Destroyer of Sri Lanka’s batting in inaugural Test Deadly Derek dies at 78

• Anura Tennekoon rates Derek Underwood the best left-arm spinner he’s faced

England’s left-arm spinner Derek Underwood was too good for Sri Lanka

Anura Tennekoon batting against the MCC was Sri Lanka’s most successful batsman against Underwood

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

The destroyer of Sri Lanka’s batting in the first-ever Test match played by the country against England at the P Sara Oval in February 1982, Derek Underwood has died at the age of 78 on Monday.

Nicknamed ‘Deadly’ by his team mates Underwood’s lithe whippy left-arm action renowned for its accuracy destroyed Sri Lanka’s batting in the first innings with figures of 5/28 off 18 overs as they were dismissed for 218. Amongst his victims were Ranjan Madugalle (65), Arjuna Ranatunga (54), DS de Silva (3), Ashantha de Mel (19) and Lalith Kaluperuma (1).

After England had replied with 223, Sri Lanka batted themselves into a strong position at 140-2 in their second innings, when Underwood ended Roy Dias’ majestic knock of 77 (11 fours) by having him caught behind the wicket. What happened from there onwards was unthinkable. Sri Lanka lost their last seven wickets for eight runs to be dismissed for 175. Underwood picked up a further three wickets, while off-spinner John Emburey ran through the rest of the batting with six wickets. England left with the task of chasing 171 got there quite comfortably to win by seven wickets.

Prior to this game Underwood had earlier got a taste of what Sri Lankan pitches would offer when he toured with Joe Lister’s International XI led by Mickey Stewart in March 1968 and again with the MCC teams led by Colin Cowdrey in 1969, Mike Denness in 1973 and Tony Greig in 1977. His most productive tour was the first with Lister’s International XI. In the three-day game against the Ceylon Board President’s XI played at the P Sara Oval and marred by rain in 1968, Underwood, renowned to be at his most lethal on rain affected wickets, was simply unplayable.

After Lister’s International XI were bowled out for 179 with off-spinner Abu Fuard taking 6/31 off 26 overs, Underwood was at his lethal best with figures of 11.3-6-10-8 as the Board President’s XI comprising players in the caliber of Buddy Reid, Lasantha Rodrigo, Anura Tennekoon, Michael Tissera, Stanley Jayasinghe, DP de Silva, HIK Fernando (captain), Sarath Wimalaratne, Anuruddha Polonowita, Fuard and TB Kehelgamuwa was shot out for 42.

In the second innings Lister’s International XI declared at 155-2 leaving the home side to chase 293 for victory, but they folded up for 98 with Underwood once again doing the main damage taking 7/33 off 26.1 overs in an unchanged spell of 142 minutes. He ended up with astonishing match figures of 15/43 – his best match return in a first-class career spanning nearly three decades.

A year later in the 3-day drawn unofficial test played at the P Sara Oval in January, 1969, Underwood was England’s best bowler with figures of 4/63 off 36 overs. In 1973 when MCC won by seven wickets Underwood took 3/32 off 22 overs and in 1977, four wickets when the unofficial test was drawn, depriving Tennekoon of a well-deserved century when he had him caught and bowled for 97. Tennekoon, one of the most technically sound batsmen produced by Sri Lanka and former captain was one of the few batsmen to successfully tackle the wiles of Underwood. He scored a century (101) off him in the unofficial test played in 1969 batting for as long as 340 minutes and hitting five fours.

“First and foremost Underwood could pitch the ball wherever he wanted. He also had subtle variations and bowled quickish leg-spin,” said Tennekoon in tribute. “He varied the ball according to the strengths and weaknesses of each batsman. You had to concentrate on every ball and play it on its merits, not be deceived by his subtle flight. That requires a lot of concentration. As a left-arm spinner I would place him as number one. He was very similar to Daya Sahabandu but Underwood had more subtle variations and was much faster through the air.”  

Underwood who played for county Kent throughout his career remains the greatest spin bowler in England’s Test history with 297 wickets in 86 Tests.