South African great Barlow dies

Barlow played for a Rest of the World XI at Lord's in 1970

South African Eddie Barlow, one of the great all-rounders of the 1960s, has died in Jersey at the age of 65 following a long illness.

Nicknamed 'Bunter' because of his round face and glasses, Barlow played in 30 Tests, scoring 2,561 runs at 45.74 and taking 40 wickets with his medium pace.

He also represented Transvaal, Western Province and Derbyshire.

Former South Africa captain Clive Rice told BBC Sport: "It's a sad day for South African cricket."

A stroke in 2000 left Barlow paralysed and he moved to his wife's family home in north Wales where, despite his disabilities, he coached locally.

Rice said Barlow's uncompromising attitude had inspired future generations of cricketers in the country.

"The motivation and determination that he instilled in South African cricket in the early 1960s developed into the winning attitude that the country had in the 1980s," he continued.

"When you played against him you knew that he didn't give one inch to the opposition.

"But when he went into the wheelchair it was very sad. As optimistic as he was that he would one day come out - that was his attitude - it sadly never happened.

One of the most popular players of his generation, Barlow never gave less than his all as an obdurate opening batsman, an aggressive medium-pacer and a superb slip fielder.

He was hugely influential - he was a strong character Former team-mate Peter Pollock

One of his great achievements was to score five of his six Test centuries against the formidable Australians.

His highest score of 201 came against Australia in Adelaide in 1963-64 and he was a member of the side which thashed the same opponents 4-0 in 1970, their last series before being exiled from international sport because of the country's apartheid policies.

"His enthusiasm just bubbled out, it was natural with him. It's not just talent that counts, it's also guts and fight and Barlow had all that," said Trevor Goddard, his captain on the 1963-64 tour.

"Although we used to pull his leg about his bowling he wasn't the worst bowler and in the slips he caught most of the chances that came his way. He was truly a great all-rounder."

Dr Ali Bacher, skipper in 1970, agreed with Goddard's assessment.

"In an era that was blessed with some brilliant cricketers - Graeme and Peter Pollock, Barry Richards, Mike Proctor, to name but a few - Eddie's role was probably the most significant, not only because of his outstanding all-round ability, but because of his positive attitude, which permeated throughout the team," he said.

"It instilled in all of us a feeling of confidence in our own ability and in the team; and a belief that we could compete with, and beat, the best in the world."

BARLOW'S RECORD 30 Tests 2,516 runs, average 45.74, 6x100, 15x50, highest score 201, 40 wickets, average 34.04, best bowling 5-85 283 first-class games 18,212 runs, average 39.16, 43x100, highest score 217, 571 wickets, average 24.14, best bowling 7-24

Also in 1970, Barlow played for a Rest of the World XI in a five-match series unofficial Test series in England and scored centuries at Lord's and Trent Bridge.

Following his retirement, he became a respected coach and was in charge of the Bangladesh national team for a spell in 1999.

But a stroke meant the last few years of his life were spent on the sidelines of world cricket.

In one of his last interviews, given to BBC Sport in February, he earmarked Michael Vaughan's captaincy as one of the biggest factors in English cricket.

"I've been really struck by Vaughan, he's shown his cricketing character," Barlow.

"He's led from the front and thought things out, while taking flak all the way through. But he's quite prepared to accept responsibility."

Other England players to impress Barlow were all-rounder Andrew Flintoff and opening bat Marcus Trescothick.