| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | John William Southern | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 2 September 1952 King's Cross, London, England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Slow left-arm orthodox | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1975–1983 | Hampshire | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source:Cricinfo,21 October 2009 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
John William Southern (born 2 September 1952) is a former English first-class cricketer. He was a right-handed batsman and a slow left-arm orthodox who played county cricket for Hampshire County Cricket Club.
John William Southern was born on 2 September 1952 in King's Cross,London. He studied at the University of Southampton,from where he graduated. [1] Southern signed a one-year contract with Hampshire in December 1974, [2] initially as an understudy to Hampshire's established spin-bowler Peter Sainsbury. [3] He made his debut in first-class cricket for Hampshire against Gloucestershire at Bristol in the 1975 County Championship,making 13 appearances in the Championship. [4] He took 44 wickets at an average of 27.11 with his slow left-arm orthodox bowling,taking two five-wicket hauls. [5] He took 6 for 46 against Gloucestershire in the return fixture at Bournemouth in July,a bowling display that the Western Daily Press said had "bemused" the Gloucestershire batsmen. [6] Later in the season against Surrey,he took 6 for 53. [7] Southern also made his debut in List A one-day cricket in 1975,playing once against Derbyshire at Darley Dale in the John Player League. [8] The following season,he made 20 first-class appearances,with 19 coming in the County Championship; [4] he took 57 wickets in these,averaging 33.05. [9] He featured in 11 one-day matches in 1976,the most in a season during his career, [8] taking 9 wickets at an average of 36.44. [9]
Southern made 22 first-class appearances in 1977, [4] but did not feature in one-day cricket. [8] He took 53 wickets at an average of 31.32,taking five or more wickets twice. [5] his 6 for 81 in a drawn match against Somerset in the County Championship came from 39 overs. [10] Following the season,Southern opted to stay at Hampshire after turing down the opportunity to pursue a one-year diploma course at the University of Oxford. [1] In 23 first-class appearances in 1978, [4] he took 76 wickets at an average of 24.11,claiming five wickets in an innings on four occasions; [5] he was Hampshire's leading wicket-taker in the County Championship,taking 72 wickets from 21 matches. [11] Southern scored his first half-century during the season,making 51 runs in a defeat against Gloucestershire,forming part of an 83 runs stand for the final wicket with Mike Taylor. [12] He returned to one-day cricket during the season,making two appearances. [8] Alongside fellow spinner Nigel Cowley,Southern was awarded his county cap in June. [13]
Southern made fewer first-class appearances in 1979,after being afflicted with appendicitis at the end of July and requiring an operation. [14] He took 29 wickets from 16 matches at an average of 32.79, [5] with his only five wicket haul (6 for 81) coming against Derbyshire in the County Championship. [15] He made the highest first-class score of his career during the season, [16] scoring an unbeaten 61 runs against Yorkshire. [17] He played two one-day matches,one each in the Benson &Hedges Cup and the Gillette Cup. [8] His 51 wickets came at an average of exactly 30 from 22 first-class matches in 1980,taking five or more wickets twice. [5] In six one-day appearances, [8] he took only two,at 68 runs apiece. [9] At the end of the season,he expressed a desire to leave Hampshire and seek a career away from cricket,but changed his mind in December and signed a new contract. [18] Southern made 13 first-class appearances in 1981, [4] taking 20 wickets at an average of 47.60. [5] His bowling form recovered in 1982,with him taking 55 wickets at an average of 23.89 from 19 first-class matches,taking five wickets in an innings twice. [5] He scored 300 runs for the only time in his career in the 1982 season. [16] The following season,he made 15 first-class appearances,taking 27 wickets at an average of 35.77,again taking five wickets in an innings twice. [5] Between 1981 and 1983,he had made just three one-day appearances. [8] Southern retired from playing in September 1983,with Hampshire releasing him from the remainder of his contract. [19]
After the conclusion of his professional career,Southern played club cricket in Southampton for Deanery and coached at The Portsmouth Grammar School until 1985. He later emigrated to New Zealand. [20]
(long spell 30 overs:https://www-britishnewspaperarchive-co-uk.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/viewer/bl/0002318/19760712/270/0014) (modest bowling partnership with Cowley:https://www-britishnewspaperarchive-co-uk.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/viewer/bl/0002135/19790519/237/0014)