Neal Radford
Encyclopedia
Neal Victor RadfordNeal Victor Radford (born 7 June 1957, Luanshya
, Northern Rhodesia
(now Zambia
) is an English
former cricket
er, who appeared in three Tests
and six ODIs for England.
He also played for Transvaal B, Lancashire
, Worcestershire
, and Herefordshire
.
The cricket writer, Colin Bateman, noted "Neal Radford took a circuitious route to Test cricket".
, making his first-class
debut for Transvaal B in the 1978/79 President's Cup. However, opportunities in South Africa were limited owing to that country's isolation from world cricket, and so Radford moved to England
and signed for Lancashire
in 1980 as an overseas player.
Radford was not a particular success at Lancashire, failing to take 50 first-class wickets in any of his five seasons with the club, and he was dismissed at the end of 1984. By this time, however, he had qualified for England by residence, and so was sought after by several other counties. He chose to join Worcestershire
, and his decision was repaid handsomely: he took 101 wickets with his right-arm fast-medium bowling in 1985, more than anyone else, and was named one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year
the following year.
His fine form continued into the 1986 season, and he was rewarded with an international call-up for the third Test
against India
at Edgbaston
. He also played in the following Test of the summer against New Zealand
, but his aggregate bowling figures over the two matches of 3-219 were far from impressive, and he was dropped from the England team in favour of debutant Gladstone Small
.
Concentrating entirely on domestic cricket in 1987, Radford had another fine year, again taking more than 100 first-class wickets and forcing his way back into contention for an England place, gaining selection for the winter tour of New Zealand. He was picked to play at Auckland
, but again failed to make the breakthrough, finishing with match figures of 1-132. He was dropped again from the Test side, this time for good, although he did play four One Day Internationals against New Zealand (and one against Australia
) on that tour.
After that, Radford's career with England consisted of just one more ODI, against West Indies
in 1988. From that time onward he was never close to international selection again, but he played another eight seasons for Worcestershire. He had an excellent year in one-day cricket in 1991: he took 48 wickets, including 7-19 against Bedfordshire
in the NatWest Trophy; as of the end of 2006, both statistics remain records for Worcestershire.
He was awarded a benefit season
in 1995, and when he retired from the first-class game at the end of that year, he had 994 wickets to his name at that level.
In 1997 and 1998, Radford played Minor counties cricket for Herefordshire
.
Radford's two brothers, Glen
and Wayne
, both played domestic first-class cricket in South Africa.
Luanshya
Luanshya is a town in Zambia, in the Copperbelt Province near Ndola. It has a population of 117,579 .Luanshya was founded in the early part of the 20th century after a prospector/explorer, William Collier, shot and killed a Roan Antelope on the banks of the Luanshya River, discovering a copper...
, Northern Rhodesia
Northern Rhodesia
Northern Rhodesia was a territory in south central Africa, formed in 1911. It became independent in 1964 as Zambia.It was initially administered under charter by the British South Africa Company and formed by it in 1911 by amalgamating North-Western Rhodesia and North-Eastern Rhodesia...
(now Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
) is an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
former cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er, who appeared in three Tests
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
and six ODIs for England.
He also played for Transvaal B, Lancashire
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
, Worcestershire
Worcestershire County Cricket Club
Worcestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Worcestershire...
, and Herefordshire
Herefordshire County Cricket Club
Herefordshire County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Herefordshire and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy...
.
The cricket writer, Colin Bateman, noted "Neal Radford took a circuitious route to Test cricket".
Life and career
Radford was born in Zambia and educated in South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, making his first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
debut for Transvaal B in the 1978/79 President's Cup. However, opportunities in South Africa were limited owing to that country's isolation from world cricket, and so Radford moved to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and signed for Lancashire
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
in 1980 as an overseas player.
Radford was not a particular success at Lancashire, failing to take 50 first-class wickets in any of his five seasons with the club, and he was dismissed at the end of 1984. By this time, however, he had qualified for England by residence, and so was sought after by several other counties. He chose to join Worcestershire
Worcestershire County Cricket Club
Worcestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Worcestershire...
