Geoff Cope

In a long career dogged by difficulties with the fairness of his bowling action, Geoff Cope showed both courage and persistence by re-modeling his delivery twice - after suspension by the authorities in 1972 and 1978 -each time returning to top-class cricket. An offspinner who preferred to push the ball through and a dogged tail-end batsman, question marks over his action meant that his England appearances were limited to one series in Pakistan in 1977-78. He nearly took a hat-trick on debut too: having dismissed Abdul Qadir and Sarfraz Nawaz, he had Iqbal Qasim caught at slip by Mike Brearley. But as Qasim was leaving the crease, Brearley, unsure as to the legitimacy of the catch, recalled him.
Martin Williamson