Martin Chandler | 8:56am GMT 16 November 2025
Barry Knight couldn’t be accused of being a late developer. A part of his schooling was going down on the Middlesex Cricket Faculty by the point he was ten, and he was taking part in for Essex colts at 13. The oft acknowledged view of Trevor Bailey, who was Essex cricket all through the Fifties and early Nineteen Sixties, all the time maintained that Knight was one among solely three cricketers who, on an preliminary look, he was satisfied would play worldwide cricket (the opposite two had been Keith Fletcher and West Indian Keith Boyce).
As an all-rounder it will be honest to say that in the end Knight didn’t fairly scale the heights that Bailey thought he may. He did play for England in 29 Checks, however was by no means certain of his place, his longest run within the facet being one among six matches. A proper arm seam bowler Knight was not genuinely quick, however was definitely distinctly sharp and given a inexperienced wicket was capable of receive loads of lateral motion. With the bat, at a time when such had been uncommon, he was a classy and free scoring batsman, albeit one who was not notably snug in opposition to quick bowling.
Regardless of his early promise when a 17 yr previous Knight made his First Class bow he did discover the step up an enormous one. He made 4 appearances in 1955, struggled for runs and was not even requested to show his arm over. The next summer season he had extra alternatives, eleven in all, however had solely a single wicket to point out for that. With the bat there was extra promise as Knight prime scored in each innings of the house sport in opposition to Lancashire, a low scoring affair however one wherein the Pink Rose fielded three England spinners, and he went on to make his first half century, 84 in opposition to Hampshire.
Nationwide Service within the RAF severely curtailed Knight’s alternatives within the First Class sport in 1957 and 1958 however, older, stronger and fitter, the 1959 mannequin got here inside 5 runs of the double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in a summer season when he additionally recorded his first century.
In 1960 a hairline fracture of the foot triggered Knight to overlook a number of matches and he was troubled in 1961 by a abdomen muscle drawback. Thus a ‘double’ nonetheless eluded him however Knight had nonetheless achieved sufficient, the selectors selecting to relaxation the entire seamers who had performed in opposition to Australia that summer season (Brian Statham, Fred Trueman, Jack Flavell and Les Jackson), and invite Knight to take his place amongst a completely untried group of tempo bowlers taken to the sub-continent.
England beat Pakistan 1-0 in a 3 match collection and misplaced to India 2-0 over 5. Knight missed the primary Take a look at in opposition to every opponent however as soon as he compelled his means into the facet he stayed there. In India England relied largely on spin and Knight’s eight wickets value greater than 38 runs every, however this was a greater haul than any of the opposite seamers, ‘Butch’ White, Alan Brown and David Smith. The seamers had been simpler in Pakistan the place Knight’s six wickets value him 30 runs every. His solely contribution of notice with the bat was to be unbeaten on 39 when India clinched victory within the fourth Take a look at.
With Statham and Trueman match and out there there was no means that Knight was going to start out the 1962 dwelling collection in opposition to Pakistan however he had a wonderful season along with his county, finally finishing the double and gaining choice for the ultimate two Checks and an invite to hitch the England social gathering to Australia and New Zealand that winter. Within the fourth Take a look at in opposition to Pakistan Knight recorded what had been to stay his finest Take a look at figures, a comparatively modest 4-38.
In Australia Knight did sufficient to impress the selectors sufficiently to achieve a berth, as third seamer, within the first Take a look at. The match was drawn, Knights contribution being a late burst in Australia’s first innings when he took the final three wickets. It was not nonetheless sufficient to maintain the selectors’ confidence and he was not noted of the remainder of the collection Wisden observing that he was not fast sufficient nor able to transferring the ball sufficiently to hassle good batsmen on good wickets. The Almanack didn’t touch upon his batting, however being dismissed for nought by fending away a brief pitched supply from fast bowler Garth McKenzie did nothing to boost his probabilities.
Within the much less rarefied ambiance of New Zealand England and Knight each flourished, profitable every of the three Checks after their 1-1 attract Australia. Within the first Take a look at Knight helped himself to 125 in somewhat over three and a half hours and shared a partnership of 250 with Peter Parfitt for the sixth wicket. Averaging nearly 70 with the bat on the finish of the collection he additionally paid a modest 16.88 for his 9 wickets. General nonetheless Knight maybe loved his journey just a bit an excessive amount of, on return a 3rd of his good conduct bonus being withheld. His crime was, apparently, accepting an excessive amount of Australian hospitality.
