Going glassy-eyed
Players who wore spectacles while playing cricket
Steven Lynch
12-Dec-2011
Frames you could fit around a door • The Cricketer International
Percy Fender
Think of Fender, the charismatic England allrounder and Surrey skipper of the 1920s, and - after remembering his 35-minute century, the fastest authentic one in first-class history - you'll probably focus on his overlong jumpers and rimless spectacles. But here's a funny thing: apparently Fender didn't need glasses, and only started to wear them (and the knee-hugging sweaters) after the famous contemporary cartoonist Tom Webster started drawing him in them.
Think of Fender, the charismatic England allrounder and Surrey skipper of the 1920s, and - after remembering his 35-minute century, the fastest authentic one in first-class history - you'll probably focus on his overlong jumpers and rimless spectacles. But here's a funny thing: apparently Fender didn't need glasses, and only started to wear them (and the knee-hugging sweaters) after the famous contemporary cartoonist Tom Webster started drawing him in them.
Clive Lloyd
Perhaps the most striking spectacle-wearer in recent years was Lloyd, who once even sported a white pair. He had to wear glasses after his eyes were damaged when he was 12, when he tried to break up a fight at school. Later on, he switched to contact lenses, but never looked quite as menacing (except perhaps if you were bowling at him) as when he pounded the bowling - and patrolled the covers - complete with horn-rimmed specs.
Perhaps the most striking spectacle-wearer in recent years was Lloyd, who once even sported a white pair. He had to wear glasses after his eyes were damaged when he was 12, when he tried to break up a fight at school. Later on, he switched to contact lenses, but never looked quite as menacing (except perhaps if you were bowling at him) as when he pounded the bowling - and patrolled the covers - complete with horn-rimmed specs.
Daniel Vettori
New Zealand's top spinner is one of the few batsmen left who still prefer spectacles to lenses, although he usually fields without them. When he made his debut early in 1997, New Zealand's youngest player at 18, Vettori was blinking nervously from behind them as he went in to bat at No. 11 - but, as he showed in Brisbane last week with a fighting 96, he soon got the hang of Test batting.
New Zealand's top spinner is one of the few batsmen left who still prefer spectacles to lenses, although he usually fields without them. When he made his debut early in 1997, New Zealand's youngest player at 18, Vettori was blinking nervously from behind them as he went in to bat at No. 11 - but, as he showed in Brisbane last week with a fighting 96, he soon got the hang of Test batting.
Vizzy
The Maharajkumar of Vizianagram was the autocratic captain of the Indian team that toured England in 1936: he sent home Lala Amarnath, one of his leading players, for alleged insubordination. "Vizzy", as he was known (although probably not in his hearing), usually sported a pair of round glasses. He could perhaps have done with a stronger prescription, as he managed only 33 runs in six Test innings on that trip.
The Maharajkumar of Vizianagram was the autocratic captain of the Indian team that toured England in 1936: he sent home Lala Amarnath, one of his leading players, for alleged insubordination. "Vizzy", as he was known (although probably not in his hearing), usually sported a pair of round glasses. He could perhaps have done with a stronger prescription, as he managed only 33 runs in six Test innings on that trip.
Eddie Barlow
The pugnacious Barlow was one of the leading allrounders of the 1960s and '70s, although he didn't get many chances to display his talents as South Africa were outlawed for most of his career. But he still made his mark at international level: the bespectacled Barlow scored 201 against Australia in Adelaide in 1963-64, and is probably best remembered in England for a hat-trick (and four wickets in five balls) for the Rest of the World against England in the unofficial Test series of 1970, which replaced the scheduled South African visit. Barlow was one of several South African spectacle-wearers around this time - Peter van der Merwe, who skippered them in England in 1965, was another.
The pugnacious Barlow was one of the leading allrounders of the 1960s and '70s, although he didn't get many chances to display his talents as South Africa were outlawed for most of his career. But he still made his mark at international level: the bespectacled Barlow scored 201 against Australia in Adelaide in 1963-64, and is probably best remembered in England for a hat-trick (and four wickets in five balls) for the Rest of the World against England in the unofficial Test series of 1970, which replaced the scheduled South African visit. Barlow was one of several South African spectacle-wearers around this time - Peter van der Merwe, who skippered them in England in 1965, was another.
Bill Bowes
The schoolmasterly figure of Bowes - tall, with a kindly face framed by glasses - was a familiar one in Yorkshire cricket for years, firstly as a player then as a journalist. Bowes caused a sensation by bowling Don Bradman with the first ball the Don received in the 1932-33 Bodyline series (he went across too far and somehow hooked a bouncer down into his stumps in Melbourne). It was, in fact, Bowes' only wicket of that famous series, but what an important one: skipper Douglas Jardine apparently celebrated with a sort of war-dance in the field.
