Malcolm Hilton
Encyclopedia
Malcolm Jameson Hilton was an English
left-arm spin bowler, who played for Lancashire
and in four Test matches
for England
.
Cricket writer, Colin Bateman, stated, "he was the best slow left-arm bowler Lancashire had seen this century and, at 22, was in the Test side, seemingly set for life. Hilton, however, sufffered the spinners' nightmare, the jitters, and lost his way at times". Bateman added, "He also, say colleagues, enjoyed cricket's social life a little too much although his 1,006 first-class wickets still cost only 19 apiece".
, Lancashire
. He began playing in the Lancashire League as a teenager in 1945, and made his first-class
debut in 1946 against Sussex
at Hove
, scoring 2 not out and taking one wicket. He came into prominence at the age of 19 by dismissing Donald Bradman
twice in Lancashire's match with the Australians
in May 1948, making national newspaper headlines. His first 10 wickets were Test batsmen, but Lancashire kept him from the front line up to the end of 1949, until the late Bill Roberts and Eric Price
were no longer on the staff. He took 103 wickets for the Second Eleven in the Minor Counties Championship in 1949 and, in 1950, he gained a permanent place in the First Eleven taking 125 wickets for less than 17 runs apiece. He was called up for the final Test match
against the West Indies but was not successful.
during the fourth and final Test Match. He toured India the following winter, but was criticised in Wisden
as lacking the ability to exploit the Indian type of pitch. Despite this, at Kanpur in the Fourth Test he took nine wickets in the match, and lead England to victory, alongside his off-spinning Lancastrian colleague Roy Tattersall
.
, a policy that adversely affected both players. In 1953, Hilton played irregularly but returned in the wet summer of 1954 to take 96 wickets. In 1955, although occasionally left out, he took 104 wickets and scored his only century in even time against Northamptonshire
.
1956 was Hilton's best season. He took 147 wickets and was chosen as one of Wisden Cricketers of the Year
. However in 1957, he lost accuracy and was frequently left out in favour of Tommy Greenhough
. He came back with 94 wickets in 1958, including a career best 8 for 19 against the New Zealanders
. His younger brother Jim
played a few times for Lancashire, and more often for Somerset
. At Weston-super-Mare
in 1956, Malcolm Hilton took 14 Somerset wickets and Jim Hilton responded with eight Lancashire victims.
with Tattersall, neither playing in the benefit match. His last appearance was in 1961 at Edgbaston
against Warwickshire
during a brief recall. He scored 22 and 2, but was heavily punished by Ray Hitchcock
during the first innings when he bowled four overs for 26 runs.
Having appeared as a stand-in professional for Church in 1961, Hilton played for Burnley in 1962 and 1963 in the Lancashire League. He later captained
Church.
Hilton died in Oldham
, Greater Manchester
in July 1990, at the age of 61.
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...
left-arm spin bowler, who played for 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...
and in four Test matches
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
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...
.
Cricket writer, Colin Bateman, stated, "he was the best slow left-arm bowler Lancashire had seen this century and, at 22, was in the Test side, seemingly set for life. Hilton, however, sufffered the spinners' nightmare, the jitters, and lost his way at times". Bateman added, "He also, say colleagues, enjoyed cricket's social life a little too much although his 1,006 first-class wickets still cost only 19 apiece".
Early career
Hilton was born in ChaddertonChadderton
Chadderton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England, historically a part of Lancashire...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. He began playing in the Lancashire League as a teenager in 1945, and made his 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...
debut in 1946 against 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...
at Hove
County Cricket Ground, Hove
The County Cricket Ground, also known as the Probiz County Ground for sponsorship reasons, is a cricket venue in Hove, England. It is home to Sussex County Cricket Club. It is one of the few county grounds to have deckchairs for spectators - which are in the colours of Sussex CCC - blue and white....
