{{Short description|Australian cricketer (born 1950)}} {{layout|date=April 2025}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} {{Use Australian English|date=September 2012}} {{Infobox cricketer | name = Len Pascoe | image = | country = Australia | fullname = Leonard Stephen Pascoe | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1950|02|13|df=yes}} | birth_place = Bridgetown, Western Australia | batting = Right-handed | bowling = Right-arm fast | international = true | testdebutdate = 16 June | testdebutyear = 1977 | testdebutagainst = England | testcap = 277 | lasttestdate = 30 January | lasttestyear = 1982 | lasttestagainst = West Indies | odidebutdate = 2 June | odidebutyear = 1977 | odidebutagainst = England | odicap = 35 | lastodidate = 20 February | lastodiyear = 1982 | lastodiagainst = New Zealand | club1 = New South Wales | year1 = {{nowrap|1974/75–1983/84}} | columns = 4 | column1 = Test | matches1 = 14 | runs1 = 106 | bat avg1 = 10.59 | 100s/50s1 = 0/0 | top score1 = 30* | deliveries1 = 3,403 | wickets1 = 64 | bowl avg1 = 26.06 | fivefor1 = 1 | tenfor1 = 0 | best bowling1 = 5/59 | catches/stumpings1 = 2/– | column2 = ODI | matches2 = 29 | runs2 = 39 | bat avg2 = 9.75 | 100s/50s2 = 0/0 | top score2 = 15* | deliveries2 = 1,568 | wickets2 = 53 | bowl avg2 = 20.11 | fivefor2 = 1 | tenfor2 = 0 | best bowling2 = 5/30 | catches/stumpings2 = 6/– | column3 = FC | matches3 = 80 | runs3 = 502 | bat avg3 = 8.96 | 100s/50s3 = 0/1 | top score3 = 51* | deliveries3 = 15,460 | wickets3 = 309 | bowl avg3 = 25.60 | fivefor3 = 12 | tenfor3 = 2 | best bowling3 = 8/41 | catches/stumpings3 = 23/– | column4 = LA | matches4 = 41 | runs4 = 50 | bat avg4 = 8.33 | 100s/50s4 = 0/0 | top score4 = 15* | deliveries4 = 2,145 | wickets4 = 69 | bowl avg4 = 20.52 | fivefor4 = 2 | tenfor4 = 0 | best bowling4 = 5/28 | catches/stumpings4 = 6/– | date = 16 December | year = 2009 | source = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/1/1525/1525.html CricketArchive }} '''Leonard Stephen Pascoe''' (born '''Leonard Stephen Durtanovich''', 13 February 1950)<ref name="name">{{Cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/149449.html |title=Take up thy bed and bat |access-date=14 February 2017 |work=ESPN Cricinfo|date=13 February 2007 }}</ref> is a former Australian Test and One Day International cricketer.
Born at Bridgetown, Western Australia, Pascoe was educated at Punchbowl Boys' High School in New South Wales, where he was a classmate of Jeff Thomson.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/cricket-greats-tall-tales-bring-light-to-dark-battle-with-depression-ptsd-20151023-gkhdh7.html|date=23 October 2015|last=Moore|first=Tony|title=Cricket greats' tall tales bring light to dark battle with depression, PTSD|newspaper=Brisbane Times}}</ref> The two of them would form a close friendship, playing cricket together at club, state and Test level.
Pascoe played in 14 Tests and 29 ODIs between 1977 and 1982, during which time he transferred to World Series Cricket.<ref>[http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/australia/content/player/7083.html Cricinfo – Players and Officials – Len Pascoe<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In the 1980 Centenary Test at The Oval in London, he took 5/59 in the 1st innings. Pascoe retired from international cricket due to a knee injury after the 1981/82 Frank Worrell Trophy series in Australia.
Pascoe is the son of a Macedonian immigrant father.<ref>Hill, Peter. (1989) ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=p0BMAQAAIAAJ The Macedonians in Australia]'', Hesperian Press, Carlisle, pp. 131</ref><ref name="Cricket Country" >{{cite web|url=http://www.cricketcountry.com/articles/len-pascoe-23-facts-about-the-fearsome-australian-pacer-of-yugoslavian-origin-512615|title=Len Pascoe: 23 facts about the fearsome Australian pacer of Yugoslavian origin|first=Suvajit|last=Mustafi|date=13 February 2017|publisher=Cricket Country |access-date=24 September 2018}}</ref> While a former NSW teammate, Geoff Lawson, claimed in his autobiography that Pascoe was often subject to baiting about his ethnicity during matches, especially from brothers Ian and Greg Chappell, this was contradicted by Pascoe in court, under oath in a defamation case, when he stated that such comments were never made.
