Neal Abberley

Neal Abberley, who was a left-handed top-order batsman, was on the books at Warwickshire for more than a decade and a half but throughout his career was never quite able to nail down a permanent spot in the side. His best period was in the late 1960s and early 1970s when he passed 1000 runs in a season three times, and in 1966-67 toured Pakistan with the MCC Under-25 side, a trip which was ended prematurely when he broke a finger. He was equally unable to command a regular place in the county's formidable one-day team, although he appeared in two winnings Gillette Cup finals in 1966 and 1968 in what were only his fourth and seventh List A matches - and in neither year had he played in the semi-finals. After he retired at the end of 1979 he remained on the coaching staff at Edgbaston for two decades, and continued his association as a consultant up to his death from cancer in 2011.
Martin Williamson