John Sidney Ernest Price (born 22 July 1937) is an English former

cricket Cricket is a Bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball game played between two Sports team, teams of eleven players on a cricket field, field, at the centre of which is a cricket pitch, pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two Bail (cr ...

er, who played in fifteen

Tests Test(s), testing, or TEST may refer to: * Test (assessment), an educational assessment intended to measure the respondents' knowledge or other abilities Arts and entertainment * ''Test'' (2013 film), an American film * ''Test'' (2014 film) ...

for

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

from 1964 to 1972. Distinctive for his extremely long angled run up and elaborate, though graceful, upright bowling action, Price could bowl outswingers at genuine pace, but his international career was hampered by a succession of injuries. He possessed an excellent arm in the deep, but seldom troubled the opposition with a bat in his hand. He took 734 wickets for

Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, former county in South East England, now mainly within Greater London. Its boundaries largely followed three rivers: the River Thames, Thames in the south, the River Lea, Le ...

in 242 matches at just 22.39 each, carrying their attack in the late 1960s, having only established himself in the first team in 1963 at the age of 25, after playing club cricket with Wembley Cricket Club. He also took 192 wickets in limited overs games.

Life and career

Price was born in

Harrow Harrow may refer to: Places * Harrow, Victoria, Australia * Harrow, Ontario, Canada * The Harrow, County Wexford, a village in Ireland * London Borough of Harrow, England * Harrow, London, a town in London * Harrow (UK Parliament constituency) * ...

. He took 83 wickets at 22 in his first full season, earning a touring berth to

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

, where he took fourteen wickets in his first four Tests. Never renowned for his left-handed batting, he survived 144 minutes and scored 32 runs in partnership with his Middlesex team-mate,

Fred Titmus Frederick John Titmus (24 November 1932 – 23 March 2011) was an English cricketer, whose first-class career, mostly for Middlesex with a short stint for Surrey, spanned five decades. He was the fourth man after W.G. Grace, Wilfred Rhode ...

, in the Second Test in

Bombay Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial centre, financial capital and the list of cities i ...

. He took 5 for 73 in the next Test in

Calcutta Kolkata, also known as Calcutta (List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern ba ...

but, in his sporadic appearances thereafter, failed to take more than three wickets in a Test innings again. He toured

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

in 1964/65, taking three wickets in the Test at

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and Xhosa language, Xhosa: eGoli ) (colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, Jo'burg or "The City of Gold") is the most populous city in South Africa. With 5,538,596 people in the City of Johannesburg alon ...

, but was struck down by a back injury in 1965. He returned to form and fitness in style in 1966, taking 94 wickets at 18.74 and bagging 8 for 48, the best bowling figures of his career, against

Derbyshire Derbyshire ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It borders Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, and South Yorkshire to the north, Nottinghamshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south-east, Staffordshire to the south a ...

Lord's Lord's Cricket Ground, commonly known as Lord's, is a cricket List of Test cricket grounds, venue in St John's Wood, Westminster. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and is the home of Middlesex C ...

. After England had lost the 1966 series against the

West Indies The West Indies is an island subregion of the Americas, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, which comprises 13 independent island country, island countries and 19 dependent territory, dependencies in thr ...

, Price, then considered the fastest bowler in England, was selected for the fifth and final Test, but was unable to play due to injury.

John Snow John Snow (15 March 1813 – 16 June 1858) was an English physician and a leader in the development of anaesthesia and medical hygiene. He is considered one of the founders of modern epidemiology and early germ theory, in part because of hi ...

, whom he had replaced, returned to the side. Price took another 89 wickets at just 16.51 in 1968, and although age was beginning to tell against him, he took another 80 scalps in 1970. He returned to England colours at the age of 34 in 1971, after six years in the international wilderness, against

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

after

Zaheer Abbas Syed Zaheer Abbas Kirmani PP, (in Punjabi and Urdu: سید ظہیر عباس کرمانی; born 24 July 1947), popularly known as Zaheer Abbas, is a Pakistani former cricketer. He is among the few professional cricketers who used to wear spect ...

had earlier savaged England's bowling attack. Price took 3 for 29 in Pakistan's first innings, in a rain ruined match at Lord's, and he bowled well in the subsequent series against

, opening the bowling with Snow. More good performances in 1972, including 8 for 85 against

Sussex Sussex (Help:IPA/English, /ˈsʌsɪks/; from the Old English ''Sūþseaxe''; lit. 'South Saxons'; 'Sussex') is an area within South East England that was historically a kingdom of Sussex, kingdom and, later, a Historic counties of England, ...

, and 6 for 34 in a Gillette Cup match against

Surrey Surrey () is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Greater London to the northeast, Kent to the east, East Sussex, East and West Sussex to the south, and Hampshire and Berkshire to the wes ...

, saw him picked for what turned out to be his last Test against

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

at Lord's, a game in which he hit 19, the second-highest score, in England's disastrous second innings, as Bob Massie swept the tourists to victory. Price appeared in the 1975

Benson & Hedges Cup The Benson & Hedges Cup was a one-day cricket competition for first-class counties in England and Wales that was held from 1972 to 2002, one of cricket's longest sponsorship deals. It was the third major one-day competition established in Engla ...

Final, before retiring at the end of the season.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Price, John 1937 births Living people England Test cricketers Middlesex cricketers Cricketers from the London Borough of Harrow People from Harrow, London Marylebone Cricket Club cricketers D. H. Robins' XI cricketers T. N. Pearce's XI cricketers