He is a popular after-dinner speaker.<ref name="Cricket Country" /> He once stated, tongue-in-cheek, that "a tiger never changes its spots" (in a sarcastic response to wicket-keeper Rod Marsh's comment "I thought you were going to bowl more bouncers").<ref name="Cricket Country" />
Pascoe has spoken of an incident when he hit Indian cricketer Sandeep Patil during the 1981–82 series,<ref>{{cite web | last=Patil | first=Sandeep | title=When a Len Pascoe Bouncer Got Sandeep Patil Hospitalised | website=TheQuint | date=2018-11-19 | url=https://www.thequint.com/sports/cricket/sandeep-patil-len-pascoe-bouncer-head-injury | access-date=2025-07-04}}</ref> which he has stated changed him as a cricketer and stated afterwards that he wanted to retire, which he did after playing another three Tests.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/story/823085.html|title=The contradictory fear of the fast bowler|publisher=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=24 September 2018}}</ref>
In November 2017, after returning home from a tour of South Australia and Western Australia with former teammates Doug Walters and Jeff Thomson, it was reported that Pascoe had been diagnosed with an infection of ''cryptococcal gattii'' and had to spend three weeks in a hospital in Sydney for treatment.<ref>{{cite news|date=24 November 2017|title=Pascoe's Close Call|page=48|newspaper=The Age}}</ref>
In January 2020, Pascoe encouraged singer/songwriter Matt Scullion to write a song about the 1868 Aboriginal cricket tour to England, having been talking to Gamilaraay elder and retired cricketer Les Knox about the event. Scullion wrote the song, titled "1868", and sung it at the second Twenty20 International at the Sydney Cricket Ground in early 2021, and planned to do so again at the Bradman Museum in April 2021.{{Update inline|date=August 2022}}<ref>{{cite web | last=Jackson | first=Russell | title=How Len Pascoe turned Australia's pioneering Indigenous cricket team into a chart-topping song | website=- ABC News |publisher= Australian Broadcasting Corporation | date=18 February 2021 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-19/len-pascoe-turned-pioneering-indigenous-cricket-team-into-song/13166612 | access-date=27 March 2021}}</ref><ref>{{YouTube|2RPEE4KKKaM|1868 Matt Scullion}}</ref>
==Career== Pascoe began bowling for Bulldogs C Shires in 1966-67 and took 57 wickets at an average of 6.84. He bowled alongside Jeff Thomson.<ref>[https://stumptostump.com/bankstowncricketclub-a__DB8q/lenpascoeahistoryofbankstownplayers-s__fuh2 Len Pascoe profile] at Stump to Stump</ref> Pascoe later said "Of all the fast bowlers, I wanted to be like Fred Trueman. He was a colourful, strong person."<ref name="len">{{cite web|url=https://www.thecricketmonthly.com/story/387821/i-liked-to-see-fear-in-a-batsman|title='I liked to see fear in a batsman'|first= Nagraj|last= Gollapudi |date=3 February 2009}}</ref> He was selected for NSW Colts.
Pascoe made his first class debut for New South Wales in 1974-75.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110627762 |title=Shield team |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=49 |issue=13,982 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=5 February 1975 |access-date=13 October 2023 |page=28 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> He took 13 wickets at 33.
The following summer Pascoe took 27 wickets at 29.81 and established himself as a state regular.
===Test Debut=== He had a very strong domestic summer in 1976-77 taking 35 wickets at 20 and was selected on the 1977 Ashes squad ahead of Alan Hurst.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article251049933 |title=STAR QUICKIE ABSENT BUT... |newspaper=Papua New Guinea Post-courier |volume= |location=International, Australia |date=14 April 1977 |access-date=13 October 2023 |page=23 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Pascoe bowled well in early tour games and was selected in the Australian side for the first test ahead of Mick Malone. Chappell said the decision to pick Pascoe rather than Malone was "close".<ref>Chappell ''Ashes '77'' p 29</ref>
Pascoe had a strong test debut taking five wickets. Former English captain Ted Dexter called him a chucker.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110851133 |title=TED DEXTER SAYS PASCOE 'CHUCKER' |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=51 |issue=14,807 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=20 June 1977 |access-date=13 October 2023 |page=1 (SPORTING SECTION) |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> He was made 12th man in the second test so Australia could play a second spinner but played the next two tests, taking four wickets in each. A key turning point of the series was when Rick McCosker dropped Geoff Boycott off Pascoe's bowling.
Mick Malone replaced him for the fifth test. Pascoe took 41 wickets on the tour at 21.78.
===World Series Cricket=== Pascoe was picked to play for the Australian XI in the first Supertest and took five wickets. He was dropped after the second (where he had taken 1-91) but was back for the 6th Supertest.
Pascoe missed the WSC tour of New Zealand due to injury.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110920297 |title=Pascoe out with muscle injury |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=53 |issue=15,745 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=31 October 1978 |access-date=13 October 2023 |page=20 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
Pascoe won man of the match in a one day game against the WSC World XI taking 5-30.
