Former England pacer Mike Hendrick passes away aged 72

Former England fast medium-bowler Mike Hendrick has died aged 72, his old county Derbyshire announced Tuesday. He had been suffering from bowel and liver cancer for some time. In an article in The Times published earlier this month to coincide with the 40th anniversary of England’s 1981 Ashes series win at home to Australia, Hendrick told Mike Atherton — himself a former England captain — that he was “in the departure lounge but the flight has not quite left yet”. Hendrick only played two Tests in that series but was more heavily involved in England’s 1977 and 1978/9 Ashes successes. Renowned for his accuracy, Hendrick took 87 wickets in 30 Tests at an average of 25.83 from 1974 to 1981 at a time when he faced competition for an England place from the likes of John Snow, Bob Willis, Chris Old, John Lever and Graham Dilley in attacks boasting all-rounders of the calibre of Tony Greig and Ian Botham. For his native Derbyshire, Hendrick took 497 first-class wickets at 20.05.