1963 English cricket season
Encyclopedia
The 1963 English cricket season marked the beginning of limited overs cricket at List A level with the inauguration of the knockout competition that was originally called the Gillette Cup. It also included a memorable Test
series against West Indies. Off the field, the year saw the publication of the hundredth edition of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
, as well as the deaths of two cricketing knights, Sir Jack Hobbs and Sir Pelham Warner.
Note: Northamptonshire gained five points instead of two in drawn match when scores finished level and they were batting.
had had to come out at number 11 with a broken arm, but did not have to face a ball.
As a result of the great success of this series, England's future home Test programme was revised so that West Indies could return in 1966, much earlier than originally planned. This was done by introducing "twin tours", in which two countries would each play three Tests against England in the course of a season.
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
series against West Indies. Off the field, the year saw the publication of the hundredth edition of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
, as well as the deaths of two cricketing knights, Sir Jack Hobbs and Sir Pelham Warner.
Honours
- County ChampionshipCounty ChampionshipThe County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
- Yorkshire - Gillette Cup - Sussex
- Minor Counties Championship - Cambridgeshire
- Second XI Championship - Worcestershire II
- WisdenWisden Cricketers of the YearThe Wisden Cricketers of the Year are cricketers selected for the honour by the annual publication Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, based primarily on their "influence on the previous English season"...
- Brian CloseBrian CloseDennis Brian Close , usually known as Brian Close, is a former cricketer who is the youngest man ever to play Test cricket for England. He was picked for the Test team to play against New Zealand, in July 1949, when he was 18 years old. Close went on to play 22 Test matches for England,...
, Charlie GriffithCharlie GriffithCharles Christopher Griffith is a former West Indian cricketer who played in 28 Tests from 1960 to 1969. He formed a lethal fast bowling partnership with Wes Hall during the 1960s...
, Conrad HunteConrad HunteSir Conrad Cleophas Hunte, KA was a Barbadian cricketer. Hunte played 44 Test matches as an opening batsman for the West Indies.-Early life and career:...
, Rohan KanhaiRohan KanhaiRohan Bholalall Kanhai is a former West Indian Cricket player of Indo-Guyanese descent. He is widely considered as one of the best batsmen of the 1960s. Kanhai featured in several great West Indian teams, playing with, among others, Sir Garfield Sobers, Roy Fredericks, Lance Gibbs, and Alvin...
, Gary Sobers
County Championship Table
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Lost | Drawn | No Dec | 1st inn lead match L |
1st inn lead match D |
Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pts | – | – | 10 | – | – | – | 2 | 2 | – |
| 1 | Yorkshire Yorkshire County Cricket Club Yorkshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Yorkshire as one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure.... |
28 | 13 | 3 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 144 |
| 2 | Glamorgan Glamorgan County Cricket Club Glamorgan County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Glamorgan aka Glamorganshire . Glamorgan CCC is the only Welsh first-class cricket club. Glamorgan CCC have won the English County... |
28 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 124 |
| 3 | Somerset Somerset County Cricket Club Somerset County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Somerset... |
28 | 10 | 6 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 118 |
| =4 | Sussex Sussex County Cricket Club Sussex County Cricket Club is the oldest of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Sussex. The club was founded as a successor to Brighton Cricket Club which was a representative of the county of Sussex as a... |
28 | 10 | 6 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 116 |
| =4 | Warwickshire Warwickshire County Cricket Club Warwickshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Warwickshire. Its limited overs team is called the Warwickshire Bears. Their kit colours are black and gold and the shirt sponsor... |
28 | 10 | 3 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 116 |
| 6 | Middlesex Middlesex County Cricket Club Middlesex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Middlesex. It was announced in February 2009 that Middlesex changed their limited overs name from the Middlesex Crusaders, to the... |
28 | 9 | 5 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 106 |
| 7 | Northamptonshire Northamptonshire County Cricket Club Northamptonshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Northamptonshire. Its limited overs team is called the Northants Steelbacks. The traditional club colour is Maroon. During the... |
28 | 9 | 8 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 105 |
| 8 | Gloucestershire Gloucestershire County Cricket Club Gloucestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Gloucestershire. Its limited overs team is called the Gloucestershire Gladiators.... |
28 | 9 | 7 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 100 |
| 9 | Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Nottinghamshire, and the current county champions. Its limited overs team is called the Nottinghamshire Outlaws... |
28 | 6 | 8 | 13 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 82 |
| 10 | Hampshire Hampshire County Cricket Club Hampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it... |
28 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 80 |
| 11 | Surrey Surrey County Cricket Club Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions... |
28 | 5 | 6 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 74 |
| 12 | Essex Essex County Cricket Club Essex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Essex. Its limited overs team is called the Essex Eagles, their team colours this season are blue.The club plays most of its home games... |
28 | 6 | 4 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 70 |
| 13 | Kent Kent County Cricket Club Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent... |
28 | 5 | 6 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 68 |
| 14 | Worcestershire Worcestershire County Cricket Club Worcestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Worcestershire... |
28 | 4 | 8 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 60 |
| 15 | Lancashire Lancashire County Cricket Club Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then... |
28 | 4 | 10 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 58 |
| 16 | Leicestershire Leicestershire County Cricket Club Leicestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Leicestershire. It has also been representative of the county of Rutland.... |
28 | 3 | 13 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 40 |
| 17 | Derbyshire Derbyshire County Cricket Club Derbyshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the England and Wales domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Derbyshire... |
28 | 2 | 14 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 28 |
Note: Northamptonshire gained five points instead of two in drawn match when scores finished level and they were batting.