Again dwelling in 1963 Knight was clearly not fancied to face the dual threats of Wes Corridor and Charlie Griffith with the bat and, after beginning the collection with a tempo assault of Trueman and Statham the England selectors made the seemingly weird determination to recall, after greater than a decade, the 38 yr previous Hampshire medium pacer Derek Shackleton when Statham didn’t impress. ‘Shack’ remained within the facet, the selectors hunch totally justified as he took 15 wickets in his 4 appearances. Again in Essex Knight did the double once more and as soon as once more earned a spot on a tour of the sub-continent, this time a a lot shorter journey which took in solely India.
Financially the 1963/64 collection was an incredible success. The Take a look at matches had been performed in entrance of packed crowds regardless of the dullness of the cricket on supply. The Indians appeared solely in avoiding defeat. Regardless of England at occasions struggling to seek out eleven match males there was by no means any chance of a end result and all 5 Checks had been drawn. For Knight the collection was a disappointment. He performed in all 5 Checks however his six wickets value him 59.50 apiece. Had the selectors had any choices he in all probability wouldn’t have performed within the last Take a look at, however on the eleventh hour he pulled out his finest efficiency of the tour, a second Take a look at century. As along with his century in New Zealand his important associate was Parfitt, the pair including 189 for the fourth wicket.
There was no England name up for Knight for the 1964 Ashes and though he did the double once more in a full county season he didn’t do sufficient to benefit an invite to hitch the tour of South Africa so, for the primary time in 4 years he had a winter at dwelling.
It’s price pausing at this level to contemplate the form of character Knight had, and it was a removed from standard one for knowledgeable cricketer. Very lately former teammate Robin Hobbs wrote; You couldn’t assist however like him, he was a showman, an actual lady’s man who had all method of ladies round him. Petula Clark used to come back to county video games. He favored the glamour and the excessive life, the automobiles and the fits, earlier than including a phrase of warning, he was a pleasant bloke however bought concerned with a few of the fallacious individuals.
In 1965 Knight went into enterprise. In mild of Hobbs’ evaluation it’s straightforward to see why his alternative was the rag commerce, and he started by opening his first menswear store in Colchester. Not content material with that over the subsequent eighteen months he expanded the operation and opened an extra store in Epping. The goal market was not the peculiar man on the street, Knight himself saying that the enterprise focused the chap who has grown out of Carnaby Avenue however nonetheless needs his garments to be sharp and with-it.
While others managed the enterprise for him Knight loved a advantageous season with Essex in 1965 finishing the double once more for the third and final time, a feat all of the extra spectacular as a result of nobody else managed it – the earlier summer season he had been one among 4. His bowling was notably efficient, bringing him 125 wickets at solely 18.90 runs apiece, the perfect summer season of his profession.
Regardless of his success on the sphere Knight couldn’t discover a means into the England facet for both of that summer season’s two Take a look at collection, in opposition to New Zealand and South Africa, nor the social gathering that went to Australia that winter underneath Mike Smith. The selectors had clearly not forgotten about Knight nonetheless as he was flown out as a substitute earlier than the Checks began and he discovered himself opening the bowling within the second Take a look at. In a drawn match figures of 4-84 and 2-61 had been respectable sufficient, however not ample to maintain him within the facet for the third Take a look at as soon as David Brown was match once more.
There was one other likelihood for Knight within the last Take a look at when a 3rd seamer was chosen however, with Australia needing only a draw to retain the Ashes the match was a uninteresting one, Bob Cowper amassing 307 because the match barely bought to a 3rd innings. At the least Knight had the small comfort that Cowper was one among his two victims. The Ashes over there have been three extra Checks to come back in New Zealand. Not like three years beforehand all three had been drawn, and Knight’s contributions within the two wherein he performed had been modest.