The schoolmasterly figure of Bowes - tall, with a kindly face framed by glasses - was a familiar one in Yorkshire cricket for years, firstly as a player then as a journalist. Bowes caused a sensation by bowling Don Bradman with the first ball the Don received in the 1932-33 Bodyline series (he went across too far and somehow hooked a bouncer down into his stumps in Melbourne). It was, in fact, Bowes' only wicket of that famous series, but what an important one: skipper Douglas Jardine apparently celebrated with a sort of war-dance in the field.
MJK Smith
The most famous pair of glasses in English cricket in the 1960s - at least once Geoff Boycott jettisoned specs in favour of lenses - probably belonged to Smith. A stylish batsman, he played 50 Tests, captaining England in exactly half of them. He was also a noted close fielder, despite the spectacles - and also a rugby international, although he left the glasses off for that.
The most famous pair of glasses in English cricket in the 1960s - at least once Geoff Boycott jettisoned specs in favour of lenses - probably belonged to Smith. A stylish batsman, he played 50 Tests, captaining England in exactly half of them. He was also a noted close fielder, despite the spectacles - and also a rugby international, although he left the glasses off for that.
Alf Valentine
It wasn't long after the almost-unknown left-arm spinner Valentine landed in England for the seminal West Indies tour of 1950 that some of his team-mates noticed that he couldn't see the figures on the scoreboard. He was bundled off to an optician and emerged with a pair of National Health-issue spectacles, which he proudly wore throughout the rest of the tour. After his debut in the first Test at Old Trafford, it was the England batsmen who wished they couldn't see the board: Valentine took the first eight wickets to fall, still a unique feat in Test history.
It wasn't long after the almost-unknown left-arm spinner Valentine landed in England for the seminal West Indies tour of 1950 that some of his team-mates noticed that he couldn't see the figures on the scoreboard. He was bundled off to an optician and emerged with a pair of National Health-issue spectacles, which he proudly wore throughout the rest of the tour. After his debut in the first Test at Old Trafford, it was the England batsmen who wished they couldn't see the board: Valentine took the first eight wickets to fall, still a unique feat in Test history.
Dirk Wellham
After marking his first-class debut in 1980-81 with a century, the New South Wales batsman Wellham went one better at The Oval in 1981, making 103 in his first Test despite the twin handicaps of wearing glasses and having to inject himself with insulin to combat diabetes. His studious Oval innings seemed to suggest the arrival of a new batting star, but somehow his face didn't quite fit and he won only five more Test caps.
After marking his first-class debut in 1980-81 with a century, the New South Wales batsman Wellham went one better at The Oval in 1981, making 103 in his first Test despite the twin handicaps of wearing glasses and having to inject himself with insulin to combat diabetes. His studious Oval innings seemed to suggest the arrival of a new batting star, but somehow his face didn't quite fit and he won only five more Test caps.
Walter Hadlee
The father of Sir Richard, and himself the captain of one of New Zealand's most famous cricket teams - the 1949 tourists who drew all four of their Tests in England in 1949 - Hadlee was also a proud wearer of spectacles. They didn't stop him making 116 against a strong England team in Christchurch in 1946-47.
The father of Sir Richard, and himself the captain of one of New Zealand's most famous cricket teams - the 1949 tourists who drew all four of their Tests in England in 1949 - Hadlee was also a proud wearer of spectacles. They didn't stop him making 116 against a strong England team in Christchurch in 1946-47.
Tommy Mitchell
The jovial Derbyshire legspinner Mitchell was, like the similarly bespectacled Bill Bowes, one of the minor players on the 1932-33 Bodyline tour. The captain, Douglas Jardine, was fonder of the faster men, so Mitchell played only once in that famous series - but it was the one in which England clinched the Ashes (the fourth Test, in Brisbane; Mitchell took three wickets). But he was a big spinner of the ball, who apparently didn't try to spin it so hard for captains he didn't like - and he was a key member of the only Derbyshire side to win the County Championship, in 1936.
The jovial Derbyshire legspinner Mitchell was, like the similarly bespectacled Bill Bowes, one of the minor players on the 1932-33 Bodyline tour. The captain, Douglas Jardine, was fonder of the faster men, so Mitchell played only once in that famous series - but it was the one in which England clinched the Ashes (the fourth Test, in Brisbane; Mitchell took three wickets). But he was a big spinner of the ball, who apparently didn't try to spin it so hard for captains he didn't like - and he was a key member of the only Derbyshire side to win the County Championship, in 1936.
The summary of this article was amended at 7.43GMT on December 12 to note that it's an XI of players who wore spectacles and not one of players with poor eyesight.
Steven Lynch is the editor of the Wisden Guide to International Cricket 2011.