, and his decision was repaid handsomely: he took 101 wickets with his right-arm fast-medium bowling in 1985, more than anyone else, and was named one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year
Wisden Cricketers of the Year
The Wisden Cricketers of the Year are cricketers selected for the honour by the annual publication Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, based primarily on their "influence on the previous English season"...
the following year.
His fine form continued into the 1986 season, and he was rewarded with an international call-up for the third Test
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
against India
Indian cricket team
The Indian cricket team is the national cricket team of India. Governed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , it is a full member of the International Cricket Council with Test and One Day International status....
at Edgbaston
Edgbaston Cricket Ground
Edgbaston Cricket Ground, also known as the County Ground or Edgbaston Stadium, is a cricket ground in the Edgbaston area of Birmingham, England...
. He also played in the following Test of the summer against New Zealand
New Zealand cricket team
The New Zealand cricket team, nicknamed the Black Caps, are the national cricket team representing New Zealand. They played their first in 1930 against England in Christchurch, New Zealand, becoming the fifth country to play Test cricket. It took the team until 1955–56 to win a Test, against the...
, but his aggregate bowling figures over the two matches of 3-219 were far from impressive, and he was dropped from the England team in favour of debutant Gladstone Small
Gladstone Small
Gladstone Cleophas Small is an English former cricketer, who played in seventeen Tests and fifty three ODIs for England....
.
Concentrating entirely on domestic cricket in 1987, Radford had another fine year, again taking more than 100 first-class wickets and forcing his way back into contention for an England place, gaining selection for the winter tour of New Zealand. He was picked to play at Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, but again failed to make the breakthrough, finishing with match figures of 1-132. He was dropped again from the Test side, this time for good, although he did play four One Day Internationals against New Zealand (and one against Australia
Australian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
) on that tour.
After that, Radford's career with England consisted of just one more ODI, against West Indies
West Indian cricket team
The West Indian cricket team, also known colloquially as the West Indies or the Windies, is a multi-national cricket team representing a sporting confederation of 15 mainly English-speaking Caribbean countries, British dependencies and non-British dependencies.From the mid 1970s to the early 1990s,...
in 1988. From that time onward he was never close to international selection again, but he played another eight seasons for Worcestershire. He had an excellent year in one-day cricket in 1991: he took 48 wickets, including 7-19 against Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire County Cricket Club
Bedfordshire County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Bedfordshire and competing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy. The Minor Counties play three-day...
in the NatWest Trophy; as of the end of 2006, both statistics remain records for Worcestershire.
He was awarded a benefit season
Benefit (sports)
A benefit or testimonial is a match or season of activities granted by a sporting body to a loyal sportsman to boost their income before retirement. Often this is in the form of a match for which all the ticket proceeds are given to the player in question.There have been occasions when a...
in 1995, and when he retired from the first-class game at the end of that year, he had 994 wickets to his name at that level.
In 1997 and 1998, Radford played Minor counties cricket for Herefordshire
Herefordshire County Cricket Club
Herefordshire County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Herefordshire and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy...
.
Radford's two brothers, Glen
Glen Radford
Glen Radford is a former cricketer. Born in Luanshya, Zambia, he played at first-class and List A level for Eastern Transvaal, Western Transvaal and WT's successor North West in the 1990s....
and Wayne
Wayne Radford (cricketer)
Wayne Reginald Radford is a former cricketer. Born in Luanshya, Zambia, he played intermittently at first-class and List A level for Orange Free State, Boland, Eastern Transvaal and their successors Easterns, and for Impalas....
, both played domestic first-class cricket in South Africa.
External links
- Statistical summary from CricketArchiveCricketArchiveCricketArchive is a website that aims to provide a comprehensive archive of records relating to the sport of cricket. It claims to be the most comprehensive cricket database on the internet, including scorecards for all matches of first-class cricket , List A cricket , Women's Test cricket and...