Goodbye Lord Ted, an all-rounder in every sense

Ted Dexter in 1989, when he was England’s chief selector. Pic/Getty Images

Ted Dexter, 86, the former England cricket captain, who passed away in Wolverhampton on Wednesday, was called Lord Ted. Mr Versatile would've also suited him well considering the multiple skills he coloured his life with.

Long before he came to be known as one of the most attractive Test batsmen and useful medium pacer in the late 1950s and 1960s, he earned a Cambridge blue in cricket and golf. And while his batting drew plaudits, other items that ended up on his CV were freelance journalist, BBC commentator and pilot.

Dexter scored 4,502 runs in 62 Tests, 30 of them as captain. He was a good-looking player in every sense. The late MAK Pataudi, who he played with at Sussex, wrote in Tiger's Tale: "This chap Dexter is a cricketing marvel and a very nice chap too."

Nari Contractor, who was Dexter's opposing captain in the 1961-62 series, echoed similar sentiments. "Ted was one of the most friendliest opposition captains I played with. He didn't get into a tangle with anyone and was a sweet person. He was a hard-hitting batsman and the deep mid-on and deep mid-off fielder hardly had a chance when he drove straight," Contractor told mid-day on Thursday.

Dexter's side lost the 1961-62 series 0-2, but the scoreline could well have been 0-3 had it not been for his unbeaten 126 in the Kanpur Test, where he saved England from certain defeat. Following on, the visitors ended the Test with 497-5. There were two other centurions - Geoff Pullar (119) and Ken Barrington (172). Dexter scored 409 runs in five Tests on that trip to India. Thrice in four innings he was dismissed by Chandu Borde's leg-spin in the two Tests that India won at Kolkata and Chennai. "Each time he came in, I brought on Chandu, who would york him on the leg stump," Contractor added.

The two captains last met in Kolkata, where they were invited to celebrate 80 years of Test cricket at Eden Gardens. "We ended up speaking only about that 1961-62 series," revealed Contractor.

Also Read: Former England captain and MCC President Ted Dexter passes away aged 86