John Whitehouse was a strong right-hand batsman who made a remarkable start with Warwickshire, smashing 173 against Oxford University on his first-class debut in 1971 including a hundred in 97 minutes. He did not maintain that form in the next two summers and then missed a year because of accountancy examinations, but still became a middle0order stalwart and when David Brown stood down in 1978 he took over the captaincy. It was a wretched time to take charge as the Packer affair was at its height and the county was embroiled in a bitter row after deciding not to renew the contract of Dennis Amiss, one of the first WSC signings. Whitehouse bore the brunt of the flack, rather unfairly, and he resigned after two fractious seasons. He returned for the last six weeks of the 1980 season and, freed from responsibility, played with the zest of old and made 725 runs at 65.90. It was quite a way to bow out.

He became a successful businessman but took early retirement to become the county's honorary treasurer. That, too, ended sadly when he quit in 2000 citing his disillusionment with the game as the reason.
Martin Williamson