John Emburey
Encyclopedia
John Ernest Emburey is a former English
cricketer
, who played for Middlesex
, Northamptonshire
, Western Province, Berkshire
and England
.
Cricket writer, Colin Bateman noted, concerning Emburey's participation in two South African rebel tours
that it "cost him six lost years as far as Test cricket was concerned... and, more significantly, probably an extended run as England captain, a job for which he was better suited than some who held the position post-Mike Brearley
".
Emburey was briefly made England Test captain in 1988, the notorious "Summer of four captains". Mike Gatting
was sacked after the first Test match
against the West Indies
and Emburey was appointed for two matches, both of which were lost. Emburey too was fired and was replaced by Chris Cowdrey
for the fourth Test. Cowdrey lasted just one match, replaced in turn by Graham Gooch
.
Emburey was the only cricketer to go on both the England rebel tours to South Africa
in 1981/2 and 1989/90; the rebels were banned from Test match cricket
because of the apartheid régime. According to Graham Gooch's published tour diary, Emburey had dressed up as a member of the Ku Klux Klan
at a fancy dress party on tour just before the news of the first rebel tour broke.
Later in his Test career, Emburey tended to be picked for single Tests in England, as happened in 1993 against Australia and 1995 against the West Indies.
At county level, Emburey's Middlesex career coincided with that of Phil Edmonds
. The right and left arm spin combination was a powerful contribution towards Middlesex's successes in the 1980s. They also combined at England level, although the pair often competed for the same place in the Test team. A highlight of Emburey's Middlesex career was taking 12 wickets in a single day in a championship match at Lord's in 1980.
Emburey holds the dubious distinction of being the highest England Test run-scorer never to have made a Test century. Until Mark Pettini
beat it in 2006, Emburey held the batting record for the highest innings made entirely from boundaries. Despite his chronic lack of footwork, he scored 46 for the England XI against Tasmania
at Hobart
in 1986-87, with ten fours and a six.
He was second choice for the post of Indian National Coach after Graham Ford
rejected the role. Emburey also has rejected the role.
and Middlesex County Cricket Club
, as well as commentating. In February 2008, he signed on as the coach of the Ahmedabad Rockets
, one of the expansion teams in the second season of the Indian Cricket League
.
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...
cricketer
Cricketer
A cricketer is a person who plays the sport of cricket. Official and long-established cricket publications prefer the traditional word "cricketer" over the rarely used term "cricket player"....
, who played for Middlesex
Middlesex County Cricket Club
Middlesex 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 Middlesex. It was announced in February 2009 that Middlesex changed their limited overs name from the Middlesex Crusaders, to the...
, Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire County Cricket Club
Northamptonshire 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 Northamptonshire. Its limited overs team is called the Northants Steelbacks. The traditional club colour is Maroon. During the...
, Western Province, Berkshire
Berkshire County Cricket Club
Berkshire 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 Berkshire and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and MCCA Knockout Trophy....
and England
English cricket team
The England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end...
.
Cricket writer, Colin Bateman noted, concerning Emburey's participation in two South African rebel tours
South African rebel tours
The South African rebel tours were a series of seven cricket tours staged between 1982 and 1990. They were known as the rebel tours because South Africa was throughout this period banned from international cricket due to the apartheid regime...
that it "cost him six lost years as far as Test cricket was concerned... and, more significantly, probably an extended run as England captain, a job for which he was better suited than some who held the position post-Mike Brearley
Mike Brearley
John Michael Brearley OBE is a former cricketer who captained the England cricket team in 31 of his 39 Test matches, winning 17 and losing only 4. He was the President of the Marylebone Cricket Club in 2007–08.-Early life:...
".
