View source for Ted Dexter

{{Short description|English cricketer (1935–2021)}}
{{Over-quotation|date=August 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = Ted Dexter
| honorific_suffix = {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE}}
| image = File:Ted Dexter, English cricketer.png
|caption=Dexter in 2006
| country = England
| fullname = Edward Ralph Dexter
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1935|5|15|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Milan]], Italy
| death_date = {{death date and age|2021|8|25|1935|5|15|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[Wolverhampton]], England<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ashdown |first=John |date=26 August 2021 |title=Former England cricket captain Ted Dexter dies aged 86 |url=http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/aug/26/former-england-cricket-captain-ted-dexter-dies-aged-86 |access-date=26 August 2021 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}</ref>
|            nickname = 
|            heightft = 
|          heightinch = 
|             batting = Right-handed
|             bowling = Right-arm [[medium pace bowling|medium]]
|                role = [[Batting (cricket)|Batsman]]
|              family = [[Tom Longfield]] (father-in-law)
|       international = true
|       testdebutdate = 24 July
|       testdebutyear = 1958
|    testdebutagainst = New Zealand
|             testcap = 388
|        lasttestdate = 22 August
|        lasttestyear = 1968
|     lasttestagainst = Australia
|               club1 = [[Cambridge University Cricket Club|Cambridge University]]
|               year1 = 1956–1958
|               club2 = [[Sussex County Cricket Club|Sussex]]
|               year2 = 1957–1968
|               club3 = [[Marylebone Cricket Club|MCC]]
|               year3 = 1957–1965
|             columns = 3
|             column1 = [[Test cricket|Test]]
|            matches1 = 62
|               runs1 = 4,502
|            bat avg1 = 47.89
|           100s/50s1 = 9/27
|          top score1 = 205
|         deliveries1 = 5,317
|            wickets1 = 66
|           bowl avg1 = 34.93
|            fivefor1 = 0
|             tenfor1 = 0
|       best bowling1 = 4/10
|  catches/stumpings1 = 29/–
|             column2 = [[First-class cricket|FC]]
|            matches2 = 327
|               runs2 = 21,150
|            bat avg2 = 40.75
|           100s/50s2 = 51/108
|          top score2 = 205
|         deliveries2 = 26,255
|            wickets2 = 419
|           bowl avg2 = 29.92
|            fivefor2 = 9
|             tenfor2 = 2
|       best bowling2 = 7/24
|  catches/stumpings2 = 231/–
|             column3 = [[List A cricket|LA]]
|            matches3 = 43
|               runs3 = 1,209
|            bat avg3 = 33.58
|           100s/50s3 = 1/8
|          top score3 = 115
|         deliveries3 = 575
|            wickets3 = 21
|           bowl avg3 = 19.85
|            fivefor3 = 0
|             tenfor3 = 0
|       best bowling3 = 3/6
|  catches/stumpings3 = 16/–
|                date = 17 September
|                year = 2009
|              source = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/1/1080/1080.html CricketArchive
}}
'''Edward Ralph Dexter''', {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE}} (15 May 1935 – 25 August 2021<ref name=":1" />) was an [[English national cricket team|England international]] [[cricket]]er.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McGlashan |first=Andrew |title=Former England captain Ted Dexter dies aged 86 |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/former-england-captain-ted-dexter-dies-aged-86-1274747 |date=26 August 2021 |access-date=30 August 2021 |website=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref>

An aggressive middle-order batsman of ferocious power and a [[fast bowling|right-arm medium bowler]], he captained [[Sussex County Cricket Club|Sussex]] and [[English cricket team|England]] in the early 1960s.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Ted Dexter: Former England international cricketer dies aged 86 |url=https://news.sky.com/story/ted-dexter-former-england-international-cricketer-dies-aged-86-12390801 |date=26 August 2021 |access-date=30 August 2021 |website=Sky News |language=en}}</ref> He captained England in 30 test matches out of his 62 test match appearances.

He was known by the nickname '''Lord Ted'''. He is credited for his instrumental role in the formation of the modern [[ICC Men's Player Rankings|ICC Player Rankings system]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Former England captain Ted Dexter passes away aged 86 |url=https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/118742/former-england-captain-ted-dexter-passes-away-aged-86 |date=26 August 2021 |access-date=30 August 2021 |website=Cricbuzz |language=en}}</ref> In June 2021, he was inducted into the [[ICC Cricket Hall of Fame]] as one of the special inductees to mark the inaugural [[World Test Championship|ICC World Test Championship]] final.<ref>{{Cite press release |title=ICC Hall of Fame special inductions announced to mark the inaugural ICC World Test Championship Final |url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/media-releases/2170829 |publisher=[[International Cricket Council]] |date=13 June 2021 |access-date=30 August 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Andy Flower and Kumar Sangakkara among 10 players inducted into ICC Hall of Fame |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/andy-flower-and-kumar-sangakkara-among-10-players-inducted-into-icc-hall-of-fame-1266357 |date=13 June 2021 |access-date=30 August 2021 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en}}</ref>

== Biography ==
Dexter was born in Milan in Italy, where his father Ralph Dexter ran a successful underwriting agency.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ted Dexter obituary |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/obituaries/article/former-england-test-captain-ted-dexter-dies-aged-86-xtmztjh0p |access-date=30 August 2021 |work=The Times }}</ref> He along with his family moved to England when he was aged three just before the start of World War II.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Frith |first=David |date=26 August 2021 |title=Ted Dexter obituary |url=http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/aug/26/ted-dexter-obituary |access-date=30 August 2021 |website=The Guardian |authorlink=David Frith}}</ref>

