Edwin Schreiber Obituary
by Peter Martin
DateLine: 17th October 2010
Former Border off-spin bowler, Edwin Schreiber, has died in Durban at the age of 74.
Schreiber represented the SA Schools XI in 1954 and was the mainstay of the Border spin attack from 1954-55 when he made his debut as an 18-year-old, until 1961-62. He made one last appearance, his 40th for Border, after a five-year break in 1966-67.
During the 1950s, he was spoken of as a future international, as he had excellent games against Peter May’s MCC team in 1956-57 and the touring Australians in 1957-58, both matches being played at the Jan Smuts ground in East London. He unfortunately broke his spinning finger when he tried to catch May off his own bowling and was unable to bat in both innings when MCC won by an innings and 218 runs.
Against the Australians he took 3-123 off 33 overs, not the greatest figures, but he troubled all the batsmen as the Australians were dismissed for 279 (Burge 80), their lowest score of the tour at that stage.
That same season Schreiber captured 5-58 on a plumb Kingsmead, Durban pitch and forced Natal to follow-on after taking a 199-run lead, but Jack McGlew scored 213 not out and Kim Elgie 148 and at the end of the match Border were hanging on at 119 for nine wickets.
In all first-class matches Schreiber captured 155 wickets (average 24.34), taking five-wicket hauls on 11 occasions while three times he took 10 or more wickets in a match. His best bowling was 8-67. Throughout his career Schreiber was most economical, conceding only 1.88 runs per over.
Schreiber was a magnificent fielder, especially at cover and in a club match against Queenstown once ran out four batsmen in one innings with direct hits.
(Article: Copyright © 2010 Peter Martin)
