John Solanky

John William Solanky (30 June 1942 – 7 October 2003) was a Tanzanian cricketer. A right-handed batsman and right-arm off spin/medium pace bowler, he played for Glamorgan County Cricket Club between 1972 and 1976.

Biography

Early life and career

Born in Dar es Salaam in 1942, He made his first-class cricket debut in November 1963, playing for an East African Invitation XI against the MCC in Kampala.

He played a second first-class match in 1964, for a Coast Cricket Association XI against Pakistan International Airlines in Mombasa, but soon emigrated to England due to political changes in Tanzania. Here he began to play league cricket in Plymouth Devon for Plymouth Cricket Club in 1966 (scoring a century in his first match for the 2nd XI) while an Engineering student at the Technical College and represented Devon County Cricket Club in the Minor Counties Championship from 1967 to 1969,

Glamorgan career His bowling and batting at minor counties level attracted the attention of first-class county scouts, and he was signed by Glamorgan, His Glamorgan career eventually came to an end in 1976 when the county signed West Indian all-rounder Collis King. and Second XI that year.

Later life and career After leaving Glamorgan, Solanky spent a year as a cricket coach and squash professional in South Wales before moving to Northern Ireland in 1980. He played for and coached Lisburn Cricket Club and Cliftonville Cricket Club, coaching future Ireland internationals such as Kyle McCallan, Andrew Patterson and Mark Patterson. He took 183 wickets at an average of 25.34, with best innings bowling figures of 6/63 against Derbyshire in 1975. He took 92 wickets at an average of 27.46, with best innings bowling figures of 4/23 for Glamorgan against Nottinghamshire in 1973.