==Early career 1953–60==

<blockquote>
Few batsmen, or writers, announce themselves as Dexter did when batting for [[Sussex County Cricket Club|Sussex]] against [[Surrey County Cricket Club|Surrey]] at [[the Oval]] last summer. His first ball, from the pavilion end, was slightly over-pitched on middle and leg. Feet moved fractionally, head hardly at all, but the bat swung the ball for six over long leg and they fetched it back from the seats under the [[gasholder]].
:[[Wisden Cricketers' Almanack|Wisden]], 1961<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/154571.html |title=Wisden Cricketers' Almanack |year=1961 |chapter=Cricketer of the Year - Ted Dexter |access-date=30 August 2021}}</ref>
</blockquote>
Dexter was educated at Norfolk House, [[Beaconsfield]], and [[Radley College]], where he played in the first XI from 1950 to 1953, initially as a [[wicket-keeper]] and as captain in 1953, and was nicknamed "Lord Ted" by his coach [[Ivor Gilliat]] for his aloof self-confidence.<ref name=":1" /> His cricket coach at Radley was B H Smithson, father of England cricketer [[Gerald Smithson]]. While Dexter was head boy at Radley, [[Peter Cook]], English comedian, satirist, writer and actor, was among those younger boys upon whom 'a big & strong' Dexter inflicted [[corporal punishment]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Parkinson | date=16 September 2006 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvllzQxBqQE&list=WL48823C89A454BD02#t=7m33s |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200213014649/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvllzQxBqQE#t=7m33s |archive-date=13 February 2020 |access-date=1 February 2013 |publisher=[[Michael Parkinson]] TV show interview, 1976}}</ref> He did his [[national service]] as a [[second lieutenant]] in the [[11th Hussars]] during the [[Malayan Emergency]] in 1953–55 and was awarded the Malaya Campaign Medal. Dexter then entered [[Jesus College, Cambridge]] in October 1955, where he played golf and rugby in addition to winning his cricket [[Cambridge Blue|Blue]] and playing in the [[The University Match (cricket)|University Match]] in 1956, 1957 and (as captain) 1958. 

He first came to notice as a bowler taking 5/8 and 3/47 for the [[Gentlemen v Players|Gentlemen]] in 1957 and joined [[Sussex County Cricket Club]] in the same year. He made his Test debut in 1958 against [[New Zealand national cricket team|New Zealand]], made 52 and [[E. W. Swanton]] thought that he should have been picked for [[Peter May (cricketer)|Peter May]]'s [[MCC tour of Australia in 1958–59]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Swanton |first=Ernest William |title=Swanton in Australia with MCC, 1946-1975 |date=1975 |publisher=Collins |isbn=0-00-216236-9 |location=London |pages=104–105 |oclc=2151457 }}</ref> In the end he was flown from [[Paris]] (where his wife was working as a model) to reinforce May's injury-struck team. Dexter arrived in the middle of the tour, did not have time to acclimatize and although he did well in the tour matches he failed in the Tests. Continuing on the tour to [[History of cricket in New Zealand from 1945–46 to 1970|New Zealand]] he made 141, his maiden Test century. After an indifferent summer against [[Indian cricket team in England in 1959|India]] the decision to take him to the [[English cricket team in West Indies in 1959–60|Caribbean in 1959–60]] was much criticised, but "Lord Ted" made his name thrashing the fast bowlers [[Wes Hall]] and [[Charlie Griffith]] with his powerful drives. He hit 132 not out in the First Test, 110 in the Fourth Test, made 526 runs (65.75), topping the England batting averages, and was a [[Wisden Cricketer of the Year]] in 1961.

==Rising star 1960–61==
{{More citations needed|section|date=August 2021}}
<blockquote>
Few hundreds have filled such a yawning gap...Dexter so dominated a stand with [[Ken Barrington|Barrington]] that more than two-thirds of the 161 runs came from his masterful bat before he was stumped trying to lift [[Bob Simpson (cricketer)|Simpson's]] leg-break on to some distant fairway.
:[[Ray Robinson (cricket writer)|Ray Robinson]] and [[Mike Coward]]<ref>{{Cite book |title=Barclays world of cricket : the game from A-Z |date=1986 |publisher=Willow Books in association with Barclays Bank |isbn=0-00-218193-2 |edition=Revised |location=London |oclc=12502067 }}</ref>
</blockquote>
On his return Dexter was made captain of [[Sussex County Cricket Club|Sussex]], which he held until he retired in 1965. He had a quiet home Test season against [[South African cricket team in England in 1960|South Africa]], but in the First Test at [[Edgbaston Cricket Ground|Edgbaston]] in the [[1961 Ashes series]] England started their second innings needing 321 runs to avoid an innings defeat. Dexter made 180, the biggest century for England against Australia since [[Second World War|the war]] and studded with 31 cracking boundaries, but typically he was [[stumped]] in the last minutes of the match trying to hit [[Bob Simpson (cricketer)|Bobby Simpson]] for six so he could make a double century. In the famous Fourth Test at [[Old Trafford Cricket Ground|Old Trafford]] he played a spectacular innings of 76 in 84 minutes to take England to 106 runs from victory with 9 wickets in hand and [[the Ashes]] in sight, but his dismissal set off an England collapse and the series was lost.

