Mike Hendrick, the former England fast bowler who played his county cricket with Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, has sadly passed away at the age of 72.
A fast-medium seamer who represented his country on 52 occasions, Hendrick spent his later years as a highly respected bowling coach, working for each of his former clubs in that capacity.
After serving the county of his birth, Derbyshire, with distinction for 13 years, Hendrick spent the final three seasons of his career at Trent Bridge, taking 100 wickets in 34 First-Class matches at an average of 16.81 before injury ended his playing career.
He then spent a period on the club’s staff as Cricket Manager in the early 90s prior to spending periods on the coaching staff of Ireland, Scotland and Derbyshire.
After departing the Incora County Ground in 2008, Hendrick return to Trent Bridge where he served as a coach and mentor to the club’s upcoming young bowlers.
Clear in thought and staunch in cricketing principle, Hendrick was forthcoming in both technical and tactical advice and likably incandescent when, at times, it wasn’t heeded.
When asked about his England career, he would talk freely about the ‘blood, sweat and tears’ it took him to amass his 30 Test caps and about how much each and every one of them meant to him.
He was a lover of cricket to his very core.
Our thoughts are with Mike’s family and friends at this difficult time.