Brian Edrich dies aged 86

Brian Edrich, one of the famous clan from Norfolk who were numerous and good enough to be able to field their own XI, has died at the age of 86.

A left-handed middle-order batsman and offspinner, he played for Kent and then Glamorgan in the decade after the war, and then enjoyed a successful late career with Oxfordshire in Minor Counties cricket.

Edrich made his debut as a 16-year-old for Kent's 2nd XI in 1939 but the war meant he had to wait another seven years for his Championship bow. After two moderate seasons, he broke through in 1949 when he scored 893 runs, including a career-best 193 not out against Sussex and during that innings he added 161 for the ninth wicket with Fred Ridgway.

In the same summer he took 37 wickets, including career-best figures of 7 for 41 against Hampshire, but he was never regarded as a regular bowler. After 1951, when he took 49 wickets at 26.24, he bowled rarely.

That year he passed 1000 runs for the only time, but his form thereafter was patchy. In 1954 he moved to Glamorgan but while there he failed to pass 500 runs or average more than 20. In 1956 he became assistant coach and thereafter played in the 2nd XI where he helped groom up-and-coming players.

In 1964 he took up a post as coach at St Edward's, Oxford, a move which allowed him to resume playing competitive cricket with Oxfordshire until 1971.