Don Wilson (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
Donald Wilson is an English
former cricket
er, who played in six Tests
for England from 1964 to 1971. His first-class cricket
career (1957–1974) was spent with Yorkshire County Cricket Club
.
as Yorkshire's left-arm spinner, winning his Yorkshire cap in 1960, and was an integral part of Yorkshire's formidable 1960s side which dominated the County Championship
. He was tall and wiry, relying on bounce more than savage side spin, and took 100 wickets in a season five times, including three of the seven seasons he was part of the Championship winning side. He also secured two hat-tricks in 1966.
Derek Underwood
owned the left arm spinner's spot in the England side during Wilson's career, but he ventured abroad twice with the national team. He toured India in 1963-64, where he played all five Test matches, and to Australia and New Zealand in 1970-71, where he played against New Zealand, at the end of Ray Illingworth
's successful Ashes campaign. He also played twice for England against the Rest of the World in 1970, after the cancellation of the South Africa tour. These were counted as full Test matches at the time, but were later stripped of their status.
Wilson retired from Yorkshire in 1974, disillusioned by Geoffrey Boycott
's captaincy, and took up the role as the MCC's
chief coach at Lord's
, a position he held until 1991. He then continued his life long involvement in the game by returning to Yorkshire, as coach at Ampleforth College
.
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...
former 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 1964 to 1971. 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...
career (1957–1974) was spent with Yorkshire County Cricket Club
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....
.
Life and career
Wilson succeeded Johnny WardleJohnny Wardle
Johnny Wardle was an English spin bowler of post-war cricket. His Test bowling average of 20.39, is the lowest in Test cricket by any recognised spin bowler, since World War I....
as Yorkshire's left-arm spinner, winning his Yorkshire cap in 1960, and was an integral part of Yorkshire's formidable 1960s side which dominated the County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
. He was tall and wiry, relying on bounce more than savage side spin, and took 100 wickets in a season five times, including three of the seven seasons he was part of the Championship winning side. He also secured two hat-tricks in 1966.
Derek Underwood
Derek Underwood
Derek Underwood MBE is an English former international cricketer, and a former President of the MCC....
owned the left arm spinner's spot in the England side during Wilson's career, but he ventured abroad twice with the national team. He toured India in 1963-64, where he played all five Test matches, and to Australia and New Zealand in 1970-71, where he played against New Zealand, at the end of Ray Illingworth
Ray Illingworth
Raymond Illingworth, CBE is a former English cricketer, cricket commentator and cricket administrator. He was one of only nine players to have taken 2,000 wickets and made 20,000 runs in First class cricket, and the last one to do so...
's successful Ashes campaign. He also played twice for England against the Rest of the World in 1970, after the cancellation of the South Africa tour. These were counted as full Test matches at the time, but were later stripped of their status.
Wilson retired from Yorkshire in 1974, disillusioned by Geoffrey Boycott
Geoffrey Boycott
Geoffrey Boycott OBE is a former Yorkshire and England cricketer. In a prolific and sometimes controversial playing career from 1962 to 1986, Boycott established himself as one of England's most successful opening batsmen...
's captaincy, and took up the role as the MCC's
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...
chief coach at Lord's
Lord'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...
, a position he held until 1991. He then continued his life long involvement in the game by returning to Yorkshire, as coach at Ampleforth College
Ampleforth College
Ampleforth College in North Yorkshire, England, is the largest Roman Catholic co-educational boarding independent school in the United Kingdom. It opened in 1802, as a boys' school, and is run by the Benedictine monks and lay staff of Ampleforth Abbey...
.