Fred Titmus
Encyclopedia
Frederick John Titmus MBE
(24 November 1932 – 23 March 2011) was an English
cricket
er, whose first-class
career spanned five decades. Although he was best known for his off spin
(though at first he bowled medium pace as well), he was an accomplished lower-order batsman who deserved to be called an all-rounder
, even opening the batting for England on six occasions. Outside of cricket, Titmus was also an able footballer; at one stage he was contracted to Watford
as a professional, having earlier played for Chelsea
as a junior.
, the ground being very close to his home, to ask for a trial. He was quickly accepted onto the MCC
groundstaff, and in June 1949 he was plucked straight from the groundstaff to make his first-class cricket
debut against Somerset
at Bath. Although he did little in the match, his selection for the first team at such a young age was a clear sign of his potential.
1950 was Titmus's first full season of county cricket
, and he performed reasonably well, taking 55 wickets including 7–34 against [Minor Counties in July. His appearances in 1951 and 1952 were restricted because of his National Service
obligations, although he kept his hand in with games for the Combined Services. In 1953 he returned to play for Middlesex full-time, and took 105 wickets, the first of 16 years in which he would reach three figures.
1955 was a superb year for Titmus, as he did the double
for the first time: he took what would remain his best season's haul of 191 wickets at just 16.31
, taking five or more wickets in an innings on no less than 18 occasions. 158 of these wickets were for his county, beating by four the record set up in 1900 by Albert Trott
. He also passed a thousand runs for the first time, scoring 1,235 including the first of his six centuries, making 104 against Hamshire
albeit in a losing cause as Middlesex lost by an innings
.
, where he took 8–43 in the second innings
, brought Titmus his England
debut for the second Test
at Lord's, but he took only one wicket (that of Hugh Tayfield
) and failed twice with the bat; and if anything he had a worse time in the third Test at Old Trafford
, making 0 and 19 and taking 0–51. He was dropped, and though he went on a non-Test tour to Pakistan
with MCC that winter, full England selection was always unlikely with Jim Laker
in his prime.
From 1956 to 1962 inclusive, Titmus achieved the double in every year except 1958, but despite the end of Laker's England career in 1959, a place in the Test team still eluded him as the selectors looked elsewhere. 1961 was his best year with the bat, as he scored 1,703 runs at a fine average
of 37.02, including one hundred and no less than 14 half-centuries; he passed 50 more than a hundred times in the course of his first-class career.
) he was made one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year
in the 1963 version of the Almanack. Titmus went to Australia for the 1962-63 Ashes series and made his highest first-class century of 137 not out vs South Australia
. He played in all five Tests, and took more wickets than any other English bowler; 21 at 29.33, including a Test career best 7 for 79 in the Third Test and 5 for 103 in the Fifth, both at Sydney
, and making 59 not out in the Fourth Test at Adelaide
.
For five years Titmus remained an automatic choice for England, and he produced some outstanding displays, not least in India
in 1963/64, when in the course of a five-Test series (packed into just six weeks) he picked up 27 wickets to help relieve the monotony as every game finished in a draw. In 1964 he opened the batting against Australia
with Geoff Boycott at Nottingham
after John Edrich
was injured. Meanwhile he continued to be invaluable for Middlesex, racking up 100 wickets in most years and contributing handy knocks with the bat, as well as captaining
the county side between 1965 and 1968. He toured Australia again for the 1965-66 Ashes series; making 258 runs (64.50), but taking only 9 wickets (57.44) and in the Third Test at Sydney he took 4/40 as England spun their way to their biggest victory in Australia since 1912.
in 1967/68, but his run came to a shocking end in Barbados
on that same tour. Having acquitted himself reasonably well in the first two Tests, Titmus was involved in a horrific accident shortly before the Third when, whilst swimming, he caught his foot in the propellor of a boat. He lost four toes, and for a time there was a doubt whether he would play again. He received a paltry £90 compensation from the MCC's insurance policy; which, at least, had the effect of ensuring a complete overhaul of insurance cover for England cricketers playing overseas. By May 1968 he was once again wheeling in for Middlesex, and doubts about his fitness were dispelled as he claimed 111 victims that season and actually headed Middlesex's batting averages, though averaging under 26 an innings. However, his England spot had gone, seemingly for good.
