Lancashire memories

 Posted by Tony Hutton

No doubt many of our readers, particularly those from Lancashire, will be wondering why there have been no contributions from Mike Latham in recent times. As many of you will know Mike is a man of many parts and his present main concern, in his role as chairman of Leigh Rugby League, is the big drop of income for the club following relegation from Super League. This gives him little time for writing, other than his regular monthly article in the excellent Forty Twenty rugby league magazine. However we are assured that when the time is right he will return with his always well researched cricket stories.

In the meantime I have managed to dig out a memorable picture of the Lancashire county club from almost fifty years ago when they won the Gillette Cup Final against Warwickshire at Lord's in 1972. The list of all time greats in this picture is truly remarkable and brings back memories of so many wonderful performances over the years.

Of the thirteen players in the picture two of the opening bowlers Peter Lever and Ken Shuttleworth did not play in the final. One rather obscure fact, certainly unknown to me, was that Clive Lloyd opened the bowling and, in what was then a sixty overs a side competition, bowled his full stint of twelve overs very economically for just thirty one runs without though taking a wicket.

Lancashire had won the toss and put Warwickshire in. The Midland side had a strong top six but rather a weak looking tail and an opening partnership of 50 between Whitehouse and Amiss looked to have given them an advantage. However Barry Wood's gentle medium pace trapped Amiss lbw for only 16 and the Yorkshireman proved the most economical bowler of the day with figures of 12-2-27-1.

The dangerous Kanhai then fell to David Hughes for 14, before Mike Smith, the skipper and Alvin Kallicharan, the West Indian test player, added 85 for the fourth wicket. Smith went lbw to Jack Simmons, before part time bowler John Sullivan took two vital wickets. He dismissed the two West Indians, Kallicharan and Derek Murray and the fragile tail collapsed with no less than three run outs.

From 207-3 Warwickshire had collapsed to 234-9 at the end of the sixty overs. Although the two opening bowlers, Clive Lloyd and Peter Lee both failed to take a wicket, the other four all chipped in to keep the required target well within reach.

Warwickshire must have fancied their chances when they dismissed both openers David Lloyd and Barrie Wood with the total on 26. Then the little and large show took over with Clive Lloyd in imperious form, well supported by the diminutive Harry Pilling, with a very useful thirty. When Pilling was run out Frank Hayes took over the supporting role with an equally valuable 35.

Warwickshire's best bowler was Bob Willis who dismissed both overseas players, but by this time Clive Lloyd had made a wonderful 126, followed quickly by Farokh Engineer with a duck. Willis had excellent figures of 2-29, but it was all too late as Clive Lloyd had been particularly severe on David Brown who had figures of 2-67. Warwickshire's third West Indian, Lance Gibbs, could not contribute and Lancashire strolled to victory by four wickets with just over three overs remaining.

Basil D'Oliveira had no problem in awarding the man of the match trophy to Clive Lloyd. A great day for Lancashire and their skipper Jack Bond. However many will not remember the close shave Lancashire had in the semi-final against Kent at Old Trafford. The home side made 224-6, with Harry Pilling top scoring with 70, before the powerful Kent batting side, with the likes of Luckhurst, Denness, Cowdrey, Asif Iqbal and Alan Knott, set off in pursuit.

On 155-3 Kent looked well in control, but then three wickets for ever reliable Jack Simmons and three more at the end from David Hughes turned the tide completely and Kent were eventually all out from the last ball of the innings, falling just seven runs short. A real cliff hanger if there ever was one.

Kent did return to Old Trafford, as John Player Sunday league champions, for a forty over challenge match a couple of weeks after the Lord's final. Lancashire were again victorious, but this time by an even narrower margin of just four runs. Lancashire's 161, thanks to Ken Snellgrove's 51 proved just sufficient, as Kent were bowled out in the final over for 157 with yet again the bowling of Jack Simmons and Barrie Wood proving decisive.