
- Born 18 January 1950, Blantyre Nyasaland (now Malawi)
- Educated Worksop College, Nottinghamshire Oxford University
- Occupation Designer and Builder of Conservatories
- Debut 21 June 1974 v Netherlands at ACC Amsterdam
- Cap Number 525
- Style Right-hand bat, right arm fast medium / right arm off spin
- Teams Oxford University, CIYMS, NICC

His talents were first nurtured at his African prep school, where he had a hat trick and century to his credit. When 14 he went to Worksop College, which though it once had Ken Farnes, England fastman of the 1930s on its staff, was not known for its cricket, being a producer of Rugby Internationals, notably the great England and Lions' centre Jeff Butterfield. Simon was to prove its most illustrious cricketer bar one: Yorkshire and England bat and slip field supreme, Phil Sharpe. Four years in the XI and captain in his last, Corlett took a total 149 wickets at 13.86. His best season was his third, 1967, when Wisden singled him out for praise. He took 54 at 9.60, and played for Nottinghamshire 2nd XI, though not in a Championship match. His last two seasons saw his batting develop to total 646 runs at 37.03. In his final year, he was selected for the Public Schools trial at Lord's. However, though he took 4-32 he was not chosen for the representative Public Schools XI to play the English Schools Cricket Association XI. A pity as the ECSA included two future Test batsmen, Graham Barlow and Brian Rose, besides five others who made their way in the first class game, and would have been an early challenge for his skills.

He entered Oxford in 1969, playing one first class match the following season. His batting was seen to advantage as he defied a Surrey attack of Robin Jackman, Pat Pocock, and a young Bob Willis, to score 21 in an hour. That year he also played in two non first class matches, helping to defeat a Free Forester side in one of them, his three wickets including former DUCC all rounder Army officer Adrian Naughten, whom he was to remove on several future meetings. 1971 was a crucial year in several respects. He did not have a great season with the ball. Wisden declared that neither he nor the other spinners, "unduly troubled the batsmen."

Beginning for CIYMS he soon switched to NICC, for whom and for Ulster Town, his performances became legendary. He helped North to three Senior League titles and ten Cup Finals of which three were won, with his help being substantial. Thus in 1982 v Downpatrick, at The Meadow, he was man of the match with figures of 12-129. Again in a low scoring 1990 Final, North lost 7 wickets chasing a moderate 125, Simon's 26 being the top score. In 1982, he saw them to the Final of the first Schweppes Irish Senior Cup. The match, ruined by rain, was restricted to 21 overs. Typically he was man of the match as Leinster, needing 92 at 4.38 finished on 77-9, Corlett 4-26. In 1981, in the League he took all 10 v Downpatrick and the following season had 104 wickets for North, previously unachieved in NCU competitions. His pace bowling was now classic in run up and action, and attracted claims, from at least one fine judge that he was,"Better than O'Riordan." Swinging the ball both ways at considerable speed, he often added a second string to his bow by bowling his off spin later in an innings. For Ulster Town he took 201 wickets at 12.29, captaining them to the Guinness Cup in 1981. His captaincy was, apart from one occasion when he ordered Stephen Warke to play out for a draw v North West, highly admired.

Several counties expressed an interest in Corlett but he did not return to English cricket. He would certainly have shown that the somewhat unsuccessful undergraduate bowler was a thing of the past. Alan Lewis, long term Irish Captain before he took to full time Rugby refereeing, summed him up, "On the field he had it all and is surely one of the all time best."

Simon Charles Corlett is profiled in Siggins and Fitzgerald "Ireland's 100 Cricket Greats" and has a special section in Clarence Hiles A History of Senior Cricket in Ulster.