Titmus's batting gradually became less effective, and from 1969 onwards he passed fifty only six more times, though he did make an unbeaten 112 against Warwickshire
as late as 1976. His bowling, however, remained a force to be reckoned with and until 1976 he took at least 57 first-class wickets in every year.
after Jeff Thomson
had ripped through the upper order. That winter also saw Titmus play his only two One Day Internationals, both against New Zealand
. Both games were ruined by rain, but in the second at Wellington
he took 3–53 from his seven eight-ball overs
, his only ODI wickets.
Having coached in South Africa on several occasions earlier in his career, in the 1975/76 winter Titmus played for Orange Free State in that country's Currie Cup competition, and took 42 wickets at 16.30. His career was beginning to wind down, however, and 1976 was his final full year in England. After the end of that season he went to coach at Surrey
, playing for that county against Kent
in 1978, but it was an unhappy time. He reappeared spasmodically for Middlesex in 1979, 1980 and 1982. His very last appearance came by accident: attending the Middlesex v Surrey match in 1982 as a spectator, he was prevailed upon to play by Middlesex captain Mike Brearley
, and the gamble paid off: Titmus took 3–43 on a pitch taking spin, and Middlesex won by 58 runs.
He created a Middlesex appearance record of 642, and took 2,361 wickets, another county record, in addition to racking up in excess of 20,000 runs.
and that his family moved to Kentish Town
in 1939. In his second autobiography, My Life in Cricket published in 2005, he was rather more forthright in his views of former playing colleagues, and depicted five decades of his playing career with passion.
He also served as an England test selector from 1994 to 1996.
In 1985, the British rock
band, Half Man Half Biscuit
, paid homage to Titmus with their song, "Fuckin' 'Ell It's Fred Titmus
".
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
(24 November 1932 – 23 March 2011) was an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er, whose first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
career spanned five decades. Although he was best known for his off spin
Off spin
Off spin is a type of bowling in the sport of cricket which is bowled by an off spinner, a right-handed spin bowler who uses his or her fingers and/or wrist to spin the ball from a right-handed batsman's off side to the leg side...
(though at first he bowled medium pace as well), he was an accomplished lower-order batsman who deserved to be called an all-rounder
All-rounder
An all-rounder is a cricketer who regularly performs well at both batting and bowling. Although all bowlers must bat and quite a few batsmen do bowl occasionally, most players are skilled in only one of the two disciplines and are considered specialists...
, even opening the batting for England on six occasions. Outside of cricket, Titmus was also an able footballer; at one stage he was contracted to Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
as a professional, having earlier played for Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
as a junior.
Early years
Titmus was in his school's first XI by the age of thirteen, and when sixteen he wrote to Lord'sLord's Cricket Ground
Lord's Cricket Ground is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board , the European Cricket Council and, until August 2005, the...
, the ground being very close to his home, to ask for a trial. He was quickly accepted onto the MCC
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
groundstaff, and in June 1949 he was plucked straight from the groundstaff to make his first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
debut against 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...
at Bath. Although he did little in the match, his selection for the first team at such a young age was a clear sign of his potential.
1950 was Titmus's first full season of county cricket
County cricket
County cricket is the highest level of domestic cricket in England and Wales. For the 2010 season, see 2010 English cricket season.-First-class counties:...
, and he performed reasonably well, taking 55 wickets including 7–34 against [Minor Counties in July. His appearances in 1951 and 1952 were restricted because of his National Service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
obligations, although he kept his hand in with games for the Combined Services. In 1953 he returned to play for Middlesex full-time, and took 105 wickets, the first of 16 years in which he would reach three figures.
