Big-hitting Paul Winslow dies aged 82

Paul Winslow, who played five Tests for South Africa as a middle-order batsman in the decade after the war, has died at Rosebank Netcare Clinic, Rosebank, Johannesburg. He had turned 82 earlier in the week.

Winslow gained the reputation of a big hitter and throughout his career attacked the bowling, in contrast to most of the batsmen of his era.

His most memorable innings came in the third Test at Old Trafford in 1955. South Africa went into the match trailing 2-0, and in reply to England's 284, were 245 for 5 when Winslow joined wicketkeeper John Waite. The pair added 171 for the sixth wicket, Waite scoring 113 and Winslow 108. Winslow brought up his maiden first-class hundred with a towering straight six off Tony Lock which sailed out of the ground.

Set 145 at a little over a run-a-minute, South Africa scrambled home by three wickets with minutes to spare, Winslow making a rapid 16.

Winslow failed in the fourth Test - also won by South Africa - and thereafter did nothing of note in his career except for scoring 81 and 139 for Rhodesia against the touring Australian team of 1957-58 in Salisbury.

There was talk of him being recalled for the Test series, but this did not happen. He did, however, play for a South African XI in a match at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, scoring 12 and 22.

Winslow was educated at King Edward VII and represented the SA Nuffield XI in 1947 and 1948 before playing for Sussex second XI in 1949. He played in one first-class match for Sussex against Cambridge University two weeks before his 20th birthday. Returning to South Africa, he played for Transvaal in two matches against Lindsay Hassett's 1949-50 touring Australian team, making his Test debut in the fourth match of the series at Ellis Park, with little success.

In 1954-55 he had a successful season for Transvaal, scoring 379 runs (42.11) with a highest of 94 and was recalled for the tour of England. In 22 matches on tour he scored 758 runs at an average of 23.68, 156 of the runs in the three Tests he played (26.00). Against Lancashire he smashed 61 in only 43 minutes, smiting spinner Jack Ikin for 30 (4,4,6,6,4,6) off an over.

He retired at the end of the 1959-60 at the age of 30 to concentrate on his business career, having scored 2,755 runs in 75 matches (ave 23.34) with two centuries and 13 fifties.

He is survived by his wife, Moira, who he met on the 1955 tour. She was the co-ordinator of Drive Alive after the death of four family members in 1989.