Barry WOOD

The high point of Lancashire opener Barry Wood's Test career was the 26 and 90 he scored against Lillee and Massie on his debut at the Oval in 1972. So well did he play that he was seen as the obvious bulwark against the tidal wave of Lillee and Thomson which threatened to overwhelm England in 1975, and he batted pluckily against the fast bowling. Spin bowling was his undoing after his excellent debut. He toured India under Tony Lewis in 1972-73, in a series when the Indian spinners would be bowling within the first five overs of an innings, if not sooner. After 19 and 45 in the first Test he followed with scores of 11, 1, 20 and 5 before he was dropped in favour of makeshift opening bats like Graham Roope and Lewis himself. His partner Dennis Amiss suffered the same fate, but while Amiss redeemed himself on the flatter wickets of Pakistan Wood played in only the third Test, scoring 3 and 5. He was flown out as a replacement on the New Zealand leg of a 1974-75 tour after Lillee and Thomson had injured leading batsmen in Australia. In Christchurch he made 33, adding 80 for the first wicket with Amiss. In the three Tests he played against Australia in 1975 he made 6 and 52 at Lord's, 9 and 25 at Headingley, and 32 and 22 at the Oval. In the 1975 World Cup he appeared in two matches, replacing John Jameson as opening bat in the semi-final at Headingley, where he was lbw to Gary Gilmour for 6. Wood also bowled a useful medium pace. (Bob Harragan)