The summer season of 1966 was Knight’s final with Essex. He carried out properly sufficient to be referred to as up for one of many Checks in opposition to West Indies, nevertheless it was not a contented summer season for Essex who, beset with monetary issues and with a wafer skinny squad usually struggled. Their very long time skipper Bailey retired on the finish of the season and Knight, who had all the time idolised Bailey, felt he was being handled shabbily by the county and determined to go away. There are solutions that he needed the captaincy himself, and that he was not ready to play underneath the person who did get the job, Brian ‘Tonker’ Taylor, however neither was the case.
Knight’s final look for Essex was at Taunton within the final match of the 1966 season. The match resulted in defeat for the guests, though the blame for that might definitely not be laid at Knight’s door. He tore the Somerset center order out of their first innings with a seven over spell of 5-15 and, when Essex struggled in reply a breezy 52 bought them inside spitting distance. It was not a profitable finish although as neither Knight nor any of his teammates had been capable of step as much as the plate within the second half of the match.
With a enterprise to go to, and with a level of disenchantment with county cricket Knight did contemplate giving up the sport, however with loads of affords from different counties he finally selected Leicestershire, who supplied him the safety of a 5 yr contract and the place he would play underneath the management of Tony Lock, a person for whom he had a lot respect and with whom, by then, he shared a deep curiosity in Australia the place Lock plied his commerce within the southern hemisphere summers.
Quickly after making the break with Essex and signing for his new county Knight was going through as much as a fairly completely different sort of contest. The venue was a cricketing one, Lord’s, however in a committee room fairly than on the pitch. In these days qualification guidelines protected counties who had invested in gamers by, the place there was an objection, offering for a two yr qualification interval earlier than a person might play within the Championship for a brand new county.
Regardless of their monetary woes Essex went into the assembly, as did Knight, tooled up with Main Counsel and full authorized groups. Former England and Glamorgan skipper Tony Lewis (then very a lot nonetheless an energetic participant) was current. He later wrote of Knight; I had seen him nervous on the crease, however nothing like as white as when he entered the assembly. His eyes caught to the ground, his clearing of the throat was now greater than theatre.
A decade later a fair larger authorized staff put collectively by Kerry Packer rubbed the institution’s nostril within the grime by utilizing the doctrine of restraint of commerce to brush apart such guidelines and contractual provisions, however again in 1967 Knight was likely happy to at the least be partially profitable and cut back the interval to 12 months. He would be capable of play within the Championship in 1968.
Kicking his heels within the second eleven for many of 1967 Knight averaged 67 with the bat and 12 with the ball, and carried out properly within the few non championship matches that he performed in. Probably he additionally put in some hours in his enterprise, one thing that failed spectacularly on him in 1968.
His first season at his new county went properly sufficient for Knight to be chosen for the second Take a look at in opposition to the Australians and he took three fast wickets amongst the carnage of Australia’s first innings, 78 all out in a match finally drawn. He retained his place for the third Take a look at, additionally drawn, however a single wicket and two failures with the bat meant he was twelfth man for the fourth Take a look at that begun at Headingley on twenty fifth July.
On the remaining day of the Headingley Take a look at a headline appeared within the now defunct Information Of The World that learn Why I attempted suicide – by Take a look at star. The accompanying article promised that the total unique story would seem the next week, and it duly did. There have been two elementary issues that Knight discovered himself saddled with, one emotional and one monetary.
The companies had initially achieved properly, however then took a step too far and moved into the West Finish, in Avery Row simply behind Claridge’s. A mixture of excessive hire for a really small store, eager competitors from others and an excessive amount of cash thrown on the champagne launch of the brand new enterprise noticed it and the remainder of the enterprise compelled underneath and Knight needed to choose up the money owed. All this got here concurrently an acrimonious marriage breakdown. That one definitely appears to have been Knight’s fault in that he fell out of affection along with his German born spouse of eight years as a result of he fell in love with an Australian singer, Annette Fisher, who he had met on tour in 1962/63, and who got here into his life once more when she subsequently visited London to look on a tv programme.
The suicide try, which likely helped shift a number of copies of the Information Of The World, occurred within the early a part of 1968. Knight’s spouse was refusing to divorce him however he was nonetheless having to keep up her. The enterprise issues had reached their head and there have been calls for for cash nearly each time the postman arrived, the phone rang, or there was a knock on the door of the flat Knight shared with Annette. Pushed to despair the sudden realisation that there was a bottle within the toilet containing seventeen sleeping tablets all of a sudden appeared a horny means out for Knight. He took the lot, however fortunately for him they weren’t robust sufficient to do very a lot injury and he rapidly made a full restoration.
