Roger Prideaux

Roger Malcolm Prideaux (born 31 July 1939)^[1] is an English former cricketer, who played in three Tests for England from 1968 to 1969.

Life and career[]

Prideaux was educated at Tonbridge School and Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge.^[2] A talented, stroke playing opening batsman, he won blues at Cambridge University from 1958 to 1960, and began his first-class cricket career at Kent.^[1] Moving to Northants, he scored a thousand runs in his first season, formed a powerful opening combination with the pugnacious Colin Milburn and captained the county from 1967 to 1970.^[1] He marked his Test debut in 1968, against Australia at Headingley with a 64, but missed the final Test of the series, at the Oval, with pleurisy.^[3] His absence allowed the selection of Basil D'Oliveira, and the subsequent controversy led to the abandonment of the 1968/9 tour to South Africa, for which Prideaux had been selected. He played in two Tests on tour against Pakistan, but was dropped thereafter.^[3]

In 1967, Prideaux was elected as the first chairman of the fledgling Professional Cricketers' Association.^[3] Prideaux ended his long career at Sussex, batting in the middle order. He also played for Orange Free State in the early 1970s, and later emigrated to South Africa.^[1]

His former wife Ruth (1930-2016) (née Westbrook) was also involved in international cricket, managing and coaching the England women's cricket team. Under her maiden name, she had earlier played eleven Tests between 1957 and 1963.^[1] They are one of the few married couples who have both played Test cricket.

References[]