Test series
There was a memorable series between England and West Indies. The tourists won 3-1 with one match drawn. The Lord's Test had one of the most exciting finishes ever and all four results were possible with two balls to be bowled: it ended as a draw with England's last pair five runs behind. Colin CowdreyColin Cowdrey
Michael Colin Cowdrey, Baron Cowdrey of Tonbridge, CBE , better known as Colin Cowdrey, was the Captain of Oxford University, Kent County Cricket Club and the England cricket team in a career that lasted from 1950 to 1976...
had had to come out at number 11 with a broken arm, but did not have to face a ball.
As a result of the great success of this series, England's future home Test programme was revised so that West Indies could return in 1966, much earlier than originally planned. This was done by introducing "twin tours", in which two countries would each play three Tests against England in the course of a season.
Leading batsmen
| 1963 English cricket season – leading batsmen by average | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Innings | Runs | Highest | Average | 100s | |
| Gary Sobers | 34 | 1333 | 112 | 47.60 | 4 | |
| Mike Smith | 39 | 1566 | 144* | 47.45 | 3 | |
| Geoff Boycott | 43 | 1628 | 165* | 45.22 | 3 | |
| Basil Butcher Basil Butcher Basil Fitzherbert Butcher is a former West Indian cricketer who played in 44 Tests from 1958 to 1969. He was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1970.... |
34 | 1294 | 133 | 44.62 | 2 | |
| Conrad Hunte Conrad Hunte Sir Conrad Cleophas Hunte, KA was a Barbadian cricketer. Hunte played 44 Test matches as an opening batsman for the West Indies.-Early life and career:... |
37 | 1367 | 182 | 44.09 | 3 | |
| Clive Inman Clive Inman Clive Clay Inman is a former Ceylonese first-class cricketer. He captained St Peter's College, Colombo to its first win in the Battle of the Saints against St. Joseph's College Colombo.... |
51 | 1708 | 120* | 42.70 | 1 | |
| Brian Bolus | 57 | 2190 | 202* | 41.32 | 5 | |
| Ken Barrington Ken Barrington Kenneth Frank Barrington , better known as Ken Barrington, played for the English cricket team and Surrey County Cricket Club in the 1950s and 1960s. He was a right-handed batsman and occasional leg-spin bowler, well known for his jovial good humour and long, defensive innings "batting with bulldog... |
45 | 1568 | 110* | 41.26 | 2 | |
| 1963 English cricket season – leading batsmen by aggregate | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Innings | Runs | Highest | Average | 100s | |
| Brian Bolus | 57 | 2190 | 202* | 41.32 | 5 | |
| Peter Richardson Peter Richardson (cricketer) Peter Edward Richardson is an English former cricketer, who played for Worcestershire, Kent and, in thirty four Tests, for England.... |
56 | 2110 | 172 | 39.07 | 5 | |
| John Edrich John Edrich John Edrich, MBE is a former English cricketer, who played for Surrey and England. He earned a reputation as a dogged and fearless batsman, and his figures show that he was amongst the best players of his generation... |
55 | 1921 | 125 | 40.02 | 2 | |
| Alan Jones Alan Jones (cricketer) Alan Jones was a Welsh cricketer, who played for Glamorgan for almost a quarter of a century. He also played, for a single season each, with Western Australia, Natal and Northern Transvaal.-Career:... |
58 | 1857 | 187* | 34.38 | 3 | |
| Ken Suttle Ken Suttle Kenneth George 'Ken' Suttle was an English cricketer. He was primarily a left-handed batsman but was also a useful slow left-arm bowler. His first-class career with Sussex lasted from 1949 to 1971. He played in 612 first-class matches... |
57 | 1854 | 141 | 34.98 | 3 | |
Leading bowlers