==England captain 1961–62==

<blockquote>
Ted was a man of moods, often caught up in theories, keen when the action was hot, seemingly uninterested when the game was dull...a big-time player, one who responded to atmosphere, liked action and enjoyed the chase and gamble. Maybe this was the reason he was drawn to [[horse racing]]; a dull day stalking the covers might be enlivened for him by thoughts of how his money was faring on the 3:15 at [[Ascot Racecourse|Ascot]] or [[Goodwood Racecourse|Goodwood]]. 
:[[John Snow (cricketer)|John Snow]]<ref name="s25">Snow, p. 25</ref>
</blockquote>
With [[Peter May (cricketer)|Peter May]] and [[Colin Cowdrey]] declining to tour India and Pakistan in 1961–62 Dexter was chosen to lead the MCC team. With a weakened team ([[Fred Trueman]] and [[Brian Statham]] also refused to tour) Dexter beat [[History of cricket in Pakistan from 1947 to 1970|Pakistan 1–0]] but lost to [[English cricket team in India in 1961–62|India 2–0]],<ref>Mohapatra, Bikash (6 December 2012). [https://www.rediff.com/cricket/slide-show/slide-show-1-england-tour-india-tendulkar-finish-sooner-but-right-note-ted-dexter-bikash-mohapatra/20121206.htm/ "An interview with Ted Dexter"], ''[rediff.com]''. Retrieved on 7 September 2021.</ref> their first series victory over England. He made 712 Test runs (71.20) on the tour, including his highest Test score of 205 at [[Karachi]], and another 446 runs (89.20) when [[Pakistani cricket team in England in 1962|Pakistan toured England in 1962]] and were beaten 4–0. [[Peter May (cricketer)|Peter May]] finally declared his retirement in 1962 and the selectors had to choose who would captain the [[English cricket team in Australia in 1962–63]]. Dexter captained England in the First and Second Tests against Pakistan, winning two big victories, but [[Colin Cowdrey]] was put in charge for the Third Test. Cowdrey had been May's affable vice-captain, had a shrewd cricket brain and was seen as his natural successor, but had inherited his cautious tactics and the [[Marylebone Cricket Club]] was crusading for "brighter cricket". Cowdrey withdrew from the final [[Gentlemen v Players|Gentleman v Players]] match at [[Lord's]] because of [[kidney stones]] even though he had been appointed captain, which usually indicated the selectors' intentions. Dexter was put back in charge (and drew against [[Fred Trueman]]'s Players), but found another rival in the old Sussex captain [[the Reverend]] [[David Sheppard]], who was willing to take a [[sabbatical]] from his [[Mission (Christianity)|church mission]] in the [[East End of London|East End]] in order to tour Australia. Sheppard made 112 for the Gentlemen and was chosen for the tour, but Dexter was confirmed as captain for the remainder of the home series and the forthcoming tour of Australia and New Zealand with Cowdrey as vice-captain. The general opinion was that England had a good batting side, but their bowling was unvaried, would struggle to dismiss Australia and that the tourists would be lucky to avoid another defeat.<ref>Moyes and Goodman, p. xiii</ref><ref>Swanton, pp. 120, 129</ref><ref>Trueman, p. 271</ref>

==Tour of Australia and New Zealand 1962–63==

<blockquote>
After his thunderous Melbourne display Dexter was a magnet; the first thing people wanted to know about a team selection was: "Is Dexter playing?"...Batting against [[Southern Redbacks|South Australia]], he lifted the ball onto the high roof of the [[Adelaide Oval|members stand]] – a tremendous hit. Some of his drives along the ground just could not be stopped, even when they went straight to a fieldsman.
:Tom Goodman<ref>Moyes and Goodman, p. 169</ref>
</blockquote>
{{Main|English cricket team in Australia in 1962–63}}
He made 481 runs (48.10), the most runs by an England captain in Australia, and this remains a record. The team manager was [[Bernard Fitzalan-Howard, 16th Duke of Norfolk]], [[Knight of the Garter|KG]], [[GCVO]], [[Privy Council of the United Kingdom|PC]], [[Earl Marshal]] and [[Chief Butler of England]], and it was joked that "Lord Ted" could only be controlled by a duke. In fact, the Duke was the President of [[Sussex County Cricket Club]], had been instrumental in Dexter's appointment as county captain, shared his interests in [[horse racing]] and [[golf]] and was very popular with the Australian public. In the tour match between the [[Marylebone Cricket Club]] (MCC) and an Australian XI Dexter hit 102 in 110 minutes, including 2 sixes and 13 fours. John Woodcock  of ''The Times'' wrote "I doubt if it is possible to hit a cricket ball any harder than Dexter did today. Melbourne is a huge ground and no one who hits a six here is likely to forget it. Against Veivers, an off-spinner, Dexter twice cleared the sight screen, once by a good 20 yards."<ref>Woodcock, John (10 November 1962) ''The Times''.</ref> At the [[Adelaide Oval]] Dexter included "a six from a gigantic hit onto the roof of the stand – one of the biggest hits ever seen at the ground."<ref>Moyes and Goodman, p. 75</ref> He was the main draw in the England team and over a million spectators came to see the tourists, the most since [[English cricket team in Australia in 1936–37|1936–37]]. The tour returned a record profit for the [[Marylebone Cricket Club]] (MCC) of [[English pound|£24,000]], beating the [[English pound|£17,000]] of [[English cricket team in Australia in 1946–47|1946–47]].<ref>Swanton, pp. 129–130</ref> Dexter continued his good run of form to equal [[Patsy Hendren]]'s England record of six consecutive Test 50s (85 and 172 against Pakistan and 70, 99, 93 and 52 against Australia), which he soon shared with [[Ken Barrington]] and more recently [[Alastair Cook]]. His powerful innings enlivened the First and Second Tests and gave England a 1–0 lead in the series. Australia came back to win the Third Test at [[Sydney Cricket Ground|Sydney]], where Dexter had preferred to keep his [[fast bowling]] attack from the Second Test even when [[Fred Trueman]] volunteered to stand down in favour of a second spinner to [[Fred Titmus]]. In the end the unsupported Titmus took 7/79 in the first innings and Australia won by 8 wickets, [[E. W. Swanton]] and others thought that if either [[David Allen (cricketer)|David Allen]] or [[Ray Illingworth]] had been in the team England would have won [[the Ashes]]. Even so, the match might have been saved if Dexter had not conceded 27 runs off 26 balls so that the teams would not have to return the next day to finish the game. The last few overs were played in the rain and it rained for most of the fifth day, so England might have won [[the Ashes]]. Dexter's negative field placings and lack of urgency failed to regain [[the Ashes]] and the painful draws in the Fourth and Fifth Tests particularly spoilt the atmosphere, as [[Richie Benaud]] was determined to hold onto [[the Ashes]] and Dexter was content to draw a series in Australia. In mitigation the Adelaide pitch was flat as a pancake. The Sydney ground was so saturated in the days before the match that mowing was impossible before the start. The "square" was like one large bunker and the outfield like a meadow. Barely a ball reached the boundary. Benaud was an advocate of "go ahead" captaincy and Dexter for "brighting up" cricket and their reputations were unfairly tarnished.<ref>Trueman, pp. 281–282</ref><ref>Moyes and Goodman, pp. 101–102</ref><ref>Swanton, pp. 124–125</ref><ref>Titmus, pp. 102–103</ref>

