England cricket legend Derek Underwood has died at the age of 78, it has been announced.
Kent Cricket confirmed the death of the legendary spinner, who played more than 900 matches for Kent over three decades.
The left-arm spinner took 2,523 wickets for the province between 1963 and 1987, and also starred for England.
Underwood played 86 Test matches for England after making his debut against the West Indies at Trent Bridge in 1966.
He took 297 wickets at Test level, making him England’s sixth highest wicket-taker and still the leading spinner on the list.
Former England and Kent bowler Derek Underwood has died aged 78
Underwood took 10 wickets in a match six times and was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1969.
He was awarded an MBE in 1981 and was chairman of Marylebone Cricket Club in 2009.
Underwood was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame the same year.
“The Kent Cricket family is in mourning following the passing of one of the greatest ever players,” said Simon Philip, Chairman of Ken Cricket.
‘Derek made an outstanding contribution to both Kent and England, winning trophies for Club and Country and etching his name in the history books forever.
‘It was a privilege to watch Derek weave his unique magic on a wet wicket. His inclusion in the ICC Hall of Fame shows the appreciation he received in world cricket.
‘Advocating for the global growth of our game while protecting the rich heritage of our sport, Derek has also made substantial contributions both off and on the field and will be greatly missed by everyone at Kent Cricket.’