The Bedser Twins

Eric and Alec Bedser were identical twins, born on 4 July 1918. Their family home was in Woking, where Alec lived until his death in 2010, at 91.

Eric and Alec Bedser wearing their
Surrey County Cricket Club (CCC) blazers
at the Oval Cricket Ground.
The ground is home to Surrey CCC
and hosts England cricket matches.
Courtesy of The Lightbox, Woking

Self-taught on Horsell Common, the twins joined Surrey County Cricket Club aged 19.

After the Second World War, Alec became a hugely successful fast medium bowler for England, moving on to become chairman of the test selectors, England manager and President of Surrey County Cricket Club. In 1997 a knighthood followed an OBE and CBE.

Eric, a fine all-rounder, helped Surrey to win seven successive County Championships during the 1950s and served as President of Surrey County Cricket Club in 1990.

The Bedser twins had a strong affinity which they found hard to explain – they would wear identical clothes even when apart, could finish each other’s sentences and were never happy when separated.

Sir Alec Bedser (1918 - 2010)
and Eric Bedser (1918 -2006)