==Home series 1963–64==
{{More citations needed|section|date=August 2021}}
<blockquote>
Ted Dexter elected to lead from the front. We had a disastrous start, with [[Charlie Griffith]] blasting out both our openers very cheaply, and Ted unleashing one of his finest displays of controlled aggression I have ever witnessed. His 70 was electrifying. He stood up and hit the quick bowlers all over the show for an hour.
:[[Fred Titmus]]<ref>Titmus, p. 131</ref>
</blockquote>
As captain against [[Frank Worrell]]'s [[West Indian cricket team in England in 1963]] Dexter was able to loosen up after [[the Ashes]] and they played an exciting Test series. After losing the First Test, in the Second Test at Lord's England's first innings rested heavily on Dexter's hard-hitting 70 off 75 balls when he took on the West Indian [[fast bowling|fast bowlers]] [[Charlie Griffith]] and [[Wes Hall]] in an innings that was remembered by all who saw it. In the second innings [[Colin Cowdrey]] came out to bat with a [[broken arm]] with victory, defeat or a tie still possible in the last two balls, but [[David Allen (cricketer)|David Allen]] blocked them for a draw. England levelled the series in the Third Test thanks to Dexter (4/38 and 1/7) and [[Fred Trueman]] (5/75 and 7/44), but lost the last two Tests and the series. In 1964 Dexter was again in charge in the rain-soaked [[Australian cricket team in England in 1964|1964 Ashes series]]. Famously in the decisive Third Test at [[Headingley Cricket Ground|Headingley]] he removed the off-spinner [[Fred Titmus]] after he had taken three wickets to reduce Australia to 187/7, still 81 runs behind England. Dexter took the new ball and gave it to [[Fred Trueman]] who bowled a series of bouncers which [[Peter Burge (cricketer)|Peter Burge]] hooked and pulled to 160, hoisting Australia to 389 and a 7 wicket win. Although the change made sense as the new batsman [[Neil Hawke]] was fragile against [[fast bowling]] and Trueman, the greatest wicket-taker in the world at the time, was playing on his home ground Dexter was heavily criticised for a decision which obviously lost the series. In the Fourth Test Australia made 656/8, but thanks to a stand of 246 between [[Ken Barrington]] (256) and Dexter (174) England reached 611 and avoided defeat. It was the first time that two teams had made 600 runs in an innings in a Test, and their fortunes gripped the cricketing nation, but the inevitable draw meant that Australia retained [[the Ashes]]. As some consolation Dexter led Sussex to the finals of the [[Friends Provident Trophy|Gillette Cup]] in 1963 and 1964, and won both, the first trophies in the county's history.