The Information Of The World article additionally, not directly, performed a small half within the burning cricketing concern of the late summer season of 1968 and what grew to become often known as the D’Oliveira Affair. MCC had been resulting from choose a facet to tour South Africa within the winter of 1968/69 and, after scoring an excellent 158 within the last Take a look at of the Ashes collection D’Oliveira’s choice was, in lots of quarters, thought-about a formality. Ultimately he was not noted, within the view of many as a result of the South African authorities had made it clear to MCC that if he was included the tour could be cancelled.
There’s loads of proof to counsel that the conspiracy theorists had been proper (and a few to point in any other case) however when D’Oliveira, a frontline batsman who was additionally a helpful medium pacer, was omitted there was an outcry. It didn’t assist when, shortly after the staff was chosen Tom Cartwright, a frontline bowler who was a helpful decrease order batsman, pulled out and was changed by D’Oliveira. Knight would have been an choice each when the unique social gathering was chosen and the extra so when Cartwright dropped out. Within the occasion nonetheless the selectors had already been instructed he was to not be included.
Sadly for Leicestershire 1969 turned out to be Knight’s final summer season in First Class cricket, and to mark it he performed properly sufficient to be chosen for every Take a look at of a 3 match collection in opposition to West Indies and two of the three in opposition to New Zealand earlier than dropping his place to Surrey’s Geoff Arnold for the ultimate match. He then, as he had the earlier winter, went out to Australia to teach. In his Information Of The World unique he had professed his loyalty to Leicestershire and his intention to fulfil the remainder of his contract. Within the occasion nonetheless he modified his thoughts and, simply earlier than the beginning of the 1970 season he instructed the county he wouldn’t be returning to finish the final two years of his contract.
It appears probably nonetheless that the choice had not been made on the final minute. Certainly one of Knight’s most prized possessions was his Jaguar automobile. On the finish of the summer season, in an effort little question to assuage his collectors he had bought the automobile to a teammate who had paid over the agreed worth. The difficulty was he had achieved the identical ‘pay now take supply after I depart for the winter in Australia’ cope with another person. Which of the purchasers bought the automobile? Neither is the reply to that as, while the offers had been being negotiated, the automobile was safely in a container certain for Australia.
Knight turned 32 in 1970, so nonetheless had a number of years left in him. Regardless of his disappointments his 29 Checks had introduced him 70 wickets at 31.75 and 812 runs at 26.19 and his Take a look at profession was removed from over. It’s true {that a} younger Tony Greig had simply appeared, however the actuality is that England had no seam bowling all-rounder to take to Australia in 1970/71 and that was a visit Knight may properly have made. He definitely would if his previous buddy Colin Milburn had had a say within the concern. In June of 1970, in a syndicated newspaper column Milburn, compelled out of the sport in 1969 when he misplaced an eye fixed in a highway accident, described Knight as England’s primary all-rounder, including it’s troublesome to see the place the selectors will discover a substitute. Within the occasion the facet led so properly by Ray Illingworth did deliver dwelling the Ashes, however that they had nobody to fill the function Knight might have carried out. The closest was Basil D’Oliveira, a category batsman however whose sometimes efficient seamers had been decidedly light.
Fairly aside from the troubles he left behind in England the higher life that Knight present in Sydney should even have been a think about not returning. Knight discovered himself a lot in demand as a coach. He pioneered the usage of video cameras as an educational help and plenty of Australian Take a look at gamers, most notably Allan Border and the Waugh twins benefitted from his consideration. As to his personal sport Knight by no means performed any extra First Class cricket after his emigration, however was nonetheless taking part in first grade for Mosman into the Nineteen Eighties. He earned his residing from his teaching, interrupted a few occasions by fires destroying premises. Having stated that I ought to add that I’m not conscious of any suggestion that there was something sinister behind the conflagrations.
Barry Knight was 87 when he died final week, by all accounts nonetheless an incredible lover of the sport and a well-liked man whose firm was loved by many in Australia. His having had a hand within the improvement of greater than twenty Take a look at gamers, that’s hardly shocking and maybe, in these circumstances, his character flaws ought to be ignored.
