Mike Hendrick
A metronomically accurate English seam bowler whose nagging line and length made him a formidable force in the 1970s, though Test centuries eluded him famously.
1948–2021 (age 73)·English cricketer·Birthday: October 22·Baby Boomers
Biography
Mike Hendrick was the bowler every captain wanted at one end: relentlessly tidy, deceptively brisk, and miserly in concession. With a high, smooth action, he delivered seam-up bowling of unwavering discipline, making him a cornerstone of the Derbyshire attack and a regular pick for England throughout the 1970s. His greatest strength—an immaculate line and length just outside off stump—was also the source of his most famous statistical quirk: in 30 Tests, he took 87 wickets but never scored a single run in double figures, finishing with a Test batting average of 1.83. He was a key component of England's 1979 World Cup final side, delivering a famously economical spell. Injuries eventually curtailed his international career, but he transitioned seamlessly into a respected and long-serving coach for Ireland, helping to nurture the next generation. Hendrick's legacy is one of quiet, unshowy excellence and professional longevity.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Mike was born in 1948, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Mike Was Born
The biggest hits of 1948
#1 Movie
The Red Shoes
Best Picture
Hamlet
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Mike's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1948Born
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1953Started school
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1961Became a teenager
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1964Could drive
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1966Could vote
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1969Turned 21
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1978Turned 30
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 40
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 50
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 60
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 70
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2021Died at 73
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
Key Achievements
- Played 30 Test matches for England, taking 87 wickets with his seam bowling at an average of 25.83.
- Was a member of the England squad that reached the final of the 1979 Cricket World Cup, bowling a very economical spell in the final.
- Took over 770 first-class wickets in a career spanning Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.
- Served as a coach for the Irish national cricket team for many years after his playing career ended.
Did You Know?
He holds the Test record for the most innings (54) without ever reaching a score of 10 or more.
Hendrick took a hat-trick for Derbyshire against Hampshire in a 1974 County Championship match.
He was known for his exceptional fitness and rarely missed a match due to injury until later in his career.
After retiring, he worked as a commentator for Test Match Special on BBC Radio.
“You just put it there and let the pitch do the work.”