==Later career 1965–72==

<blockquote>
Above all we had Dexter's captaincy. One-day cricket was his kind of game: it was instant and aggressive and its atmosphere brought out the best in him. He really became involved, more so than in county games. He even made a marked difference to our one day performances when he returned for a season of [[Pro40|Sunday League]] games in the early 1970s.
:[[John Snow (cricketer)|John Snow]]<ref name=s25/>
</blockquote>
Dexter declared himself unavailable for the [[History of cricket in South Africa from 1945–46 to 1970|1964–65 tour of South Africa]] as he contested [[Jim Callaghan|Jim Callaghan's]] [[Cardiff South East (UK Parliament constituency)|Cardiff South East]] seat for the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] in the [[1964 United Kingdom general election|1964 General Election]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Keating |first=Frank |date=15 October 2004 |title=Notes from the touchline |work=The Guardian |location=London |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2004/oct/15/comment.frankkeating |url-status=live |access-date=26 September 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228153236/http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2004/oct/15/comment.frankkeating |archive-date=28 February 2014}}</ref> Finding himself free to tour after his defeat he was made vice-captain to [[M. J. K. Smith]], who won the series and continued as captain. His cricket career was virtually ended by an accident in 1965. His [[Jaguar Cars|Jaguar]] car ran out of petrol in west [[London]], and he was pushing it to safety when it pinned him to a warehouse door, breaking his leg.<ref name="p64, Arlott">{{Cite book |last=Arlott |first=John |title=John Arlott's 100 greatest batsmen. |publisher=Macdonald |year=1986 |isbn=0-356-12365-0 |location=London |pages=64 |oclc=13358588 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Williamson |first=Martin |date=19 October 2010 |title=You're not going to believe this, but... |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/you-re-not-going-to-believe-this-but-280403 |access-date=30 August 2021 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Preston |first=Norman |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/152846.html |title=Wisden Cricketers' Almanack |year=1966 |chapter=Notes by the Editor |author-link=Norman Preston |access-date=30 August 2021 |via=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> He left Sussex and played occasional Sunday games with the [[International Cavaliers]], and made 104 when they defeated the [[West Indian cricket team in England in 1966|1966 West Indians]] by 7 wickets.<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 September 1967 |title=International Cavaliers v West Indies XI |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/104/104277.html |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210826072424/https://cricketarchive.com/subscribe |archive-date=26 August 2021 |access-date=24 November 2012 |website=CricketArchive}}</ref> He returned briefly in 1968, making 203 not out in his comeback match against [[Kent County Cricket Club|Kent]], but failing in the [[Australian cricket team in England in 1968|1968 Ashes series]]. He played [[Pro40|Sunday League]] games for Sussex in 1971 and 1972.<ref>{{cite web |title=List A matches played by Ted Dexter (43) |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/1/1080/List_A_Matches.html |website=CricketArchive |access-date=20 June 2024 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

==Administration 1989–2003==

<blockquote>
If you are going to lose, you might as well lose good and proper and try to sneak a win.
:Ted Dexter<ref name="p150, Freddi">{{Cite book |last=Freddi |first=Chris |title=The Guinness book of cricket blunders |date=1996 |publisher=Guinness Publishing |isbn=0-85112-624-3 |location=Enfield |pages=150–151 |oclc=59629943 }}</ref>
</blockquote>
Dexter retired from cricket to concentrate on other interests in 1968, remaining a journalist, becoming a [[Sports presenter|broadcaster]] and founding a [[public relations|PR]] company.<ref>{{cite press release |title=ICC expresses sadness at the passing of Ted Dexter |url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/media-releases/2232540 |publisher=[[International Cricket Council]] |date=26 August 2021 |access-date=30 August 2021 |language=en}}</ref> In the late 1980s he joined [[Bob Willis]] to find new [[fast bowling|fast bowlers]] for English cricket. Sponsored by a brewery, application forms were sent to pubs to encourage young men, but most were filled in by jokers and drunks and only a few potential candidates were discovered. These were trained with [[javelin throw]]ing and other exercises to strengthen their back and arm muscles, but the only bowler in the scheme who played first-class cricket had been signed up by [[Warwickshire County Cricket Club|Warwickshire]] before its inception. The plan therefore failed even though it generated much publicity and showed a certain amount of imagination and initiative.

In 1987, Dexter had the idea of developing a ranking system for Test cricketers. He developed the system with statisticians Gordon Vince and [[Rob Eastaway]], and it was launched as the Deloittes Ratings. The Ratings steadily gained credibility, and were formally adopted by the [[International Cricket Council]] in 2003, and have become the official [[ICC Player Rankings]].  In an article in ''The Cricketer'' magazine in 2005, Dexter was quoted as saying: "The rankings idea was my biggest contribution to cricket.  Much better than being known for hitting a couple of extra-cover drives."<ref>Wisden Cricketer Magazine "As easy as 1,2,3?", Simon Lister, January 2005</ref> Former cricketer and analyst [[Simon Hughes (cricketer)|Simon Hughes]] in his bibliography titled ''And God Created Cricket'' noted that Dexter's ideas had shaped modern cricket.<ref name=":0" />