1955 was a superb year for Titmus, as he did the double
Double (cricket)
A cricketer is said to achieve the double if he scores a thousand or more runs and also takes a hundred or more wickets in first-class matches during the course of a single season. The feat is extremely rare outside England because of the smaller number of first-class matches played in most other...
for the first time: he took what would remain his best season's haul of 191 wickets at just 16.31
Bowling average
Bowling average is a statistic measuring the performance of bowlers in the sport of cricket.A bowler's bowling average is defined as the total number of runs conceded by the bowlers divided by the number of wickets taken by the bowler, so the lower the average the better. It is similar to earned...
, taking five or more wickets in an innings on no less than 18 occasions. 158 of these wickets were for his county, beating by four the record set up in 1900 by Albert Trott
Albert Trott
Albert Trott was a Test cricketer for both Australia and England. He was named as one of Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1899. He remains the only batsman who has struck a ball over the top of the Lord's pavilion...
. He also passed a thousand runs for the first time, scoring 1,235 including the first of his six centuries, making 104 against Hamshire
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...
albeit in a losing cause as Middlesex lost by an innings
The result in cricket
The result in a game of cricket may be a win for one of the two teams playing, a draw or a tie. In the case of a limited overs game, the game can also end with no result...
.
England: picked... and dropped
A fine display for MCC against the South AfricansSouth African cricket team
The South African national cricket team represent South Africa in international cricket. They are administrated by Cricket South Africa.South Africa is a full member of the International Cricket Council, also known as ICC, with Test and One Day International, or ODI, status...
, where he took 8–43 in the second innings
Innings
An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably cricket and baseball during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. In cricket, the term innings is both singular and plural and is...
, brought Titmus his England
English cricket team
The England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end...
debut for the second Test
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...
at Lord's, but he took only one wicket (that of Hugh Tayfield
Hugh Tayfield
Hugh Joseph Tayfield was a cricketer. He played 37 Test matches for South Africa from 1949 to 1960 and was one of the best off spinners the game has seen. He was the fastest South African to take 100 wickets in Tests until Dale Steyn claimed the record in March 2008...
) and failed twice with the bat; and if anything he had a worse time in the third Test at Old Trafford
Old Trafford (cricket)
Old Trafford is a cricket ground situated on Talbot Road in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester. It has been the home of Lancashire County Cricket Club since its foundation in 1864, having been the ground of Manchester Cricket Club from 1857...
, making 0 and 19 and taking 0–51. He was dropped, and though he went on a non-Test tour to Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
with MCC that winter, full England selection was always unlikely with Jim Laker
Jim Laker
James "Jim" Charles Laker was a cricketer who played for England in the 1950s, known for "Laker's match" in 1956 at Old Trafford, when he took nineteen wickets in England's victory against Australia...
in his prime.
From 1956 to 1962 inclusive, Titmus achieved the double in every year except 1958, but despite the end of Laker's England career in 1959, a place in the Test team still eluded him as the selectors looked elsewhere. 1961 was his best year with the bat, as he scored 1,703 runs at a fine average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
of 37.02, including one hundred and no less than 14 half-centuries; he passed 50 more than a hundred times in the course of his first-class career.
Recalled to the Test team
His form in 1962 – 136 wickets and 1,238 runs – saw Titmus recalled to Test cricket, and he played in the third and fourth Tests against Pakistan. For his performances that year (including a career-best nine for 52 against Cambridge UniversityCambridge University Cricket Club
Cambridge University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team. It now plays all but one of its first-class cricket matches as part of the Cambridge University Centre of Cricketing Excellence , which includes Anglia Ruskin University...
) he was made one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year
Wisden Cricketers of the Year
The 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"...
in the 1963 version of the Almanack. Titmus went to Australia for the 1962-63 Ashes series and made his highest first-class century of 137 not out vs South Australia
Southern Redbacks
The South Australia cricket team, nicknamed the Southern Redbacks and known as the West End Redbacks due to their sponsorship agreement with local brewers West End, are an Australian first class cricket team based in Adelaide, South Australia, and represent the state of South Australia...
