Bernie Maher

Who is Bernie Maher?

Bernard Joseph Michael Maher was an English cricketer. He was a right-handed batsman and a wicket-keeper who played first-class cricket for Derbyshire between 1981 and 1993. Of Irish extraction, he was born in Hillingdon, Middlesex.

Maher's cricketing debut came in 1977, when he played for the first time for Middlesex's Second XI. He was not to make another cricketing appearance for any county until he signed for Derbyshire in 1981. As the man touted to follow Bob Taylor as the next great wicket-keeper, his debut came in 1981 as his teammate was tied up playing in the famous 1981 Ashes series won by England.

As Taylor retired in 1984, it was automatically assumed that Maher would take his place, though his poor batting form saw him lose out to Chris Marples. Following the justification of his inclusion into the squad thanks to a century against New Zealand's tourists, Maher kept wicket for the rest of 1986, though subsequently was only sporadically called upon as an opener.