In 1989 he succeeded [[Peter May (cricketer)|Peter May]] as [[England and Wales Cricket Board|Chairman of the England Cricket Selectors]], receiving a modest £18,000 pay to compensate for his lost newspaper contract, the first chairman to be paid.<ref name="p6, Eager and Ross">Eager and Ross, p. 6</ref> "Dexter was soon in action, initially by way of press conferences and then, as the season developed, by lightning visits to the county grounds. These he made, despite an operation to a heel that put him for a while on crutches, by motorbike and car, a demonstration of enthusiasm and interest that was impressive."<ref name="p6, Eager and Ross" /> After the chaos of 1988 – the so-called [[West Indian cricket team in England in 1988|Summer of Four Captains]] – he wanted the tough [[Mike Gatting]] as captain, but was vetoed by [[Ossie Wheatley]] and his status was immediately undermined. Instead the more relaxed [[David Gower]] was appointed for the six-Test series. Dexter tackled the role with energy and enthusiasm, but the shine soon wore off as [[Allan Border]]'s [[1989 Ashes series|1989 Australians]] beat England 4–0 to regain [[the Ashes]], their first series victory in England since [[Australian cricket team in England in 1975|1975]]. His cause was not helped by the announcement of the [[Mike Gatting]]'s [[England XI in South Africa in 1989–90|rebel tour of South Africa]] in the middle of the series, which removed more than fifteen England players from contention.<ref>Eager and Ross, p. 81</ref> Admittedly England were already 2–0 down in the series and none of these players had shown any talent so far in the summer, but it was an indication of the division and demoralisation of English cricket. In the First Test at [[Headingley Cricket Ground|Headingley]] Dexter selected four [[fast bowlers]] and no spinners for the team, advised Gower to put Australia in to bat, only to see them make 601/7 and win by 210 runs.<ref name="p150, Freddi" /> For the Second Test he wrote an inspirational hymn for the England cricketers to sing called "Onward Gower's Soldiers" (to the tune of "[[Onward, Christian Soldiers]]") and appointed a team [[chaplain]], but remained aloof from the players and seldom visited the dressing room. At the end of the summer he told the press that he couldn't think of any mistakes he had made and later joked that the "lines of [[Venus]] were in the wrong juxtaposition", which was incorrectly interpreted by the press as a genuine belief in [[New Age]] mysticism. The lackadaisical Gower was fired at the end of the summer and the more painstaking [[Graham Gooch]] was made captain until 1993, despite Dexter having called his previous appointment as captain as "being hit in the face by a dead fish".<ref name="p150, Freddi" />

Dexter's tenure as Chairman of Selectors coincided with a poor period in English cricket, but there were some successes; these included the first Test victory over the West Indies for 16 years in 1990, victories over New Zealand and India in the run-laden summer of 1990, and the 2–2 draw with the [[West Indian cricket team in England in 1991|West Indies in 1991]]. Against this England suffered two further series defeats to Australia ([[1990–91 Ashes series|3–0 in 1990–91]] and [[1993 Ashes series|4–1 in 1993]]), and were heavily defeated [[English cricket team in India in 1992–93|3–0 in India in 1992–93]], after Gower was controversially dropped from the team. Dexter resigned under a cloud at the end of 1993, but his overhaul of the antiquated structure of English cricket and forward-looking reforms such as the change from three- to four-day county cricket had a significant impact. [[Richie Benaud]] commented that the structures he put in place "will be of great of benefit to English cricket in years to come. Equally, I'm in no doubt that others will take the credit for it."<ref name="p150, Freddi" /> He also became president of the [[Marylebone Cricket Club]] (MCC), and was chairman of the MCC's cricket committee until 2003, when he was replaced by [[Tony Lewis]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lewis takes over from Dexter on MCC committee &#124; England Cricket News &#124; Cricinfo.com |url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/england/content/story/134024.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120707180521/http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/england/content/story/134024.html |archive-date=7 July 2012 |access-date=26 September 2009 |publisher=Content-uk.cricinfo.com}}</ref> He was also Chairman of the MCC's "England Committee", which was an administrative role and was awarded the [[Order of the British Empire|CBE]] in the [[2001 New Year Honours]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dexter awarded CBE |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/dexter-awarded-cbe-87088 |date=29 December 2000 |access-date=30 August 2021 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en}}</ref>

==Style==

<blockquote>
Dexter's power amazed everyone who had not had the joy of watching him in other innings in England and in Perth. He took chances – thank goodness for those who look on batting as a challenge! – but he made superb strokes, with his driving tremendous in power and placement. Sometimes, in fact, the placement didn't matter so much because the power sent the ball through men recognized as outstanding fielders. Once such stroke, a cover-drive, was through Thomas's legs just as he got his hands there. I felt glad that the ball went between his legs and that his hands were not behind it. Not even [[Jehu]] drove more furiously than Dexter, and a direct hit on the leg or hands might well have put this accomplished fieldsman out of action.
:[[Johnnie Moyes]]<ref>Moyes and Goodman, p. 20</ref>
</blockquote>
[[Image:Ted Dexter graph.png|right|thumb|350px|Ted Dexter's career performance graph.]]
Ted Dexter was a cavalier batsman in the old amateur style and a ferocious strokemaker, but was known as being moody and mercurial. As a batsman he could leave the hands of the fielders team bruised and reddened with his powerful drives and cuts.  To see "Lord Ted" thrashing the fast bowling was one of the most thrilling sights in cricket and he could make any run chase look possible. His great fault was that he seldom gave a bowling attack due respect and got himself out with rash strokes. Though more a batsman than a bowler he could [[Seam bowling|seam]] and [[Swing bowling|swing]] the ball, was a useful third paceman even at Test level and was an excellent fielder anywhere. Dexter was a natural [[one-day cricket|one-day player]], where his big hitting, tidy bowling, keen fielding and lively captaincy gave Sussex their first two trophies – the inaugural [[Friends Provident Trophy|Gillette Cup]] in 1963 and again in 1964. He devised innovative field placings for limited overs games and his 'ideas changed the game forever. It is no exaggeration to say that Dexter was the man who shaped modern cricket'.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hughes |first=Simon |title=And God created cricket |date=2009 |publisher=Doubleday |isbn=978-0-385-61499-3 |location=London |pages=240 |oclc=315073794}}</ref> In first-class matches he bored easily and his strokes of genius were in the end outweighed by his mistakes. As captain he had "more theories than [[Charles Darwin]]",<ref>Trueman, p. 281</ref> sometimes shifting fielders on a whim and was hailed as a genius if a wicket fell as a result. He was [[dictatorial]] on the field, rarely consulting with his bowlers about field placings and pulling them off by saying "You've had enough now. Get down to [[Fielding (cricket)|third man]]"<ref>Titmus, pp. 232–233</ref><ref>Snow, p. 79</ref>

