Roy Virgin
Encyclopedia
Roy Thomas Virgin, born at Taunton
, Somerset
, on 26 August 1939, was a cricketer
who played for Somerset
and Northamptonshire
.
A right-handed opening batsman, Virgin had a mostly solid but unspectacular career in first-class cricket
, except for two individual seasons, one for each of his two counties, during which he looked as good as any opening batsman in county cricket and was mentioned as a possible Test
player.
Virgin played first for Somerset in 1957 and was a regular as an opening batsman in 1960, when he scored 1,453 runs at a respectable average of 25 runs per innings. He reappeared in 1963 after National Service
and was a regular in the Somerset side for the rest of the 1960s, usually scoring his 1,000 runs a season, but only once averaging more than 30 runs an innings.
But then, suddenly, in 1970, Virgin's batting moved into a different league. Revealing a wider range of shots than before, he scored fast and prolifically, with 2,223 runs at an average of 47 in the season, including seven centuries. He was talked of as a possible England
opener and was named as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in the 1971 edition of the almanack
. The 1971 season was another successful year for Virgin, but in 1972 his runmaking fell away badly, and he left Somerset at the end of the season.
The parting was not amicable. Virgin had to wait half a season before he could make his County Championship
debut in 1973 for Northamptonshire and then he had limited success. But in 1974, he had a second season of high achievement: 1,936 runs at an average of almost 57 runs per innings meant that he was fifth in the national averages. Again, he was talked of as a potential England player; but again he was not selected.
Virgin was appointed captain of Northamptonshire in 1975, but resigned in August, saying that the captaincy was affecting his batting. He barely made his 1,000 runs that season, but recovered to average 34 in the 1976 season. Batting with Peter Willey
he scored 145 in a fourth wicket stand of 370 against Somerset at Northampton, which remains the county record for a fourth wicket partnership. But after a less successful season in 1977 he retired to take up a business appointment.
Early in his career, Virgin occasionally acted as wicketkeeper in first-class matches, and he continued to do so occasionally in one-day matches throughout his career. More often, he was a reliable catcher in the slips and his 42 catches for Somerset in 1966 remains the county record.
Virgin married Margaret Ann Thresher in 1960 and had three children (Steve, Dave and Andy) and five grandchildren (Heather, Hayley, Matt, Arran and Olivia). He has two brothers and two sisters. (Brian, Sid, Maureen and Helen).
Taunton
Taunton is the county town of Somerset, England. The town, including its suburbs, had an estimated population of 61,400 in 2001. It is the largest town in the shire county of Somerset....
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, on 26 August 1939, was a cricketer
Cricketer
A cricketer is a person who plays the sport of cricket. Official and long-established cricket publications prefer the traditional word "cricketer" over the rarely used term "cricket player"....
who played 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...
and 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...
.
A right-handed opening batsman, Virgin had a mostly solid but unspectacular career in 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...
, except for two individual seasons, one for each of his two counties, during which he looked as good as any opening batsman in county cricket and was mentioned as a possible 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...
player.
Virgin played first for Somerset in 1957 and was a regular as an opening batsman in 1960, when he scored 1,453 runs at a respectable average of 25 runs per innings. He reappeared in 1963 after 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...
and was a regular in the Somerset side for the rest of the 1960s, usually scoring his 1,000 runs a season, but only once averaging more than 30 runs an innings.
But then, suddenly, in 1970, Virgin's batting moved into a different league. Revealing a wider range of shots than before, he scored fast and prolifically, with 2,223 runs at an average of 47 in the season, including seven centuries. He was talked of as a possible 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...
opener and was named as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in the 1971 edition of the almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
. The 1971 season was another successful year for Virgin, but in 1972 his runmaking fell away badly, and he left Somerset at the end of the season.
The parting was not amicable. Virgin had to wait half a season before he could make his County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
debut in 1973 for Northamptonshire and then he had limited success. But in 1974, he had a second season of high achievement: 1,936 runs at an average of almost 57 runs per innings meant that he was fifth in the national averages. Again, he was talked of as a potential England player; but again he was not selected.
Virgin was appointed captain of Northamptonshire in 1975, but resigned in August, saying that the captaincy was affecting his batting. He barely made his 1,000 runs that season, but recovered to average 34 in the 1976 season. Batting with Peter Willey
Peter Willey
Peter Willey is a former English cricketer, who played as a right-handed batsman and right-arm offbreak bowler. In and out of the England team, he interrupted his international career for three years by taking part in the first of the England players' South African rebel tours in 1982...
he scored 145 in a fourth wicket stand of 370 against Somerset at Northampton, which remains the county record for a fourth wicket partnership. But after a less successful season in 1977 he retired to take up a business appointment.
Early in his career, Virgin occasionally acted as wicketkeeper in first-class matches, and he continued to do so occasionally in one-day matches throughout his career. More often, he was a reliable catcher in the slips and his 42 catches for Somerset in 1966 remains the county record.
Virgin married Margaret Ann Thresher in 1960 and had three children (Steve, Dave and Andy) and five grandchildren (Heather, Hayley, Matt, Arran and Olivia). He has two brothers and two sisters. (Brian, Sid, Maureen and Helen).