OCCC Home | Player pages
 |
|
|
 |
It is strange that the two leading wicket-takers in OCCC history managed just nine matches in the School 1st XI between them – and Cookie's share is one of those. His OC career was also a slow starter, National Service and going to university at the age of 26 meaning that he didn’t start playing regularly until he was almost 30. Cookie, a left-armer who possessed a remarkably ugly action (his final leap as approached the wicket being compared to a parachutist landing) bowled at medium pace, relying on late inswing (he admitted that he couldn’t make the ball leave the right-hander), the occasional leg-cutter and nagging accuracy. In the late 1960s throughout the 70s, Cookie was invariably the leading wicket-taker, and by the mid-70s he shouldered almost all the burden of bowling sides out. His commitment was matched only by his longevity, and he continued to play well into the 1990s, the arm getting lower by the season to the extent that umpires at his end stood well back rather than risk being struck between their shoulder blades. His final appearance came in Kenya on the 2001 tour, 47 seasons after his debut. As a batsman he was under-rated – he spent his last few seasons opening for his club – and as a fielder he was safe rather than spectacular. He also claims that he is the only true OCCC international, having represented Nigeria in the 1960s.
|
|
|
|
Personal Details
Full name John Wilson Russell Cooke
Born May 19, 1936, Balham
Height 6ft 1ins
Nickname Cookie
Batting right-hand tailender
Bowling left-arm medium
Clubs Dorking, Wimbledon, Durham University, Palatinate, Western Command, Nigeria
OC Career 1954 to 2001
School 1st XI 1953 (1 match)
Tours Kenya 2001
|
|
Career Statistics
Batting
| M |
I |
No |
HS |
Runs |
Av |
50 |
100 |
C |
St |
| 130 |
91 |
27 |
52 |
1049 |
16.39 |
1 |
0 |
32 |
0 |
Bowling
| O |
M |
R |
W |
Av |
BB |
5WI |
SR |
ER |
| 1560.3 |
328 |
5039 |
274 |
18.39 |
6-21 |
17 |
34.2 |
3.2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
