Only a small number of first-class cricketers have appeared in more matches than Norman Gifford, who has died aged 85. Beginning in 1960 with Worcestershire and ending in 1988 at Warwickshire, he played 710 games in all, the 20th highest total in history.
Having collected 2,068 wickets with his left-arm spin, he also reached 27th on the list of all-time wicket takers, with an impressive average of 23.56. Good enough to play 15 times for England between 1964 and 1973, he would have had more Test caps but for the presence during much of his era of an even better slow left-armer, Derek Underwood, who was habitually chosen ahead of him.