. He played in all five Tests, and took more wickets than any other English bowler; 21 at 29.33, including a Test career best 7 for 79 in the Third Test and 5 for 103 in the Fifth, both at Sydney
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
, and making 59 not out in the Fourth Test at Adelaide
Adelaide Oval
The Adelaide Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide, South Australia, located in the parklands between the Central Business District and North Adelaide...
.
For five years Titmus remained an automatic choice for England, and he produced some outstanding displays, not least in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in 1963/64, when in the course of a five-Test series (packed into just six weeks) he picked up 27 wickets to help relieve the monotony as every game finished in a draw. In 1964 he opened the batting against Australia
Australian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
with Geoff Boycott at Nottingham
Trent Bridge
Trent Bridge is a Test, One-day international and County cricket ground located in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, England and is also the headquarters of Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club. As well as International cricket and Nottinghamshire's home games, the ground has hosted the Finals Day of...
after 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...
was injured. Meanwhile he continued to be invaluable for Middlesex, racking up 100 wickets in most years and contributing handy knocks with the bat, as well as captaining
Captain (cricket)
The captain of a cricket team often referred to as the skipper is the appointed leader, having several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player...
the county side between 1965 and 1968. He toured Australia again for the 1965-66 Ashes series; making 258 runs (64.50), but taking only 9 wickets (57.44) and in the Third Test at Sydney he took 4/40 as England spun their way to their biggest victory in Australia since 1912.
Boating accident
His place in the England side was now unchallenged, and he was appointed vice-captain for the Tour of the West IndiesWest Indian cricket team
The West Indian cricket team, also known colloquially as the West Indies or the Windies, is a multi-national cricket team representing a sporting confederation of 15 mainly English-speaking Caribbean countries, British dependencies and non-British dependencies.From the mid 1970s to the early 1990s,...
in 1967/68, but his run came to a shocking end in Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
on that same tour. Having acquitted himself reasonably well in the first two Tests, Titmus was involved in a horrific accident shortly before the Third when, whilst swimming, he caught his foot in the propellor of a boat. He lost four toes, and for a time there was a doubt whether he would play again. He received a paltry £90 compensation from the MCC's insurance policy; which, at least, had the effect of ensuring a complete overhaul of insurance cover for England cricketers playing overseas. By May 1968 he was once again wheeling in for Middlesex, and doubts about his fitness were dispelled as he claimed 111 victims that season and actually headed Middlesex's batting averages, though averaging under 26 an innings. However, his England spot had gone, seemingly for good.
Titmus's batting gradually became less effective, and from 1969 onwards he passed fifty only six more times, though he did make an unbeaten 112 against 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...
as late as 1976. His bowling, however, remained a force to be reckoned with and until 1976 he took at least 57 first-class wickets in every year.
Later career
1974/75 saw Titmus make a surprise return to the England team, as he played in four of the six Ashes Tests. Though he took only seven wickets, he hit a defiant though ultimately fruitless 61 at PerthWACA Ground
The WACA is a sports stadium in Perth, Western Australia. WACA are the initials of its owners and operators, the Western Australian Cricket Association....
after Jeff Thomson
Jeff Thomson
Jeffrey Robert Thomson is a former Australian cricketer. Known as "Thommo", he was one of the fastest bowlers ever to play Test cricket and was the opening partner of fellow fast bowler Dennis Lillee; their combination was one of the most fearsome in Test cricket history...
had ripped through the upper order. That winter also saw Titmus play his only two One Day Internationals, both against New Zealand
New Zealand cricket team
The New Zealand cricket team, nicknamed the Black Caps, are the national cricket team representing New Zealand. They played their first in 1930 against England in Christchurch, New Zealand, becoming the fifth country to play Test cricket. It took the team until 1955–56 to win a Test, against the...
. Both games were ruined by rain, but in the second at Wellington
Basin Reserve
The Basin Reserve , is a cricket ground in Wellington, New Zealand, used for Test, first-class and one-day cricket. Some argue that its proximity to the city, its Historic Place status and its age make it the most famous cricket ground in New Zealand...
he took 3–53 from his seven eight-ball overs
Over (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, an over is a set of six consecutive balls bowled in succession. An over is normally bowled by a single bowler. However, in the event of injury preventing a bowler from completing an over, it is completed by a teammate....