==Outside cricket==
Dexter married Susan Longfield on 2 May 1959 [https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/half-century-hurrah-at-home-ted-dexter-and-wife-return-to-roots-for-50-year-marriage-celebrations/cid/1255642]. She was the daughter of a former [[Kent County Cricket Club|Kent]] cricketer [[Tom Longfield]], whom he met at a party at [[Cambridge University]] while still an [[undergraduate]] and decided to marry on sight.<ref name="p64, Arlott" /> She worked as a model and she joined her husband on the [[English cricket team in Australia in 1962–63|tour of Australia in 1962–63]], where she generated considerable press interest and earned more than any of the cricketers.<ref name="autogenerated274" /> [[Fred Trueman]] recalled; "Ted Dexter's wife arrived in Australia. Ted's wife was a looker and a model. She is a very lovely lady, but on hearing of her arrival, when Ted faced the press, the majority of questions posed were about his wife...during an England cricket team press conference!".<ref name="autogenerated274">Trueman, pp. 274, 227–278</ref> They had a son Thomas and a daughter Genevieve.

Dexter was a talented golfer, an amateur champion, and some believe could have achieved success in that sport if he had not chosen cricket.<ref name="p64, Arlott" /><ref>Gregory, Kenneth (1986), "Cricketers in Other Fields", p. 640 in [[E. W. Swanton]] ed. ''The Barclays World of Cricket'', Collins</ref> In Australia in 1962–1963 he played a foursome with [[Norman Von Nida]], [[Jack Nicklaus]] and [[Gary Player]] (with [[Colin Cowdrey]] as his caddy) and they offered to take him to America to become a tournament golfer, but Dexter declined.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Cowdrey |first=Colin |title=M.C.C. : the autobiography of a cricketer |date=1977 |publisher=Coronet |isbn=0-340-21570-4 |location=Sevenoaks |pages=235–236 |oclc=16378331 }}Cowdrey, Colin (1976) ''M.C.C., The Autobiography of a Cricketer'', Readers Book Club of Book Clubs. pp. 235–236. {{ISBN|0340215704}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Fine Golf &#124; Ted Dexter |url=https://finegolf.co.uk/about-us/biographies/ted-dexter/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301130314/https://finegolf.co.uk/about-us/biographies/ted-dexter/ |archive-date=1 March 2021 |access-date=16 January 2021}}</ref> He also went on to win the [[President's Putter]] three times in his career.

Dexter owned [[Jaguar Cars|Jaguar]] cars, [[Norton Motorcycle Company|Norton motorbikes]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 October 2012 |title=Gus Kuhn Customers Index |url=http://www.guskuhn.net/GKMLtd/Customers/CustomerIndex.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015135904/http://www.guskuhn.net/GKMLtd/Customers/CustomerIndex.htm |archive-date=15 October 2012 |access-date=24 November 2012 |publisher=Guskuhn.net}}</ref> [[greyhounds]], [[race horse]]s and in 1970 piloted his [[Piper PA-23|Aztec BPA-23]] ''Pommies Progress'' to Australia with his family to cover [[the Ashes]] as a journalist, covering 12,000 miles and making 24 stops.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Whitington |first=R. S. |title=Captains outrageous? cricket in the seventies |date=1972 |publisher=Paul |isbn=0-09-112240-6 |location=London |pages=17 |oclc=632821 }}Whitington, R.S. (1972) ''Captains outrageous?: Cricket in the seventies''. Stanley Paul. p. 17. {{ISBN|0091122406}}</ref> 

Dexter launched his own PR company, which ran for many years and briefly became a television cricket commentator, alongside Richie Benaud and Denis Compton. He wrote a weekly column on cricket for [[The Observer]], and then, more lucratively, for the [[Sunday Mirror]].<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s)/no by-line.--> |title=Ted Dexter Obituary |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/obituaries/article/former-england-test-captain-ted-dexter-dies-aged-86-xtmztjh0p |work=The Times |date=27 August 2021 |access-date=9 September 2021}}</ref>

His fondness for [[horse racing]] exceeded even that of [[Gary Sobers]] and [[Brian Close]]. He carried a then rare [[portable television]] to watch races in cricket dressing rooms and once [[Declaration and forfeiture|declared]] a [[Sussex County Cricket Club|Sussex]] innings from [[Brighton Racecourse]].

He co-wrote with Clifford Makins the crime novel ''Testkill'' (1976) where an Australian bowler is murdered during play at a Test match against England at Lord's.

