[1] The cricket writer Colin Bateman said, "The Retford imp was, and still is, one of the most fondly admired figures in the game ... the rolling gait and big sad eyes make him Chaplinesque – and like all clowns, there is pathos behind the public image ... At times, genius sat on Randall's shoulders – the only trouble was it would not stop fidgeting".

[1] Randall played 47 Tests and 49 One Day International matches for England as a right-handed batsman before retiring to become a coach and cricket writer.

Known for his eccentric movement at the crease, Randall was a determined batsman, specialising in hooks, pulls, cuts and cover drives, the first being used most memorably against Dennis Lillee in the Centenary Test in Melbourne in 1977 when he made 174, the highest Test score by any Nottinghamshire batsman playing for England in the history of Test cricket (a record Randall held until Tim Robinson made an innings one run higher at Headingley against Australia in 1985).

[1] After learning his cricket at Retford Cricket Club, Randall made his Nottinghamshire second XI debut in 1969, and his first-class debut against Essex at the end of May 1972, scoring 78 from number eight in the batting order, joint top-scoring with captain Brian Bolus, with the next highest score being Garry Sobers' 32.

[6] He famously doffed his cap to Lillee, after narrowly evading a savage bouncer, stating, "No point in hitting me there, mate, there's nothing in it.

"[1] When finally dismissed he left the ground by the wrong gate, and found himself climbing up towards the Royal enclosure where Queen Elizabeth II was watching the day's play.

The following summer, during the Ashes series against Australia, Randall, playing his first Test on his home ground of Trent Bridge, was the innocent victim of a notorious mix-up when he was run out as non-striker by England team-mate Geoff Boycott, who was returning to international cricket after three years' self-imposed exile.

Boycott hit the ball back towards the bowler Jeff Thomson before darting up the wicket, leaving Randall stranded.

[7] Fortunately England still won the match, and in the next Test at Headingley, Randall was involved in run-out action for the right reason.