The Lancashire side of 1958 included many talented individuals, but for whatever reasons were unable to pull things together as a team and finished in seventh position. Their only consolation being that they finished several places above their traditional rivals Yorkshire in a season in which Surrey yet again dominated proceedings.
On the left of the back row is wicket keeper Alan Wilson, a Lancashire lad who stayed with the club from 1948 to 1962. For much of the time he was in and out of the first team, as although a reliable keeper he was very much a tail end batsman and others who could score a few more runs were often preferred. In all he played 171 games for the county.
Next to him is a young, aggressive middle order batsman Peter Marner, who first played at the age of only sixteen in 1952. He stayed until 1964 and as well as making 18 centuries as a batsman, was a useful medium pace change bowler and excellent slip fielder. He joined Leicestershire after a dispute at Old Trafford and played there from 1965 to 1970.
Then we have Colin Hilton, no relation to team mate Malcolm Hilton, who was a very quick opening bowler. He played for Lancashire from 1957 to 1963, but did not become a regular first teamer until 1960. His best season was 1962 when he took 94 wickets, but a knee injury kept him out in 1963. He then joined Essex in 1964 but unfortunately could not cope with the new front foot no ball rule and had to retire from county cricket. However back in Lancashire he then had a very successful career in league cricket.
Ken Higgs, from Staffordshire, was originally a young centre half with Port Vale, but on joining Lancashire as a fast medium opening bowler he soon became a fixture in the side throughout the 1960s when, together with Brian Statham, he formed a formidable opening pair of bowlers. Higgs played fifteen times for England between 1965 and 1968. He played for Lancashire from 1958 to 1969 when he retired to play league cricket with Rishton. However Ray Illingworth recruited him for Leicestershire, where he was again most successful playing in two Benson & Hedges winning sides as well as a county championship title.
Geoff Pullar, was a left hand opening bat who also went on to play for England. He played for the county from 1954-1968 and made 28 Test appearances between 1959-1962, scoring four centuries. He joined Gloucestershire in 1969, topping the averages in his first season, but the following year was forced into retirement with arthritis in his knees.
Tommy Greenhough was an outstanding leg spin bowler, who had to face fierce competition from the more senior spinners Malcolm Hilton and Roy Tattersall. He joined Lancashire in 1951 but it was several years later before he became a regular. 1959 and 1960 were his best seasons with 93 and 111 wickets and he even managed four Test for England. However a combination of injuries and loss of form rather hindered his career. He left Lancashire in 1966 to return to league cricket.
Last man on the back row is Noel Cooke, from Liverpool, who played as a batsman for the second XI in 1956, but made the first of only twelve first team appearances in 1958. He later played Minor Counties cricket for Cheshire.
First left on the front row is the Australian Ken Grieves, who came to England initially as a football goalkeeper who played for Bury, Bolton and Stockport County. However he soon settled in the role of a county cricketer with Lancashire and gave them distinguished service from 1949 to 1964. Although mainly a batsman, who scored well over 22,000 runs, he also bowled occasional leg breaks and was an outstanding slip fielder who took 555 catches. He captained the county in 1963 and 1964.
Then we have Bob Barber who had a long and distinguished career with Cambridge University, Lancashire, Warwickshire and England. A left hand opening batsman and another occasional leg break bowler, he was with Lancashire from 1954 to 1962. He was made captain at a young age in 1960 and 1961 and did not enjoy that period of his career. However a move to Warwickshire in 1963 seemed to remove the shackles and he played with much greater freedom. His best remembered innings was for England at Sydney when he made a wonderful 185. He retired after the 1969 season.
Cyril Washbrook was for many years the epitome of a Lancashire professional cricketer, a firm disciplinarian as captain and an outstanding opening batsman and cover fielder both for the county and for England, in partnership with Len Hutton. He played for the county from 1933-1959, interrupted by the second world war and was captain from 1954-59. His partnership with Len Hutton for England during his 37 Tests included a record opening partnership of 389 in South Africa in 1948, during which he made his highest Test score of 195. He was President of the county in 1989 and 1990.
Malcolm Hilton was a slow left arm bowler who earned fame as a nineteen year old by dismissing the great Don Bradman twice in a match in 1948. However he did not get a regular place in the side until 1950 and although good enough to play for England four times and to take 104 wickets in 1955, plus his only first class century, and even better 147 wickets in 1957, he suffered from lapses in confidence. He left the county after the 1959 season, both he and Tattersall were not selected to play in their own benefit match.
Roy Tattersall was an outstanding off spin bowler. A tall, slim man who came to county cricket at the relatively advanced age of 26 in 1948. He got a regular place in 1950 when he took an amazing 193 wickets. He continued to get over 100 wickets a season with regularity and was capped sixteen times by England despite considerable competition for places. Before leaving the county in 1960 he had taken a total of 1,369 wickets.
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