Born at Dumbarton in 1936, Eric Russell joined Middlesex in 1956 as a right-handed opening batsman and right-arm medium-pace bowler. Playing 448 first-class matches until his retirement in 1972 he accumulated 25,525 runs (av. 34.87) with 41 centuries, of which his top score was 193 versus Hampshire at Bournemouth in 1964. He took 22 wickets with a best performance of 3 for 20 and he held 304 catches. He hit 1,000 runs in a season thirteen times, going on to 2,000 runs in a season three times with a best season of 2,343 (av. 45.92) in 1964. Playing 10 Tests for England between 1961/62 and 1967 against six different Test nations he scored 362 runs with a top score of 70 versus South Africa at the Oval in 1965, he held 4 catches and he toured abroad on three occasions. After retiring he taught at Shiplake College and has in recent years he has been involved at M.C.C.'s Shenley Cricket Centre in Hertfordshire which was renamed the Denis Compton Ground in 1995. Eric was a member of the Club committee since 1996 until 2003 and is a life member of the Hertfordshire Cricket Society having served as Chairman from 1995 to 1998.
