There were at least two unusual aspects to the cricketing career of Geoff Pullar, who played 28 Test matches for England between 1959 and 1963. The first was that he made his name at international level as an opening batsman, even though he had never before played in that position. The second was that he had a better batting average in the highest echelons of the game than he did in its lower reaches.
Pullar, who has died aged 79, had been happily playing for Lancashire at No 3, 4 or 5 when he was first called up for England in 1959. But he was hardly in a position to refuse the offer of appearing at the top of the order for his country. As a consequence, when he went in at No 2 for his England debut against India at Headingley, it was the first time he had ever opened the batting.
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