, scoring 2 not out and taking one wicket. He came into prominence at the age of 19 by dismissing Donald Bradman
Donald Bradman
Sir Donald George Bradman, AC , often referred to as "The Don", was an Australian cricketer, widely acknowledged as the greatest batsman of all time...
twice in Lancashire's match with the Australians
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...
in May 1948, making national newspaper headlines. His first 10 wickets were Test batsmen, but Lancashire kept him from the front line up to the end of 1949, until the late Bill Roberts and Eric Price
Eric Price
Eric Price is an American comic actor. Price is most notable for his membership in the recurring cast of comedians on sketch comedy series MADtv during its 14th Season.-Early years:...
were no longer on the staff. He took 103 wickets for the Second Eleven in the Minor Counties Championship in 1949 and, in 1950, he gained a permanent place in the First Eleven taking 125 wickets for less than 17 runs apiece. He was called up for the final Test match
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...
against the West Indies but was not successful.
England
In 1951, he bowled with great steadiness against the South Africans, taking 3 for 176 in the first innings on a featherbed pitch at HeadingleyHeadingley Stadium
Headingley Stadium is a sporting complex in the Leeds suburb of Headingley in West Yorkshire, England. It is the home of Yorkshire County Cricket Club, rugby league team Leeds Rhinos and rugby union team Leeds Carnegie ....
during the fourth and final Test Match. He toured India the following winter, but was criticised in Wisden
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
as lacking the ability to exploit the Indian type of pitch. Despite this, at Kanpur in the Fourth Test he took nine wickets in the match, and lead England to victory, alongside his off-spinning Lancastrian colleague Roy Tattersall
Roy Tattersall
Roy Tattersall is an English former Lancashire cricketer, who played sixteen Tests for England as a specialist off spin bowler....
.
Career in the mid 1950s
However, in 1952, Lancashire began a period of indecision. Hilton often alternated with Bob BerryBob Berry (cricketer)
Robert Berry was an English cricketer. He played in two Tests in 1950. He played county cricket for Lancashire from 1948 to 1954, for Worcestershire from 1955 to 1958, and for Derbyshire from 1959 to 1962...
, a policy that adversely affected both players. In 1953, Hilton played irregularly but returned in the wet summer of 1954 to take 96 wickets. In 1955, although occasionally left out, he took 104 wickets and scored his only century in even time against 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...
.
1956 was Hilton's best season. He took 147 wickets and was chosen as one of 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"...
. However in 1957, he lost accuracy and was frequently left out in favour of Tommy Greenhough
Tommy Greenhough
Thomas "Tommy" Greenhough was an English cricketer, who represented Lancashire during the 1950s and 1960s, as well as playing four Tests for England....
. He came back with 94 wickets in 1958, including a career best 8 for 19 against the New Zealanders
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...
. His younger brother Jim
Jim Hilton
Jim Hilton , born in Werneth, Oldham, Lancashire, was a cricketer who played for Lancashire and Somerset....
played a few times for Lancashire, and more often for 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 Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare is a seaside resort, town and civil parish in the unitary authority of North Somerset, which is within the ceremonial county of Somerset, England. It is located on the Bristol Channel coast, south west of Bristol, spanning the coast between the bounding high ground of Worlebury...
in 1956, Malcolm Hilton took 14 Somerset wickets and Jim Hilton responded with eight Lancashire victims.
Later years
In the dry summer of 1959, after a poor start by Hilton, Greenhough was preferred as a matter of policy. and Hilton returned to League cricket and the Second Eleven. In 1960, he was jointly awarded a benefitBenefit (sports)
A benefit or testimonial is a match or season of activities granted by a sporting body to a loyal sportsman to boost their income before retirement. Often this is in the form of a match for which all the ticket proceeds are given to the player in question.There have been occasions when a...
with Tattersall, neither playing in the benefit match. His last appearance was in 1961 at Edgbaston
Edgbaston Cricket Ground
Edgbaston Cricket Ground, also known as the County Ground or Edgbaston Stadium, is a cricket ground in the Edgbaston area of Birmingham, England...
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...
during a brief recall. He scored 22 and 2, but was heavily punished by Ray Hitchcock
Ray Hitchcock
Raebern Brooks Hitchcock Jr is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins. He played college football at the University of Minnesota and attended Saint Paul Johnson High School.He currently serves as the offensive line coach at...
during the first innings when he bowled four overs for 26 runs.
Having appeared as a stand-in professional for Church in 1961, Hilton played for Burnley in 1962 and 1963 in the Lancashire League. He later captained
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...
Church.
Hilton died in Oldham
Oldham
Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amid the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers Irk and Medlock, south-southeast of Rochdale, and northeast of the city of Manchester...
, Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
in July 1990, at the age of 61.