamous rebel tour of South Africa in 1981-82.
In an illustrious first-class career where he only played for boyhood club Kent and England, Underwood collected 2,465 wickets across 676 matches at a staggering average of only 20.28.
The man regarded as ‘Deadly’ was also named as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1969.
Appointed an MBE for services to cricket in 1981, Underwood later served as the president of the MCC in 2009.
Left Arm Around 
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