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I was born in Stepney in the 1940's

Leftie so no good.

I think Ron played CC for Worcs as I grew up. That's memory, so may not be right.

DiligentDefence wrote:I was born in Stepney in the 1940's

Clive Radley?

DiligentDefence wrote:I was born in Stepney in the 1940's

Intriguing starting gambit, because that area of East London is proper Cockney central, but also was the dividing line where Essex, Surrey and Middlesex catchment areas all meet, so this could be a lot of people.

The first that springs to mind is Kenny Barrington, who played for Surrey. I dont know if he was a cockney mind, but his big Ashes series in the 60s were his hallmark which sets him at the right age. And when he had a heart attack in the late 60s it was said it cut off his career in his prime.

In terms of Middlesex players, Fred Titmus springs to mind, but I think his career was one of the longest ever in cricket, so trying to position him in terms of age is impossible. He definitely played in Ashes series in the 60s, and he was definitely a cockney because he played professional football for Chelsea and Watford, the footballing link also leads me to think a more humble upbringing in the East End is likely. After all Tower Hamlets has produced a few England football internationals, and known for its historical links to Boxing, so firmly a poor area traditionally.

In terms of Essex, the only person that I can think of John Lever, another guy like Titmus who had a ridiculously long career. He was definitely a crafty cockney with the Harry Redknapp accent of East London. But hes always put in that list of Essex cricketers who were responsible for their CC brilliance in the mid 80s and early 90s, so was he around in the early 90s whhen they won back to back championships? Certainly played tests well into the 80s so its likely. So if he was, hes way too young to be born then.

Titmus?

sussexpob wrote:

DiligentDefence wrote:I was born in Stepney in the 1940's

Intriguing starting gambit, because that area of East London is proper Cockney central, but also was the dividing line where Essex, Surrey and Middlesex catchment areas all meet, so this could be a lot of people.

The first that springs to mind is Kenny Barrington, who played for Surrey. I dont know if he was a cockney mind, but his big Ashes series in the 60s were his hallmark which sets him at the right age. And when he had a heart attack in the late 60s it was said it cut off his career in his prime.

In terms of Middlesex players, Fred Titmus springs to mind, but I think his career was one of the longest ever in cricket, so trying to position him in terms of age is impossible. He definitely played in Ashes series in the 60s, and he was definitely a cockney because he played professional football for Chelsea and Watford, the footballing link also leads me to think a more humble upbringing in the East End is likely. After all Tower Hamlets has produced a few England football internationals, and known for its historical links to Boxing, so firmly a poor area traditionally.

In terms of Essex, the only person that I can think of John Lever, another guy like Titmus who had a ridiculously long career. He was definitely a crafty cockney with the Harry Redknapp accent of East London. But hes always put in that list of Essex cricketers who were responsible for their CC brilliance in the mid 80s and early 90s, so was he around in the early 90s whhen they won back to back championships? Certainly played tests well into the 80s so its likely. So if he was, hes way too young to be born then.

Titmus?

Not Titmus, But it was one of the other players you mentioned. So I'll give it to you. It was John Lever. He retired from Essex in 1989, and played his last test in 1986. Fred Titmus actually made his first class debut in 1949!!!

Ha as I said, it impossible without looking to gauge when titmus was born. Wikipedia claims his career spanned 5 decades, which seems ridiculous.

As I said, Lever was definitely the east end cockney. Surprised he retired before those championship wins in 89, I thought he was part of them....but I can see they also won three in the decade before, so must be confusing two different streaks for Essex.

That went better than my last guess

During my career I played FC cricket for teams in 5 different countries

No one wanted a stab? Ill give you another clue.

In a recent Wisden podcast to find an XI of "could have been" test players who burned bright for too short a time, I was picked in the middle order by some participants, but eventually vetoed by the editor on the basis Id somewhat fulfilled my potential too much

David Hussey?

Arthur Crabtree wrote:David Hussey?

Nope

Despite scoring an epic coming of age innings of 148 not out at Trent Bridge in the last of my 19 tests, I walked away from international cricket at the age of 27 due to my wife being unable to settle in my home country.

The poster boy for what might have been is Stuart Law, but he only played one Test.

If it was at TB, I'll have seen it, unless it was in the last five years. I'll need another clue unless someone else gets it.

I have a feeling it's a South African, but can't put my finger on it. Someone who had to travel because of the apartheid era?

Nope

I hit the county circuit a year after retiring from tests, where I struggled badly to get used to the cool temperatures of the English early summer and the green wickets. It wasnt until I returned to the scene of my triumphant ending of my test career in June that I finally proved I could hit a ball, scoring a single and double 100 in the same match. I went on from there to have a mind blowing end to the season, scoring 1590 runs and 6 hundreds, and averaging nearly 60.

It was the sign of things to come; when I left 11 years later, Id broke the individual record score for every format at my county, and scored 22,000 runs and over 60 hundreds. And I broke the 4 day record twice, joining a very, very elite group of players to score 2 x treble hundreds in county cricket.

Murray Goodwin or Scott Styris for hundreds at TB who might have played 19 Tests. Before my time players didn't play in so many countries. I think of Goodwin as an opener though, but the last clue sounds more like him.

Arthur Crabtree wrote:Murray Goodwin or Scott Styris for hundreds at TB who might have played 19 Tests. Before my time players didn't play in so many countries. I think of Goodwin as an opener though, but the last clue sounds more like him.

Murray Goodwin is indeed the right answer. His Trent Bridge innings was in 2000 v England.

Not sure Murray ever opened in test cricket at all, he did for Sussex a few times over the years, especially to start with; but he played 3 or 4 far more, only really moved up that far if we had injuries.

But yes; he played in England (Sussex), Australia (WA), South Africa (Warriors), Mashonaland (Zim) and Wales (Glamorgan).... maybe Wales was a little red herring.