Jackie McGlew

Who was Jackie McGlew?

Derrick John "Jackie" McGlew, born on 11 March 1929, Pietermaritzburg and died at Pretoria on 8 June 1998 was a cricketer who played for Natal and South Africa. He was educated at Merchiston Preparatory School and Maritzburg College, where he was Head Dayboy Prefect and captain of both cricket and rugby in 1948.

An opening batsman with fabled powers of adhesion, suiting his name, McGlew set records in the 1950s for slow scoring. But though his tenacity brought criticism – even from Wisden — he was the linchpin around which the strong South African cricket team of the 1950s was built.

McGlew was picked for the 1951 tour to England on the strength of a century in a 12-a-side match, and was not a success in his two Test matches. But within 18 months, he was both a fixture in the Test side and vice-captain as South Africa held the strong Australians to a series draw in 1952–53. And in the same season he hit what was then South Africa's highest Test innings, an undefeated 255, against New Zealand at Wellington.

McGlew was the South Africans' most successful batsman on his second tour of England in 1955, scoring centuries at Old Trafford and Headingley.