Editing Ted Dexter (section)

==Early career 1953–60==

<blockquote>
''Few batsmen, or writers, announce themselves as Dexter did when batting for [[Sussex County Cricket Club|Sussex]] against [[Surrey County Cricket Club|Surrey]] at [[the Oval]] last summer. His first ball, from the pavilion end, was slightly over-pitched on middle and leg. Feet moved fractionally, head hardly at all, but the bat swung the ball for six over long leg and they fetched it back from the seats under the [[gasholder]].''
:[[Wisden Cricketers' Almanack|Wisden]], 1961<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/154571.html |title=Wisden Cricketers' Almanack |year=1961 |chapter=Cricketer of the Year - Ted Dexter |access-date=30 August 2021}}</ref>
</blockquote>
Dexter was educated at Norfolk House, [[Beaconsfield]], and [[Radley College]], where he played in the first XI from 1950 to 1953, initially as a [[wicket-keeper]] and as captain in 1953, and was nicknamed "Lord Ted" by his coach [[Ivor Gilliat]] for his aloof self-confidence.<ref name=":1" /> His cricket coach at Radley was B H Smithson, father of England cricketer [[Gerald Smithson]]. While Dexter was head boy at Radley, [[Peter Cook]], English comedian, satirist, writer and actor, was among those younger boys upon whom 'a big & strong' Dexter inflicted [[corporal punishment]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Parkinson | date=16 September 2006 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvllzQxBqQE&list=WL48823C89A454BD02#t=7m33s |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200213014649/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvllzQxBqQE#t=7m33s |archive-date=13 February 2020 |access-date=1 February 2013 |publisher=[[Michael Parkinson]] TV show interview, 1976}}</ref> He did his [[national service]] as a [[second lieutenant]] in the [[11th Hussars]] during the [[Malayan Emergency]] in 1953–55 and was awarded the Malaya Campaign Medal. Dexter then entered [[Jesus College, Cambridge]] in October 1955, where he played golf and rugby in addition to winning his cricket [[Cambridge Blue|Blue]] and playing in the [[The University Match (cricket)|University Match]] in 1956, 1957 and (as captain) 1958. 

He first came to notice as a bowler taking 5/8 and 3/47 for the [[Gentlemen v Players|Gentlemen]] in 1957 and joined [[Sussex County Cricket Club]] in the same year. He made his Test debut in 1958 against [[New Zealand national cricket team|New Zealand]], made 52 and [[E. W. Swanton]] thought that he should have been picked for [[Peter May (cricketer)|Peter May]]'s [[MCC tour of Australia in 1958–59]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Swanton |first=Ernest William |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/2151457 |title=Swanton in Australia with MCC, 1946-1975 |date=1975 |publisher=Collins |isbn=0-00-216236-9 |location=London |pages=104–105 |oclc=2151457 |access-date=26 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210826072421/https://www.worldcat.org/title/swanton-in-australia-with-mcc-1946-1975/oclc/2151457 |archive-date=26 August 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> In the end he was flown from [[Paris]] (where his wife was working as a model) to reinforce May's injury-struck team. Dexter arrived in the middle of the tour, did not have time to acclimatize and although he did well in the tour matches he failed in the Tests. Continuing on the tour to [[History of cricket in New Zealand from 1945–46 to 1970|New Zealand]] he made 141, his maiden Test century. After an indifferent summer against [[Indian cricket team in England in 1959|India]] the decision to take him to the [[English cricket team in West Indies in 1959–60|Caribbean in 1959–60]] was much criticised, but "Lord Ted" made his name thrashing the fast bowlers [[Wes Hall]] and [[Charlie Griffith]] with his powerful drives. He hit 132 not out in the First Test, 110 in the Fourth Test, made 526 runs (65.75), topping the England batting averages, and was a [[Wisden Cricketer of the Year]] in 1961.