, his only ODI wickets.
Having coached in South Africa on several occasions earlier in his career, in the 1975/76 winter Titmus played for Orange Free State in that country's Currie Cup competition, and took 42 wickets at 16.30. His career was beginning to wind down, however, and 1976 was his final full year in England. After the end of that season he went to coach at 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...
, playing for that county against 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...
in 1978, but it was an unhappy time. He reappeared spasmodically for Middlesex in 1979, 1980 and 1982. His very last appearance came by accident: attending the Middlesex v Surrey match in 1982 as a spectator, he was prevailed upon to play by Middlesex captain Mike Brearley
Mike Brearley
John Michael Brearley OBE is a former cricketer who captained the England cricket team in 31 of his 39 Test matches, winning 17 and losing only 4. He was the President of the Marylebone Cricket Club in 2007–08.-Early life:...
, and the gamble paid off: Titmus took 3–43 on a pitch taking spin, and Middlesex won by 58 runs.
He created a Middlesex appearance record of 642, and took 2,361 wickets, another county record, in addition to racking up in excess of 20,000 runs.
Press, publications and media
Titmus published his first autobiography Talk of the Double in 1964. It was typical of the anodyne cricket autobiographies of the period and revealed that he was born in Somers TownSomers Town, London
Somers Town, was named for Charles Cocks, 1st Baron Somers. The area in St Pancras, London, was originally granted by William III to John Somers, Lord Chancellor and Baron Somers of Evesham. It was to be strongly influenced by the three mainline north London railway termini: Euston , St...
and that his family moved to Kentish Town
Kentish Town
Kentish Town is an area of north west London, England in the London Borough of Camden.-History:The most widely accepted explanation of the name of Kentish Town is that it derived from 'Ken-ditch' meaning the 'bed of a waterway'...
in 1939. In his second autobiography, My Life in Cricket published in 2005, he was rather more forthright in his views of former playing colleagues, and depicted five decades of his playing career with passion.
He also served as an England test selector from 1994 to 1996.
In 1985, the British rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band, Half Man Half Biscuit
Half Man Half Biscuit
Half Man Half Biscuit, often "HMHB", are an English rock band from Birkenhead, Merseyside, active since the mid-1980s, known for satirical, sardonic, and sometimes surreal songs. The group comprises Nigel Blackwell , Neil Crossley , Ken Hancock , and Carl Henry...
, paid homage to Titmus with their song, "Fuckin' 'Ell It's Fred Titmus
Fuckin' 'Ell It's Fred Titmus
"Fuckin' 'Ell It's Fred Titmus" is a song by UK indie band Half Man Half Biscuit. It was on the 1985 album Back in the DHSS, and the 1988 CD ACD...
".
Final years
Fred Titmus died on 23 March 2011, aged 78, after a long illness. He was married twice, firstly to Jean, and he was survived by his second wife, Stephanie. He left three children Dawn, Mark and Tandy and two grandchildren Charlotte and Ellie.English county
- MiddlesexMiddlesex County Cricket ClubMiddlesex 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...
- SurreySurrey County Cricket ClubSurrey 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...
Other first-class
- Combined Services
- DH Robins' XIDerrick RobinsDerrick Harold Robins, often known as D. H. Robins was an English cricketer and sports promoter, at one time chairman of Coventry City Football Club. He was born in Bexleyheath, Kent....
- India Prime MinisterPrime Minister of IndiaThe Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
's XI - International CavaliersInternational CavaliersThe International Cavaliers were an ad hoc cricket team made up of famous cricketers in order to encourage local cricket. Their teams included many prominent cricketers from the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s and 1970s as many retired veterans and talented young players were in the team at one point or another...
