Born On This Day: 19th March

Pace bowler John Holder, was born in Barbados in 1945 and like many fellow-countrymen came to England where he played for Hampshire 2nd XI from 1965.

He showed considerable promise, at a time when Hampshire were looking to find successors to their Championship-winning bowlers – especially Shackleton who retired from full-time cricket after the 1968 season. In June 1968, Holder made his debut v Somerset at Portsmouth, taking 5-96 (including Greg Chappell) and 2-29.

In that first season, he generally replaced the injured White and took 18 wickets at 26.72. After a few matches in 1969, he took 55 wickets in 1970, then 19 in 1971 and 40 in 1972, including his best innings return of 7-79 at Gloucester, and a hat-trick v Kent at Southampton.

In those five seasons his average never exceeded 28, but his team-mate Andy Murtagh has written a recent biography revealing, with photographic evidence, how his open-chested action, anticipating fellow Bajan Malcolm Marshall, was altered to the ‘classic’ side-on, after which he experienced problems with no balls and wides.

Despite a career record of 139 first-class wickets at 24.80 and 46 limited-overs wickets at 26.36, his Hampshire career ended at Derby in August 1972. He moved to Lancashire, playing as the professional for Rawtenstall through the 1974 season, and he played briefly in South Africa, but in the 1980s he became a first-class umpire in the English game, then officiated in international matches and became well known in the media as an authority on ‘difficult’ decisions.

He umpired in first- class cricket from 1982-2009, and in Test Matches from 1988-2001.