Graham Roope

Graham Richard James Roope (12 July 1946[1] – 26 November 2006) was an English cricketer, who appeared in twenty-one Tests and eight ODIs for England between 1973 and 1978.

He later played for Farsley Cricket Club and coached at Ampleforth College and Woodhouse Grove School, and was head groundsman at the latter when he died, aged 60, in 2006.

He was a member of the Surrey sides that won the County Championship in 1971; making a major contribution with 1,641 runs and an exceptional 59 catches in all first-class matches; and the Benson & Hedges Cup in 1974.

Roope was remembered by former teammate Geoff Arnold as "having an astounding ability to predict the weather – he would regularly forecast rain when there was not a cloud in the sky".

Although the second is certainly correct, achieved at 5.49pm on the first day of the fourth Ashes Test at Headingley on 11 August, when Roope had to take evasive action to avoid a straight-hit four off the bowling of Greg Chappell to bring up Boycott's century,[5] a close inspection of the record books indicates that Roope had swapped batting positions with Geoff Howarth, for the match against Derbyshire at The Oval on 12 July, and Howarth was at the crease when Edrich scored the necessary runs off the bowling of Alan Hill,[6] shortly after play should have ended at 5:30pm on the third and final day.

Roope also played Non-League football as goalkeeper for a number of clubs including Corinthian Casuals, Ashford Town, Wimbledon, Hayes, Guildford City, Ramsgate, Margate, Kingstonian and Woking.

[1] He moved to Yorkshire, where he became a coach at Ampleforth College and Woodhouse Grove School,[2] and played for Hall Park in the Airedale and Wharfedale League.