{{short description|South African cricketer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}} {{Infobox cricketer | name = Neil Adcock | image = | caption = | birth_date = 8 March 1931 | death_date = {{Death date and age|2013|1|6|1931|3|8|df=y}} | batting = Right-handed | bowling = Right-arm fast | columns = 2 | column1 = Test | matches1 = 26 | runs1 = 146 | bat avg1 = 5.40 | 100s/50s1 = 0/0 | top score1 = 24 | deliveries1 = 6,391 | wickets1 = 104 | bowl avg1 = 21.10 | fivefor1 = 5 | tenfor1 = 0 | best bowling1 = 6/43 | catches/stumpings1= 4/– | column2 = First-class | matches2 = 99 | runs2 = 451 | bat avg2 = 5.50 | 100s/50s2 = 0/0 | top score2 = 41 | deliveries2 = 19,708 | wickets2 = 405 | bowl avg2 = 17.25 | fivefor2 = 19 | tenfor2 = 4 | best bowling2 = 8/39 | catches/stumpings2= 24/– | international = true | country = South Africa | testdebutagainst = New Zealand | testdebutdate = 11 December | testdebutyear = 1953 | lasttestdate = 16 February | lasttestagainst = New Zealand | lasttestyear = 1962 | source = http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/43923.html Cricinfo | date = 3 December | year = 2020 }}
'''Neil Amwin Treharne Adcock''' (8 March 1931 – 6 January 2013) was a South African international cricketer who played in 26 Test matches.<ref>{{cite web |last=Bernstein |first=Jenny |url=http://za.news.yahoo.com/fast-bowling-great-neil-adcock-dies-095430127--finance.html |title=Fast-bowling great Neil Adcock dies – Yahoo! News South Africa |publisher=Za.news.yahoo.com |date=20 April 2011 |accessdate=2013-01-06 |archive-date=29 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130129074223/http://za.news.yahoo.com/fast-bowling-great-neil-adcock-dies-095430127--finance.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> A tall aggressive fast bowler, he could lift the ball sharply off a length. He was the first South African fast bowler to take 100 Test wickets.
==Life== Adcock was born on 8 March 1931 in Sea Point, Cape Town.
While his father was away on active service he began to play cricket. He stayed with people on a farm at Besters near Ladysmith in Natal (now KwaZulu-Natal).
His schooling was at St. Charles at Maritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, Grey High School at Port Elizabeth (now Gqeberha), and at Jeppe High School in Johannesburg.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Neil Adcock |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/neil-adcock-154572 |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=ESPNcricinfo |language=en}}</ref>
He made his Test debut in 1953 at home against New Zealand, after only nine first-class games. He finished the series with 24 wickets, including 8 for 87 in the two innings of his second Test.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Neil Adcock Profile – ICC Ranking, Age, Career Info & Stats |url=https://www.cricbuzz.com/profiles/4534/neil-adcock |access-date=2022-11-28 |website=Cricbuzz |language=en}}</ref>
Adcock was one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1961. The previous year in South Africa's tour of England he took 26 wickets in the Tests and 108 wickets in total at an average of 14. In doing so he became the only fast bowler to take more than 100 wickets in a tour of England. It was a controversial tour with his bowling partner Geoff Griffin being no-balled for throwing.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Narayan |first=Manoj |date=2020-01-06 |title=Neil Adcock, South Africa's Pace Pioneer {{!}} Wisden Almanack |url=https://wisden.com/almanack/neil-adcock-south-africas-pace-pioneer-almanack |access-date=2022-11-28 |website=Wisden |language=en-GB |archive-date=28 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221128005601/https://wisden.com/almanack/neil-adcock-south-africas-pace-pioneer-almanack |url-status=dead }}</ref>
After retiring from cricket he became a radio commentator and worked in the travel industry. Neil Adcock was survived by his wife Maureen, his children from his first marriage to Diana (née Devine) Adcock, daughter Susan Dance, his son Alan and three grandchildren.
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{cricinfo|id=43923}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Adcock, Neil}} Category:1931 births Category:2013 deaths Category:Gauteng cricketers Category:KwaZulu-Natal cricketers Category:South Africa Test cricketers Category:South African cricketers Category:Wisden Cricketers of the Year Category:International Cavaliers cricketers Category:Deaths from cancer in South Africa Category:South African cricket commentators Category:Cricketers from Cape Town