Playing career
Emburey was a right arm spin bowler and a slightly eccentric lower-order batsman with the style of a grafter. He was more notable as an economical performer than a "demon" spin bowler, but on his day could leave the best batsmen groping outside off-stump. One of his dangerous balls was his arm ball outswinger. Emburey was named a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1984.Emburey was briefly made England Test captain in 1988, the notorious "Summer of four captains". Mike Gatting
Mike Gatting
Michael "Mike" William Gatting OBE is a former English cricketer, who played first-class cricket for Middlesex and for England from 1977 to 1995, captaining the national side in twenty-three Test matches between 1986 and 1988...
was sacked after the first Test match
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 the 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,...
and Emburey was appointed for two matches, both of which were lost. Emburey too was fired and was replaced by Chris Cowdrey
Chris Cowdrey
Christopher Stuart "Chris" Cowdrey is an English former cricketer. Cowdrey played for Kent, Glamorgan and England as an all-rounder...
for the fourth Test. Cowdrey lasted just one match, replaced in turn by Graham Gooch
Graham Gooch
Graham Alan Gooch OBE DL is a former cricketer who captained Essex and England. He was one of the most successful international batsmen of his generation, and through a career spanning from 1973 until 2000, he became the most prolific run scorer of all time with 67,057 runs...
.
Emburey was the only cricketer to go on both the England rebel tours to South Africa
South African cricket team
The South African national cricket team represent South Africa in international cricket. They are administrated by Cricket South Africa.South Africa is a full member of the International Cricket Council, also known as ICC, with Test and One Day International, or ODI, status...
in 1981/2 and 1989/90; the rebels were banned from Test match 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...
because of the apartheid régime. According to Graham Gooch's published tour diary, Emburey had dressed up as a member of the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
at a fancy dress party on tour just before the news of the first rebel tour broke.
Later in his Test career, Emburey tended to be picked for single Tests in England, as happened in 1993 against Australia and 1995 against the West Indies.
At county level, Emburey's Middlesex career coincided with that of Phil Edmonds
Phil Edmonds
Phil Edmonds is a former English cricketer and a successful, albeit controversial, corporate executive....
. The right and left arm spin combination was a powerful contribution towards Middlesex's successes in the 1980s. They also combined at England level, although the pair often competed for the same place in the Test team. A highlight of Emburey's Middlesex career was taking 12 wickets in a single day in a championship match at Lord's in 1980.
Emburey holds the dubious distinction of being the highest England Test run-scorer never to have made a Test century. Until Mark Pettini
Mark Pettini
Mark Lewis Pettini is an English cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman. He can also bowl right-arm medium-pace bowler and has also acted as Essex's wicket-keeper, but not for a number of years. Nicknamed "Swamps" by his Essex team mates.-Playing Style:Mark Pettini is an aggressive batsman who...
beat it in 2006, Emburey held the batting record for the highest innings made entirely from boundaries. Despite his chronic lack of footwork, he scored 46 for the England XI against Tasmania
Tasmanian Tigers
The Tasmanian cricket team, nicknamed the Tigers, represents the Australian state of Tasmania in cricket tournaments. They compete annually in the Australian domestic senior men's cricket season, which currently consists of the first-class Sheffield Shield, the limited overs Ford Ranger Cup, and...
at Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
in 1986-87, with ten fours and a six.
He was second choice for the post of Indian National Coach after Graham Ford
Graham Ford
Graham Xavier Ford is a South African first class cricketer turned cricket coach. A right-handed batsman, he played 7 games for Natal B in his career despite playing his last game seven years after his debut in 1982/83. He was a good allrounder sportsman, being a former provincial tennis champion...
rejected the role. Emburey also has rejected the role.
Coaching and other activities
Emburey has coached Northamptonshire County Cricket ClubNorthamptonshire County Cricket Club
Northamptonshire 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 Northamptonshire. Its limited overs team is called the Northants Steelbacks. The traditional club colour is Maroon. During the...
and Middlesex County Cricket Club
Middlesex County Cricket Club
Middlesex 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 Middlesex. It was announced in February 2009 that Middlesex changed their limited overs name from the Middlesex Crusaders, to the...
, as well as commentating. In February 2008, he signed on as the coach of the Ahmedabad Rockets
Ahmedabad Rockets
Ahmedabad Rockets was one of the nine teams played in the defunct Indian Cricket League. The captain is former Australian international batsman Damien Martyn...
, one of the expansion teams in the second season of the Indian Cricket League
Indian Cricket League
The Indian Cricket League was a private cricket league funded by Zee Entertainment Enterprises that operated between 2007 and 2009 in India...
.