Phil Edmonds

Phil Edmonds

Personal information
Full name	Phillipe-Henri Edmonds
Born	8 March 1951 (1951-03-08) Lusaka, Northern Rhodesia
Nickname	Goat, Henry
Height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Batting style	Right-handed
Bowling style	Slow left arm orthodox
Role	Bowler
International information
National side	England
Test debut (cap 464)	14 August 1975 v Australia
Last Test	11 August 1987 v Pakistan
ODI debut (cap 42)	23 December 1977 v Pakistan
Last ODI	2 April 1987 v India
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1971–1992	Middlesex
1974–1987	MCC
1975–1976	Eastern Province
1971–1973	Cambridge University
Career statistics
Competition	Tests	ODI	FC	LA
Matches	51	29	391	301
Runs scored	875	116	7651	2467
Batting average	17.50	10.54	18.93	15.91
100s/50s	–/2	–/–	3/22	–/2
Top score	64	20	142	63*
Balls bowled	12028	1534	85961	13467
Wickets	125	26	1246	323
Bowling average	34.18	37.11	25.66	25.11
5 wickets in innings	2	–	47	2
10 wickets in match	–	n/a	9	n/a
Best bowling	7/66	3/39	8/53	5/12
Catches/stumpings	42/–	6/–	345/–	89/–
Source: Cricinfo, 4 December 2007

Phil Edmonds (born Philippe-Henri Edmonds, 8 March 1951, Lusaka, Northern Rhodesia) is a former English cricketer and a successful, albeit controversial, corporate executive.

He was noted for his outspoken behaviour, and he could be "cussedly abrasive or engagingly charming, but he could never bring himself to conform to the fist-clenching, grim-faced trait of most professional sportsmen".

Life and career

Born to an English father and Belgian mother, Edmonds was educated at Gilbert Rennie High School, Lusaka, The Skinners' School, Cranbrook School and Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge University.

He was a successful slow left arm spin bowler for Cambridge University, Middlesex and England (for whom he played in fifty one Tests and twenty nine ODIs from 1975 to 1987). On his debut, he took five wickets in the first innings against Australia in Leeds in 1975.

At county level, Edmonds' Middlesex career coincided with that of John Emburey. The left and right arm spin combination was a powerful contribution towards Middlesex's successes in this period. They also combined at England level, although the pair often competed for the same place in the Test team. He was a controversial cricketer and well known for his outspokenness which often got him into trouble. In 1984-85, England were playing India in Calcutta, and the hosts played at a snail's pace towards an inevitable draw. Edmonds, fielding at square leg, produced a copy of the Daily Telegraph and proceeded to read.

In 51 Test matches, Edmonds took 125 wickets at 34.18, with a batting average of 17.50.

He has been successful in business, as Chairman of Middlesex Holdings, White Nile Petroleum Company and Middlesex County Cricket Club.

Edmonds was also the Chairman of Central African Mining & Exploration Company Plc, a company which was bought by ENRC in September 2009.

He is married to the author, Frances Edmonds, and they have a daughter.

References

• Barnes, Simon (1986). Phil Edmonds: A Singular Man. London: Kingswood Press. ISBN 0-434-98092-7. .