- International XI
- MCCMarylebone Cricket ClubMarylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
- PlayersGentlemen v PlayersThe Gentlemen v Players game was a first-class cricket match that was generally played on an annual basis between one team consisting of amateurs and one of professionals . The first two games took place in 1806 but the fixture was not revived until 1819. It was more or less annual thereafter...
- South of England
- TN Pearce's XI
Tests
- Test debut: v South AfricaSouth African cricket teamThe South African national cricket team represent South Africa in international cricket. They are administrated by Cricket South Africa.South Africa is a full member of the International Cricket Council, also known as ICC, with Test and One Day International, or ODI, status...
, Lord's, 1955 - Last Test: v AustraliaAustralian cricket teamThe Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
, AdelaideAdelaide OvalThe Adelaide Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide, South Australia, located in the parklands between the Central Business District and North Adelaide...
, 1974/75- Highest score: 84* v IndiaIndian cricket teamThe Indian cricket team is the national cricket team of India. Governed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , it is a full member of the International Cricket Council with Test and One Day International status....
, BombayBrabourne StadiumThe Brabourne Stadium is a cricket ground in the Indian city of Mumbai. It is located on 90,000 square yards of reclaimed land along Marine Drive near Churchgate railway station in South Mumbai. The stadium is owned by the Cricket Club of India . Brabourne Stadium is India's first permanent...
, 1963/64 - Best bowling: 7–79 v Australia, SydneySydney Cricket GroundThe Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
, 1962/63
- Highest score: 84* v India
One-day internationals
- ODI debut: v New ZealandNew Zealand cricket teamThe New Zealand cricket team, nicknamed the Black Caps, are the national cricket team representing New Zealand. They played their first in 1930 against England in Christchurch, New Zealand, becoming the fifth country to play Test cricket. It took the team until 1955–56 to win a Test, against the...
, Dunedin, 1974/75 - Last ODI: v New Zealand, WellingtonBasin ReserveThe Basin Reserve , is a cricket ground in Wellington, New Zealand, used for Test, first-class and one-day cricket. Some argue that its proximity to the city, its Historic Place status and its age make it the most famous cricket ground in New Zealand...
, 1974/75- Highest score: 11 v New Zealand, Dunedin 1974/75
- Best bowling: 3–53 vs New Zealand, Wellington 1974/75
First-class
- First-class debut: MiddlesexMiddlesex County Cricket ClubMiddlesex 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...
v SomersetSomerset County Cricket ClubSomerset 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...
, Bath, 1949 - Last first-class match: Middlesex v SurreySurrey County Cricket ClubSurrey 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...
, Lord's, 1982- Highest score: 137* for MCCMarylebone Cricket ClubMarylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
v South AustraliaSouthern RedbacksThe South Australia cricket team, nicknamed the Southern Redbacks and known as the West End Redbacks due to their sponsorship agreement with local brewers West End, are an Australian first class cricket team based in Adelaide, South Australia, and represent the state of South Australia...
, Adelaide, 1962/63 - Best bowling: 9–52 for Middlesex v Cambridge UniversityCambridge University Cricket ClubCambridge University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team. It now plays all but one of its first-class cricket matches as part of the Cambridge University Centre of Cricketing Excellence , which includes Anglia Ruskin University...
, Fenner'sFenner'sFenner's is the University of Cambridge's cricket ground.-History:Fenner's has hosted first-class cricket since 1848, and many of the world's great players have graced the wicket. The ground was established on land leased for the purpose by Francis Fenner, after whom the ground is named.Playing for...
, 1962
- Highest score: 137* for MCC
List A limited overs
- List A debut: Middlesex v GloucestershireGloucestershire County Cricket ClubGloucestershire 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....
, BristolBristolBristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, 1963 - Last List A match: Middlesex v EssexEssex County Cricket ClubEssex 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...
, Lord's, 1976- Highest score: 41 for Middlesex v SussexSussex County Cricket ClubSussex 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...
, Lord's, 1973 - Best bowling: 5–25 for Middlesex v Essex, Lord's, 1971
- Highest score: 41 for Middlesex v Sussex