Geoff Millman
Encyclopedia
Geoffrey Millman was an English
cricket
er, who played in six Tests
for England from 1961 to 1962.
The cricket correspondent, Colin Bateman, remarked, "a neat, unobtrusive wicketkeeper and gritty batsman, Geoff Millman was a reliable county performer called up by his country as No.2 to John Murray
for the 1961/62 trip to India".
, Bedfordshire
, England
. He was a good wicket-keeper
, who came out of Minor Counties cricket with Bedfordshire
, to become Nottinghamshire
's regular keeper in 1957, and stayed for nine seasons. In a weak team that finished out of the bottom three of the County Championship
only once in those nine years, Millman kept wicket to what was, almost invariably, the weakest county bowling attack of the period, and still managed to set county records. His 85 dismissals in 1961 remains the highest in a single season for Nottinghamshire.
Millman was also a useful right-handed batsman, scoring 1,000 runs in two seasons. In a county side where there were frequent personnel changes, he batted in most positions, often opening the innings. From 1963 to 1965 he was county captain
, and in his first year, with the side buoyed by the newly-acquired batting of Brian Bolus, Nottinghamshire finished ninth. Two years later, though, they were back at the bottom and Millman resigned the captaincy and left first-class cricket
, returning to Bedfordshire.
Millman's Test match career was brief. In 1961-62, MCC
sent a somewhat unbalanced side, strong in batting but rather weak in bowling, on a four-month tour of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, then called Ceylon. Millman was picked as second wicketkeeper to John Murray
, but Murray did not do well in the first three Tests against India
. Millman, praised by Wisden
for his "quiet efficiency", stepped in for the final two Indian Tests and, when Murray flew home for an operation on varicose veins
after the first Test in Pakistan, returned for the last two matches in the series there as well.
He made enough of an impression to be picked for the first two home Tests against Pakistan
in the 1962 season, before giving way to Murray for the rest of the series. Murray and Alan Smith
were then picked for the 1962-63 MCC
tour of Australia and New Zealand, and Millman's chance never came again.
In retirement, he ran the family jewellery business in Bedford. He died in his hometown in April 2005, aged 70.
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, who played in six Tests
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...
for England from 1961 to 1962.
The cricket correspondent, Colin Bateman, remarked, "a neat, unobtrusive wicketkeeper and gritty batsman, Geoff Millman was a reliable county performer called up by his country as No.2 to John Murray
John Murray (cricketer)
John Thomas Murray MBE is a former English cricketer. He played in twenty one Tests for England between 1961 and 1967.-Life and career:...
for the 1961/62 trip to India".
Life and career
Millman was born in BedfordBedford
Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
, Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He was a good wicket-keeper
Wicket-keeper
The wicket-keeper in the sport of cricket is the player on the fielding side who stands behind the wicket or stumps being guarded by the batsman currently on strike...
, who came out of Minor Counties cricket with Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire County Cricket Club
Bedfordshire County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Bedfordshire and competing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy. The Minor Counties play three-day...
, to become 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...
's regular keeper in 1957, and stayed for nine seasons. In a weak team that finished out of the bottom three of the County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
only once in those nine years, Millman kept wicket to what was, almost invariably, the weakest county bowling attack of the period, and still managed to set county records. His 85 dismissals in 1961 remains the highest in a single season for Nottinghamshire.
Millman was also a useful right-handed batsman, scoring 1,000 runs in two seasons. In a county side where there were frequent personnel changes, he batted in most positions, often opening the innings. From 1963 to 1965 he was county captain
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...
, and in his first year, with the side buoyed by the newly-acquired batting of Brian Bolus, Nottinghamshire finished ninth. Two years later, though, they were back at the bottom and Millman resigned the captaincy and left 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...
, returning to Bedfordshire.
Millman's Test match career was brief. In 1961-62, 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...
sent a somewhat unbalanced side, strong in batting but rather weak in bowling, on a four-month tour of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, then called Ceylon. Millman was picked as second wicketkeeper to John Murray
John Murray (cricketer)
John Thomas Murray MBE is a former English cricketer. He played in twenty one Tests for England between 1961 and 1967.-Life and career:...
, but Murray did not do well in the first three Tests against India
Indian cricket team
The 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....
. Millman, praised by Wisden
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
for his "quiet efficiency", stepped in for the final two Indian Tests and, when Murray flew home for an operation on varicose veins
Varicose veins
Varicose veins are veins that have become enlarged and tortuous. The term commonly refers to the veins on the leg, although varicose veins can occur elsewhere. Veins have leaflet valves to prevent blood from flowing backwards . Leg muscles pump the veins to return blood to the heart, against the...
after the first Test in Pakistan, returned for the last two matches in the series there as well.
He made enough of an impression to be picked for the first two home Tests against Pakistan
Pakistani cricket team
The Pakistan cricket team is the national cricket team of Pakistan. Pakistan, represented by the Pakistan Cricket Board , is a full member of the International Cricket Council, and thus participates in , and cricket matches....
in the 1962 season, before giving way to Murray for the rest of the series. Murray and Alan Smith
Alan Smith (cricketer)
Alan Christopher Smith, known as A. C. Smith is an English former Test cricketer, who appeared in six Tests for England. Primarily a wicket-keeper, Smith was also a capable right-handed middle-order batsman and right-arm seam bowler...
were then picked for the 1962-63 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...
tour of Australia and New Zealand, and Millman's chance never came again.
In retirement, he ran the family jewellery business in Bedford. He died in his hometown in April 2005, aged 70.