Ray Illingworth: Difference between revisions

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Raymond ("Ray") Illingworth (born 8 June 1932) is a former English cricketer, cricket commentator and cricket administrator.

Illingworth was born in Pudsey and played for Yorkshire (1951-1968) & (1982-1983), Leicestershire (1969-1978) and England. He was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1960. He was a stalwart of the great Yorkshire team which dominated county cricket in the sixties but left to join Leicestershire to lead them to great success, especially in one day cricket. His Leicestershire team defeated Yorkshire in the first ever Benson & Hedges cup final in 1972.

Illingworth captained England in 31 Test matches, winning 12, losing 5 and drawing 14. He was a careful strategist who used cunning fielding positions and grinding determination to stifle the opposition's batting. A canny and miserly off spinner himself he was sometimes criticised for not bowling himself more. A prolific wicket taker in county cricket, taking 2072 scalps, he sent down 408 balls without reward in the three Tests against New Zealand in 1973. He conceded only 1.91 runs an over in his test career. His middle order batting was based around stern defence, a fifty of his innings from number 6 or 7 in the order finished not out. He scored 24134 first class runs in all, with a best of 162, at an average of 28.06. He played 787 first class matches, a total few modern players could even dream of approaching.

After returning to Headingley to manage Yorkshire he made a somewhat bizarre return to the playing arena, aged 50, in 1983 when he replaced Chris Old as captain. The side won the Sunday League but failed in the championship.

Eventually he became the Chairman of England's Board of Test Selectors and the England Cricket Coach. He clashed at time with England Captain Mike Atherton over team selection at times and his autocratic tenure is not regarded as a success.

Preceded by:
Colin Cowdrey

English national cricket captain
1969-1972

Followed by:
Tony Lewis

Preceded by:
Tony Lewis

English national cricket captain
1973

Followed by:
Mike Denness

External reference

Cricinfo page on Ray Illingworth
Ray Illingworth at Cricket Archive

This biographical article of an English international cricketer is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

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 Illingworth was born in [[Pudsey]] and played for [[Yorkshire County Cricket Club|Yorkshire]] (1951-1968) & (1982-1983), [[Leicestershire County Cricket Club|Leicestershire]] (1969-1978) and England. He was a [[Wisden Cricketer of the Year]] in [[1960]].  He was a stalwart of the great Yorkshire team which dominated county cricket in the sixties but left to join Leicestershire to lead them to great success, especially in one day cricket.  His Leicestershire team defeated Yorkshire in the first ever Benson & Hedges cup final in 1972.
-Illingworth [[English cricket captains|captained England]] in 31 [[Test cricket|Test match]]es, winning 12, losing 5 and drawing 14.  He was a careful strategist who used cunning fielding positions and grinding determination to stifle the opposition's batting.  A canny and miserly off spinner himself he was sometimes criticised for not bowling himself more.  A prolific wicket taker in county cricket he sent down 408 balls without reward in the three Tests against New Zealand in 1973.  He conceded only 1.91 runs an over in his test career.  His middle order batting was based around stern defence, a fifty of his innings from number 6 or 7 in the order finished not out.
+Illingworth [[English cricket captains|captained England]] in 31 [[Test cricket|Test match]]es, winning 12, losing 5 and drawing 14.  He was a careful strategist who used cunning fielding positions and grinding determination to stifle the opposition's batting.  A canny and miserly off spinner himself he was sometimes criticised for not bowling himself more.  A prolific wicket taker in county cricket, taking 2072 scalps, he sent down 408 balls without reward in the three Tests against New Zealand in 1973.  He conceded only 1.91 runs an over in his test career.  His middle order batting was based around stern defence, a fifty of his innings from number 6 or 7 in the order finished not out.  He scored 24134 first class runs in all, with a best of 162, at an average of 28.06. He played 787 first class matches, a total few modern players could even dream of approaching.
-After returning to Headingley to manage Yorkshire he made a somewhat bizarre return to the playing arena, aged 50, when he replaced [[Chris Old]] as captain.  The side won the Sunday League but failed in the championship.
+After returning to Headingley to manage Yorkshire he made a somewhat bizarre return to the playing arena, aged 50, in 1983 when he replaced [[Chris Old]] as captain.  The side won the Sunday League but failed in the championship.
 Eventually he became the [[Chairman]] of England's Board of Test Selectors and the England Cricket Coach.  He clashed at time with England Captain [[Mike Atherton]] over team selection at times and his autocratic tenure is not regarded as a success.