Dyson sweeps the winning runs

posted by John Winn

Despite its sad end (described in Friday's posting) Jack Dyson's life had moments that are only dreams for those of us who never got near playing cricket or football professionally. On May 5th 1956 Dyson scored Manchester City's second goal in their 3-1 win over Birmingham City in the FA Cup Final, his place in footballing history assured. In July of the same year Jack became part of cricket lore when Lancashire were the first team to win a first class match without losing a wicket and the Oldham man was on the field throughout the game.

The match was played at Old Trafford on July 14, 16 and 17 with Leicestershire the visitors. The Foxes batted first and were all out for 108, Statham four for 32 and then Wharton and Dyson had an unbroken stand of 166 before Lancashire declared. Leicestershire were again dismissed cheaply, 122 all out after Lester and Hallam had put on 59 or the first wicket. Chief destroyer this time, Malcolm Hilton with figures of 26-17-23-5. Wharton and Dyson knocked off the 65 required for victory to complete the ten wicket win.

Happy days for Dyson but they were not to last. Before things turned sour, however, he was involved in a memorable roses match (Yorkshire supporters look away now). This took place in Manchester in July/August 1960 and was a joint benefit match for Lancashire spinners Tattersall and Hilton. The match was watched over three days by 74000, today what county wouldn't love to have those numbers for a season's watching, let alone three days. In 2013 Yorkshire's total championship attendance in a good summer was a shade over 40000.

Yorkshire, captained by JV Wilson, took first knock and were all out for 154, DB Close 63. Lancashire replied with 226, Wharton top scorer with 83. Yorkshire fared slightly worse second time around being dismissed for 149 after being 36 for 5. Lancashire were left to get 78 in two hours during which Trueman and Ryan, bowling unchanged, sent down 31 overs. The climax of the game is described in detail in Stephen Chalke's wonderful book 'Caught in the Memory' through the eyes of Don Wilson.

To cut to the chase, Lancashire found themselves at 62 for 6. Dyson had not batted at his usual three and he still did not come down the pavilion steps when the seventh wicket fell at 72. Apparently our hero was a man who would go walkabout when things got a bit tense but at last, cometh the hour cometh a shaking Dyson,  with four balls left and five to get and Fred Trueman with the ball in his hand. It all comes down to the last ball by which time Yorkshire can only draw or lose but Lancashire can complete their first roses double since 1893 and in the meantime Fred has refrained from running out Clayton when the Lancshire wicketkeeper backed up excessively. The last ball is full and straight and Dyson gets an inside edge onto his pads for four sneaky runs and victory by two wickets. Grown men wept, not least Mel Ryan who had taken five of the eight wickets.

If the preceding paragraphs were difficult reading for Yorkshire followers then the rest of the season became a horror story for Lancashire. Victory over Leicestershire two weeks later kept them top of the table but they lost four and drew two of their last six matches. Yorkshire went top on August 16th and clinched the championship two weeks later at Harrogate. As for Dyson he cracked no pots in the next two games but hit 53 in the win over Leicestershire and 60 in  a losing cause at Southend. He fared poorly in a defeat at Northants and that was his last championship appearance until he returned to his home county in 1963.