| 1963 English cricket season – leading bowlers by average | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Balls | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Average | |
| Charlie Griffith Charlie Griffith Charles Christopher Griffith is a former West Indian cricketer who played in 28 Tests from 1960 to 1969. He formed a lethal fast bowling partnership with Wes Hall during the 1960s... |
4208 | 192 | 1527 | 119 | 12.83 | |
| Fred Trueman Fred Trueman Frederick Sewards Trueman OBE was an English cricketer, generally acknowledged as one of the greatest fast bowlers in history. A bowler of genuinely fast pace who was widely known as Fiery Fred, Trueman played first-class cricket for Yorkshire County Cricket Club from 1949 until he retired in 1968... |
5067 | 206 | 1955 | 129 | 15.15 | |
| Ken Palmer Ken Palmer Ken Palmer is an English former cricketer and umpire, who played in one Test in 1965, and umpired twenty two Tests and twenty three ODIs from 1977 to 2001.-Life and career:... |
6113 | 289 | 2234 | 139 | 16.07 | |
| Alan Moss Alan Moss Alan Edward Moss is a former English cricketer, who played in nine Tests for England from 1954 to 1960.... |
3857 | 249 | 1355 | 84 | 16.13 | |
| David Sydenham David Sydenham David Alfred Donald Sydenham is a former English first class cricketer. A left arm fast bowler, he played with Surrey for 15 years... |
4915 | 239 | 1753 | 108 | 16.23 | |
| Brian Statham Brian Statham John Brian "George" Statham, CBE was one of the leading English fast bowlers in 20th-century English cricket. Initially a bowler of a brisk fast-medium pace, Statham was able to remodel his action to generate enough speed to become genuinely fast... |
4746 | 168 | 1874 | 113 | 16.58 | |
| 1963 English cricket season – leading bowlers by aggregate | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Balls | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Average | |
| Derek Shackleton Derek Shackleton Derek Shackleton was a Hampshire and England bowler. He took over 100 wickets in 20 consecutive seasons of first-class cricket, but only played in seven Tests for England. As of 2007, he has the seventh-highest tally of first-class wickets, and the most first-class wickets of any player who... |
8325 | 583 | 2446 | 146 | 16.75 | |
| Barry Knight | 6743 | 207 | 3042 | 140 | 21.72 | |
| Ken Palmer Ken Palmer Ken Palmer is an English former cricketer and umpire, who played in one Test in 1965, and umpired twenty two Tests and twenty three ODIs from 1977 to 2001.-Life and career:... |
6113 | 289 | 2234 | 139 | 16.07 | |
| Fred Trueman Fred Trueman Frederick Sewards Trueman OBE was an English cricketer, generally acknowledged as one of the greatest fast bowlers in history. A bowler of genuinely fast pace who was widely known as Fiery Fred, Trueman played first-class cricket for Yorkshire County Cricket Club from 1949 until he retired in 1968... |
5067 | 206 | 1955 | 129 | 15.15 | |
| Don Shepherd Don Shepherd Don Shepherd was a Welsh cricketer, who played for Glamorgan. One of the great county bowlers, he took more first-class wickets, 2,218 at 21.32 each, than any other player who never played Test cricket.Shepherd began his county career in 1950 as a fast-medium bowler, and was a regular in the... |
7713 | 540 | 2373 | 126 | 18.83 | |
External sources
Annual reviews
- Playfair Cricket AnnualPlayfair Cricket AnnualPlayfair Cricket Annual is a compact annual about cricket that is published in the United Kingdom each April, just before the English cricket season is due to begin. Its main purposes are to review the previous English season and to provide detailed career records and potted biographies of current...
1964 - Wisden Cricketers Almanack 1964