Pascoe did go on the WSC tour of the West Indies in early 1979.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article250175520 |title=Thomson, Lillee to tour |newspaper=Papua New Guinea Post-courier |volume= |location=International, Australia |date=24 January 1979 |access-date=13 October 2023 |page=31 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> He took five wickets in Australia's tight victory in the 3rd Supertest.
===Post WSC=== In 1979-80 Pascoe took 5-24 in a McDonalds Cup game for NSW. This saw him back in the Australian ODI side.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110969624 |title=It's all white for England |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=54 |issue=16,131 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=24 November 1979 |access-date=13 October 2023 |page=42 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> An injury to Rodney Hogg saw him back in the test side. Pascoe bowled particularly well in the third test against England taking six wickets. He took 40 first class wickets in 1979-80 at 26.75. He withdrew himself from consideration for the 1980 tour of Pakistan<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article137007493 |title=Four decline to tour Pakistan |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=54 |issue=16,177 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=10 January 1980 |access-date=13 October 2023 |page=18 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> but was selected in the squad to tour England to play the 1980 Centenary Test.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110955143 |title=CRICKET Surprises in England tour squad selection |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=54 |issue=16,290 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=2 May 1980 |access-date=13 October 2023 |page=24 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Pascoe was selected in the test side over Jeff Thomson and took 5-59 in the first innings. He later recalled: <blockquote>On the morning of the match... I was going up the steps of Lord's and Jeff was coming down. I checked with him if he had heard, and he said, "Yeah." I said, "Mate, it is not right. You and Dennis should be opening the bowling in a Centenary Test. I'm going to pull a hamstring, so you put your boots on." He said, "If you pull one I'll pull one too." So, when I went out there I bowled for both of us and ended up taking five wickets in the match.<ref name="len"/></blockquote> For the first time in his career, Pascoe was the first choice Australian pacebowler through the 1980-81 summer. He took 63 first class wickets at 19.52. However Pascoe withdrew himself from consideration for the 1981 Ashes squad due to injury.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article250671079 |title=Pascoe pulls out of tour |newspaper=Papua New Guinea Post-courier |volume= |location=International, Australia |date=5 March 1981 |access-date=13 October 2023 |page=35 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article127053876 |title=CRICKET Len Pascoe: fitter and ready for 1981-82 |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=55 |issue=16,737 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=24 July 1981 |access-date=13 October 2023 |page=16 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
Pascoe took 23 wickets at 33.04 in 1981-82. His efforts saw him recalled to the Australian side towards the end of the summer.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article126872686 |title=Pascoe's celebration |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=56 |issue=16,915 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=19 January 1982 |access-date=13 October 2023 |page=18 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Pascoe was selected in the Australian side to tour New Zealand.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article126876590 |title=CRICKET Six batsmen, six bowlers to tour NZ |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=56 |issue=16,932 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=5 February 1982 |access-date=13 October 2023 |page=16 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> However he ruled himself unavailable for the 1982 tour of Pakistan.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article126912330 |title=Kim Hughes to lead Pakistan-tour team |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=56 |issue=16,981 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=26 March 1982 |access-date=13 October 2023 |page=22 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
Pascoe played two more summers of domestic cricket. In 1982-83 he took 27 wickets at 32.51 and was part of the state side who won the Sheffield Shield, although Pascoe was dropped for the final. Pascoe was suspended for one game over the summer.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article116441003 |title=One-match suspension for Pascoe |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=57 |issue=17,265 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=5 January 1983 |access-date=13 October 2023 |page=28 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
In November 1982 Pascoe gave evidence in a defamation court case from Ian Chappell concerning the bowler.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article130826517 |title=Ian Chappell sues news publishers |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=57 |issue=17,202 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=2 November 1982 |access-date=13 October 2023 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article130826681 |title=No racist remark by Chappell: Pascoe |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=57 |issue=17,203 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=3 November 1982 |access-date=13 October 2023 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> (This was later appealed.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article127002729 |title=Ian Chappell wins appeal for new trial |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=58 |issue=17,792 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=15 June 1984 |access-date=13 October 2023 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>) Pascoe had another clash with an umpire.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article130836958 |title=CRICKET Pascoe and umpire in bowling dispute |newspaper=The Canberra Times |volume=57 |issue=17,247 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=17 December 1982 |access-date=13 October 2023 |page=26 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
The following summer he took 20 wickets at 29.95.
==Retirement== In 1992, Len Pascoe applied for scholarships to the Australian Cricket Academy for Glenn McGrath and Stuart Clark.
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pascoe, Len}} Category:1950 births Category:Living people Category:Australia One Day International cricketers Category:Australia Test cricketers Category:New South Wales cricketers Category:World Series Cricket players Category:Australian people of Macedonian descent Category:Australian cricketers Category:People from Bridgetown, Western Australia Category:Cricketers from Western Australia Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen