Mike Hendrick: Reliable, resolute, the definition of Derbyshire cricket

SIMON HUGHES: It is often said that fast bowlers plough a furrow and Hendrick's was particularly noticeable as he came loping in off a curving run, his footsteps soon visible on a damp day because they were at an angle to everyone else's

Mike Hendrick was famous for his metronomically accurate seam bowling, his very sharp slip catching, and his dry wit.

Hendrick, who passed away on July 27 at the age of 72, was the classic pace bowler in a way – totally focussed on his work, his face generally etched in frustration as is a fast bowler’s lot, but quick to break into a rueful smile, and always seeing the funny side while supping a few pints after play.

Though a fantastically skilful and consistent operator, he never took himself too seriously. There was no trace of ego.

It is often said that fast bowlers plough a furrow and Hendrick’s was particularly noticeable as he came loping in off a curving run, his footsteps soon visible on a damp day because they were at an angle to everyone else’s.

Hovering around 80mph, he plugged away on a relentless line and length, moving the ball awkwardly away and extracting bounce from his 6ft 3in frame. He never wavered from this approach, even in one-day cricket.

If there was one slight criticism of his bowling it was that he tended to pitch a fraction too short and therefore regularly beat the bat rather than getting the edge. He was regarded as an unlucky bowler. If HawkEye had been around then it would have told him he needed to pitch the ball consistently half a yard fuller.

It might have meant he went for more runs (he conceded a miserly 2.2 per over at first-class level) but he would also have taken more than his 87 Test wickets, in 30 matches. He never took a five-wicket haul in a Test match, and his most famous delivery is the last ball of the West Indies innings in the 1979 World Cup final, an attempted yorker which Viv Richards audaciously flipped over deep square leg for six from outside off stump.

‘Hendo’ would have shrugged and seen the funny side. He probably felt he shouldn’t have been playing one-day internationals anyway. He was a traditionalist who employed traditional ploys to take his wickets, knew his strengths and stuck to them. He took a dim view of being expected to do cross-country runs at Derbyshire training to get fit for the season.

“If ever a batsman manages to hit a ball five miles we’ll be the first team to get it back,” he commented.

He was a great storyteller, with a brilliant eye for detail. This is my favourite, that Hendrick told to me at a dinner fairly recently.

“We had a first slip at Derbyshire, Phil Russell, who had very strong fingers. The wicketkeeper ‘Chat’ [Bob Taylor] used to toss Phil the ball and he was very good at ‘picking’ the seam [making it stand proud] before it was thrown back to me, via the cover fielders. On one occasion the cover point wasn’t watching so Phil threw the ball to midwicket instead where ‘Bud’ [Alan] Hill was fielding.

“Bud hadn’t realised what was going on and when he caught the ball he saw the lifted seam and he said, rather too loudly: ‘Bloody hell, who’s done this?!’

“Umpire Bill Alley overheard and said ‘show me the ball.’ We all thought we were in big trouble, but Alley examined the ball, threw it back to me and said: ‘If you don’t get five wickets with that I’ll report you to Lord’s!’”

Hendrick didn’t need any ball tampering to be a highly accomplished bowler. You knew when you played against him he would give you nothing.

But he was always the best person to seek out in the pavilion bar after play, and when he became coach of Ireland they loved his straightforward approach and sense of humour.

He gave cricket so much expertise and character.

In a way he defined Derbyshire cricket – tough, unforgiving but able to enliven the day with a dry one-liner.