Essex County Cricket Club are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former Essex and England cricketer Barry Knight, who passed away on Monday, 10 November, in Bundanoon, New South Wales, Australia, at the age of 87.
Born on 18 February 1938 in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, Barry Rolfe Knight was a right-handed batter and right-arm fast-medium bowler, combining athleticism with the skill set of a brilliant all-rounder.
Knight made his first-class debut for Essex in 1955 and later moved onto Leicestershire at the end of the 1966 season as he built a substantial and impressive domestic career. In a total of 379 first class matches, he scored over 13,000 runs and claimed more than 1,000 wickets.
Barry Knight’s feats were not just domestically, his displays for Essex and Leicestershire rightly earned him call ups to the England cricket team where he made 29 Test appearances between 1961 and 1969. In those appearances, Knight scored 812 runs at an average of 26.19 with two centuries and a high score of 127. Impressing with the ball as well, he claimed 70 wickets at an average of 31.75 with best figures of 4/38.
After his playing days ended, Knight moved to Australia which would become his new home. In the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, he became a beloved figure where he would coach cricket, work with juniors and stay active in the cricket community well into his later life.
Cricket correspondent Colin Bateman once described Knight as “a flamboyant cricketer, an elegant middle-order batsman and a bowler with a sharp turn of speed who never appeared to run out of energy.”
Barry Knight leaves behind a remarkable cricket legacy – as a distinguished England cricketer, a prolific all-rounder and a coach who helped a plethora of players.
Essex County Cricket Club extends sincere condolences to his family, friends and all those who are connected with him. May Barry Knight rest in peace and may his contributions to the sport of cricket be remembered with honour.
