Neil Adcock

South Africa

Full name Neil Amwin Treharne Adcock

Born March 8, 1931, Sea Point, Cape Town, Cape Province

Died January 6, 2013, Howick, KwaZulu-Natal (aged 81 years 304 days)

Major teams South Africa, Natal, Transvaal

Batting style Right-hand bat

Bowling style Right-arm fast

Batting and fielding averages

	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	6s	Ct	St
Tests	26	39	12	146	24	5.40	0	0	1	4	0
First-class	99	117	35	451	41	5.50	0	0		24	0

Bowling averages

	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10
Tests	26	46	6391	2195	104	6/43	8/87	21.10	2.06	61.4	5	5	0
First-class	99		19708	6989	405	8/39		17.25	2.12	48.6		19	4

Career statistics

Test debut	South Africa v New Zealand at Durban, Dec 11-15, 1953 scorecard
Last Test	South Africa v New Zealand at Port Elizabeth, Feb 16-20, 1962 scorecard
Test statistics
First-class span	1952/53 - 1962/63

Profile

Neil Adcock was the first South African quick bowler to take 100 Test wickets. Unlike Procter, the Pollocks and Donald, Neil Adcock did not have the benefit of world-class support, but he still managed 104 wickets at an average of only 21. He used his height to make the ball lift alarmingly off a length. In England in 1960, Adcock was a revelation, brushing off the controversy surrounding his new-ball partner Geoff Griffin - who was no-balled for throwing - to take 26 wickets in the Tests, even though South Africa lost the series 3-0. On the whole tour, he took 108 wickets at an average of 14, and was named as one of Wisden's Cricketers of the Year in 1961 as a result.
Rob Smyth

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