Brief profile of John Solanky by Dr.A.K.Hignell

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Player:

JW Solanky

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John Solanky was on Glamorgan`s books in the 1970`s. Born in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania in June 1942, he made his first-class debut for East Africa in 1963/64, before emigrating to the United Kingdom. He initially played League cricket in Devon, whom he also represented in the Minor County Championship between 1967 and 1969. His accurate medium-pace and forthright batting drew the attention of county scouts, and he joined the Glamorgan staff in the early 1970`s.

 

Solanky made his County Championship debut in 1972 against Hampshire at Neath, and he subsequently became a regular in the county`s 1st XI over the course of the next three years, winning his county cap in 1973. He was also a very useful performer in limited overs games, where his nagging medium pace and wristy strokeplay in the lower middle order made him a valuable member of Glamorgan`s one-day team.

 

He left Glamorgan at the end of the 1976, after the club had signed Collis King for 1977, and initially acted as a cricket coach and squash professional in South Wales, before moving to play for and coach Lisburn C.C. and Cliftonville C.C. in Northern Ireland.

 

In the late 1980's he embarked on a second career as a Technology teacher at a local secondary school in Carrickfergus - a position he held until his untimely and sudden death from a heart attack in 2003.

 

(December 2003)

(Article: Copyright © 2003 Dr.A.K.Hignell)