11 Facts About Jackie McGlew

Derrick John "Jackie" McGlew was a cricketer who played for Natal and South Africa.

Jackie McGlew was educated at Merchiston Preparatory School and Maritzburg College, where he was Head Dayboy Prefect and captain of both cricket and rugby in 1948.

An opening batsman with fabled powers of adhesion, suiting his name, McGlew set records in the 1950s for slow scoring.

Jackie McGlew was picked for the 1951 tour to England on the strength of a century in a 12-a-side match, and was not a success in his two Test matches.

Jackie McGlew was the South Africans' most successful batsman on his second tour of England in 1955, scoring centuries at Old Trafford and Headingley.

Jackie McGlew captained the side in two Tests because of injury to the tour captain, Jack Cheetham.

South Africa won both matches, and Cheetham wanted Jackie McGlew to remain as captain for the Fifth Test even though Cheetham was fit, but he was over-ruled by the other members of the selection committee.

In 1956, for his efforts on the tour, Jackie McGlew was named as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year with Wisden contrasting the dourness of his batting with the liveliness of his fielding in the covers.

Jackie McGlew had a poor Test series, and the tour was blighted by controversy over the bowling action of the South African fast bowler, Geoff Griffin, who was no-balled for throwing at Lord's.

Jackie McGlew scored 2,440 Test runs at an average of more than 42.

Jackie McGlew wrote the books Cricket for South Africa, Cricket Crisis, and Six for Glory.