An off-spin bowler and stubborn right-handed batsman John Emburey was born at Peckham, London in 1952. He has played for Middlesex since 1973 in 345 matches taking 1,117 wickets with a best of 8 for 40 versus Hampshire at Lord's in 1993. He has scored 8,469 runs with a top score of 133 versus Essex at Chelmsford in 1983 and he has held 338 catches. His best season was 1983 when he took 103 wickets (av. 17.33). Representing England in 63 Tests, twice as captain versus West Indies in 1988. He has taken 147 wickets with a best of 7 for 78 versus Australia at Sydney in 1986/87 and he has scored 1,705 runs with a best performance of 75 versus New Zealand at Trent Bridge, Nottingham in 1986. He has toured abroad on eight occasions although his international cricket appearances would no doubt have been greater had he not toured twice with unofficial rebel England teams to South Africa in 1981/82 and 1989/90. He played Currie Cup matches for Western Province between 1982 and 1984. In 1995 after his Testimonial season with Middlesex he joined Northamptonshire for whom he played until 1997 before acting as County Coach for the 1998 season. After leaving Northamptonshire he concentrated on cricket commentary for Sky Television and in 2001 Emburey was appointed the Coach of Middlesex, a post he continues to hold.