In December 2012, on [[BBC One]]'s ''[[Antiques Roadshow]]'', Dexter appeared with [[Paul Atterbury]], a life-long fan. Dexter talked about his father's [[Military Cross]], which had subsequently been stolen.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC One - Antiques Roadshow, Series 35, Wightwick Manor 1 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00zjhj1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161007034058/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00zjhj1 |archive-date=7 October 2016 |access-date=26 August 2021 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}[https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00zjhj1 Antiques Roadshow: Wightwick Manor 1, Series 35, Episode 10 of 25, broadcast 9 December 2012] . Bbc.co.uk (1 August 2016). Retrieved on 22 May 2018.</ref>

== Death ==
Dexter died on 25 August 2021 at the age of 86 in Wolverhampton due to an age-related illness. He left a widow Susan (whom he married in 1959), a son, daughter and several grandchildren.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/58337771 |title=Ex-England captain Dexter dies aged 86 |language=en-GB |publisher=[[BBC Sport]] |date=26 August 2021 |access-date=30 August 2021}}</ref> In a statement following his death, [[Marylebone Cricket Club]] described him as "one of England's greatest ever cricketers".<ref>{{Cite press release |url=https://www.lords.org/lords/news-stories/ted-dexter-1935-2021 |title=ted Dexter (1935 - 2021)| publisher=Marylebone Cricket Club |date=26 August 2021|access-date=30 August 2021}}</ref> England players wore black armbands as a tribute during the second day of the [[Indian cricket team in England in 2021|third test match of the series between India and England]] at Headingley.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bhargav |first=Dixit |title=England cricket black armbands: Why are England cricket players wearing black armbands today in Leeds Test? |url=https://thesportsrush.com/cricket-news-england-cricket-black-armbands-why-are-england-cricket-players-wearing-black-armbands-today-in-leeds-test/ |date=26 August 2021 |access-date=30 August 2021 |website=The SportsRush |language=en-US}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of Test cricketers born in non-Test playing nations]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Cited sources==
* Eager, Patrick and [[Alan Ross|Ross, Alan]] (1989) ''Tour of Tours, [[Allan Border|Border's]] Victorious Australians of 1989'', Hodder and Stoughton.
* [[Johnnie Moyes|Moyes, Johnnie]] and Goodman, Tom (1965) ''With the M.C.C. in Australia 1962–63, A Critical Story of the Tour'', The Sportsmans Book Club.
*[[John Snow (cricketer)|Snow, John]] (1976) ''Cricket rebel, an Autobiography''. The Hamlyn Publishing Group Ltd. p.&nbsp;25. {{ISBN|0600319326}}.
* [[Fred Titmus|Titmus, Fred]] (2005) ''My Life in Cricket'', John Blake Publishing Ltd.
* [[Fred Trueman|Trueman, Fred]] (2004) ''As It Was, The Memoirs of Fred Trueman'', Pan Books.

==Further reading==

* [[Trevor Bailey]], [[Richie Benaud]], [[Colin Cowdrey]] and [[Jim Laker]] ''The Lord's Taverners Fifty Greatest'', Heinemann-Quixote, 1983
* John Campbell Clark, ''Challenge renewed. The M.C.C. tour of Australia, 1962-3'',
* Ted Dexter, ''Ted Dexter's Cricket Book'', Arthur Barker, 1963
* Ted Dexter (Ed), ''Rothmans Book of Test Matches: England v. Australia, 1946–1963'', Arthur Barker, 1964
* Ted Dexter, ''Ted Dexter Declares – An Autobiography'', Stanley Paul, 1966
* Ted Dexter and [[Ian Wooldridge]], ''The International Cavaliers' World of Cricket'', Purnell, 1970
* Ted Dexter and Michael McDonnell ''World of Golf'', Littlehampton Book Services, 1970
* Ted Dexter and Clifford Makins, ''Testkill'', Allen & Unwin, 1976
* Ted Dexter and Clifford Makins, ''Deadly Putter'', Allen & Unwin, 1979
* Ted Dexter, ''From Bradman to Boycott, The Master Batsmen'', Queen Anne Press, 1981
* Ted Dexter, ''My Golf'', Arthur Barker, 1982
* Ted Dexter, ''You Can Play Cricket'', Severn House Publishers, 1982
* Ted Dexter and David Lemmon, ''Walk to the Wicket'', Allen and Unwin, 1984
* Ted Dexter and Ralph Dellor, ''Ted Dexter's Little Cricket Book, A Collection of Inspirational Anecdotes'', Bloomsbury Publishing, 1996
* [[David Frith]], ''England Versus Australia: An Illustrated History of Every Test Match Since 1877'', Viking, 2007
* [[Alan Lee (cricket writer)|Alan Lee]], ''Lord Ted: The Dexter Enigma'', Gollancz/Witherby, 1995
* [[Derek Lodge]], ''The Test Match Career of Ted Dexter'', Spellmount Publishers, 1989
* E. M. Wellings, ''Dexter v Benaud (MCC tour, Australia 1962–63)'', Bailey Brothers & Swinfen, 1963

{{s-start}}
{{s-sports}}
{{succession box|
 before=[[Peter May (cricketer)|Peter May]]|
 title=[[List of England cricket captains|English national cricket captain]]|
 years=1961/2-1963|
 after=[[M. J. K. Smith]]
}}
{{succession box|
 before=[[M. J. K. Smith]]|
 title=[[List of England cricket captains|English national cricket captain]]|
 years=1964|
 after=[[M. J. K. Smith]]
}}
{{succession box|
|before=[[Robin Marlar]]
|title=[[List of Sussex cricket captains|Sussex county cricket captain]] 
|years=1960–1965
|after=[[Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi|The 9th Nawab of Pataudi]]
}}

{{s-end}}

==External links==
*[http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/england/content/story/154571.html Cricketer of the Year, 1961]
*{{ESPNcricinfo|id=11886}}
*[http://www.teddexter.com Ted Dexter's internet blog on current cricket issues] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303225750/http://www.teddexter.com/ |date=3 March 2016 }}

{{England Test cricket captains}}
{{ICC Cricket Hall of Fame}}
{{Authority control}}

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