Eddie Fuller, useful medium-pacer for South Africa by Peter Martin

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Player:

ERH Fuller

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DateLine: 8th August 2008

 

Former South African medium-pace bowler Eddie Fuller died recently in Cape Town at the age of 76.

 

Edward Russell Henry Fuller represented South Africa in seven Test matches between 1952 and 1958 and toured Australia and New Zealand in 1952/53 and England in 1955.

 

He did well in the fifth Test against Australia in 1953 in Melbourne, taking 5-66 and finishing with match figure of 8-140 in a great victory for South Africa which tied the series 2-2.

 

He played two Tests in England in 1955 and when fast bowler Peter Heine was unavailable for the second Test at Newlands against Australia in 1957/58, he was recalled to open the bowling with Neil Adcock. Adcock, now in retirement in Pietermaritzburg, said that for the early part of the 1955 tour he and Fuller were room-mates.

 

"He was a clever bowler, and used his cutters well," Adcock said. Wicketkeeper John Waite, one of only two survivors of the 1952/53 tour - the other is allrounder John Watkins of Natal - also recalled Fuller's use of the cutter.

 

"It was bowled like a fast off-break," Waite recalls. "And if conditions were right, he was a very dangerous bowler.

 

"He was also a brilliant fielder and was a real match-winner at Melbourne."

 

In seven Tests Fuller captured 22 wickets (average 30.36) and in 59 first-class matches he took 190 wickets (26.45) with a best of 7-40. A useful batsman he also scored 1062 runs (15.17) with four half-centuries and a highest score of 69.

 

(Article: Copyright © 2008 Peter Martin)