Ron Headley

Ronald George Alphonso Headley (born 29 June 1939) is a former West Indian cricketer who played in two Tests and one ODI in 1973. An opening batsman, in first-class cricket he scored 21,695 runs at an average of 31.12, with 32 hundreds and a highest score of 187.

Ron Headley

Personal information
Full name	Ronald George Alphonso Headley
Born	(1939-06-29) 29 June 1939 (age 85) Kingston, Colony of Jamaica
Batting	Left-handed
Bowling	Leg break
Relations	George Headley (father) Dean Headley (son)
International information
National side	West Indies
Test debut (cap 147)	26 July 1973 v England
Last Test	9 August 1973 v England
Only ODI (cap 12)	7 September 1973 v England
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1958–1974	Worcestershire
1965–1974	Jamaica
1975–1976	Derbyshire
Career statistics
Competition Tests ODIs FC LA Matches 2 1 423 162 Runs scored 62 19 21,695 4,788 Batting average 15.50 19.00 31.12 32.35 100s/50s 0/0 0/0 32/117 2/30 Top score 42 19 187 132 Balls bowled 0 0 1,232 0 Wickets – – 12 – Bowling average – – 49.00 – 5 wickets in innings – – 0 – 10 wickets in match – – 0 – Best bowling – – 4/40 – Catches/stumpings 2/– 0/– 356/– 58/–
Source: Cricket Archive, 17 October 2010

Headley moved to England at age 11: his father George Headley, who played 22 Tests for West Indies, was the professional at Dudley Cricket Club.^[1] He spent most of his career in England, playing for Worcestershire from 1958 to 1974. He was capped by the county in 1961, and was awarded a benefit season in 1972 which raised just over £10,000.^[2] In 1971 he scored 187 and 108 against Northamptonshire, becoming the first Worcestershire player to score a century in both innings of a first-class match since Edwin Cooper in 1946.^[3]

Headley was eligible to play for England: indeed, his father discouraged him from playing for the West Indies because he believed that the West Indies Board treated their players badly. But in 1973, following an injury to Steve Camacho, Headley was co-opted from Worcestershire into the West Indies touring team.^[4] He played seven first-class matches for the West Indians, including the first and second matches of a three-match Test series. His 42 in the second innings of the first match was his highest Test score. He also played in the second of two One Day International matches for the Prudential Trophy.

After retiring from playing, Headley went into coaching.

His son Dean Headley played 15 Tests and 13 ODIs for England. This was the first case of three consecutive generations of the same family (George, Ron and Dean Headley) playing Test cricket.

Notes

1. Longmore, Andrew (23 October 2011). "In the name of the father". The Independent. London. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
2. "Ron Headley". CricketArchive. Retrieved 24 January 2009.
3. Green, Benny, ed. (1983). "The County Matches – Worcestershire". Wisden Anthology 1963–1982. Queen Anne Press. p. 491.
4. "West Indies in England, 1973". Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. Wisden. 1974. pp. 327–354.

External links

• Ron Headley at ESPNcricinfo