Name:

Amiss, Dennis L

Date of Birth:

07 Apr 1943

Gender:

Men

Place of Birth:

Harbonne

Career:

Test: 1966 - 1977
ODI: 1972 - 1977

Teams:

Warwickshire (Regional)
England (Country)

Dennis Amiss: Brave 203 against Windies firepower

Dennis Amiss (born 7 April 1943 in Birmingham) was a dependable and technically accomplished opening batsman for England during the 1970s.

Over 50 Test matches, he scored 3,871 runs at an average of 46.48, including 11 centuries and 16 fifties. His highest score of 262 against the West Indies at Kingston in 1974 was then the highest by an Englishman in Test cricket—a monumental innings that exemplified his concentration and resilience against some of the fiercest fast bowling of his era.

A pioneer of the One Day International format, Amiss played 18 ODIs and accumulated 859 runs at an average of 47.72. He made history in 1972 by scoring the first-ever century in men’s ODIs—103 against Australia at Manchester—and went on to record four centuries in total, a remarkable feat given the limited opportunities available at the time.

At the domestic level, Amiss was a cornerstone of Warwickshire County Cricket Club, where he scored more than 18,000 first-class runs at an average above 43, including 46 centuries. Renowned for his calm temperament and bravery against pace, he became one of the first batsmen to wear a protective helmet after suffering a head injury during the World Series Cricket period—helping usher in a new era of player safety and professionalism in the game.

After retiring from playing, Amiss remained deeply involved in cricket administration and development. He took on a key role with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), where he served as Managing Director of Cricket. In this position, he helped shape England’s domestic and international structures during a period of modernisation, contributing to improved player pathways and the professionalisation of the game.

Amiss also played an important role in global cricket administration through his work with the International Cricket Council (ICC). He chaired the ICC Cricket Committee, where he was involved in decisions around laws, playing conditions, and the balance between bat and ball. His influence extended to areas such as umpiring standards, match regulations, and maintaining the integrity and competitiveness of the sport at the highest level.