19 Facts About Geoff Cope

Geoffrey Alan Cope was born on 23 February 1947 and played first-class cricket for Yorkshire from 1966 to 1980, and appeared in three Test matches for England.

Geoff Cope's talent was shown in an Under 11 cup final in which he took all ten wickets for 26 and then batted his team to victory.

Geoff Cope played club cricket at an early age with Leeds Zingari and then for Leeds Cricket Club in the Yorkshire League.

Geoff Cope played for England Schools and then, in 1964, for Yorkshire Second XI.

Geoff Cope made his debut for the first team against Hampshire at Bradford Park Avenue with Ray Illingworth on Test duty.

Geoff Cope won his Yorkshire cap in 1970, but was twice forced to remodel his off-break bowling action after he was suspended in 1972, and again in 1978.

Geoff Cope worked on his action with the Yorkshire spinner Johnny Wardle and, after good seasons in 1974 and 1975, played in an England Test trial at Bristol in May 1976.

Derek Underwood took four for 10 in the second innings while Geoff Cope took five for 27, as they skittled 'The Rest of England' for 48.

Geoff Cope was not selected for a Test that summer, and so escaped a pummelling at the hands of the West Indies, but was selected for his first major tour, to India, Ceylon and Australia for the Centenary Test that winter.

Ken Barrington, manager of the England team on his second tour, remarked that Geoff Cope was more accurate than Derek Underwood.

Geoff Cope was not a big spinner of the ball, preferring to build pressure on a batsman through denying him scoring opportunities.

Geoff Cope almost took a hat-trick on his Test debut: he dismissed Abdul Qadir leg before wicket, then bowled Sarfraz Nawaz first ball.

Geoff Cope took 686 first-class wickets in 246 games, with a best of 8 for 73 against Gloucestershire at Bristol in 1975.

Geoff Cope took his largest seasonal haul, 93 wickets at 24.13, in 1976 and averaged just 13.82 with the ball in taking 40 wickets in 1967.

Geoff Cope scored several first-class fifties, usually grinding affairs to stave off defeat, but never scored a century in any form of cricket.

Geoff Cope scored most of his runs with nicks and deflections behind the wicket.

Geoff Cope's highest knock was 78 against Essex at Acklam Park, Middlesbrough in 1977.

Geoff Cope was elected to the Yorkshire Committee after Brian Close retired from his seat, and appointed Yorkshire's Director of Cricket in 2002.

Geoff Cope began his playing career wearing glasses and, in 1972, turned to contact lenses.