No.4 – RAYMOND ILLINGWORTH

Raymond ("Ray") Illingworth (born 1932) is a former Yorkshire, Leicestershire and England cricketer. He also was a cricket commentator and administrator.

Illingworth played for Yorkshire (1951-1968) & (1982-1983), Leicestershire (1969-1978) and England. He was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1960.

Ray Illingworth was one of England's most successful captains, as well as being a top-quality off-spinner with batting good enough to be considered an all-rounder. Illingworth captained England in 31 Test matches, winning 12, losing 5 and drawing 14. Illingworth's greatest gift as captain lay in creating the illusion that he had 14 or 15 players on the field: so expertly did he block a batsman's favourite scoring strokes that when the opposition were in trouble it must frequently have seemed that there were no runs on offer anywhere. Illingworth was much helped by the accuracy of his own offspin - a miserly 1.91 runs per over in his 61 Tests. He was a shade under 6ft tall, and sturdily built. His batting, normally at No. 6 or 7, was built on an orthodox technique and absolute determination not to give away his wicket.

Illingworth’s talent as an off-spinner was recognised early and he made his debut for his native county when under 20. He was capped in 1955, and continued success at the county level earned him a Test debut in 1958. He played all five Tests on his first tour, to the West Indies in 1959/60, but struggled, taking only five wickets. After failing to impress in four Tests against South Africa at home, he was in and out of the team for a number of years, contending for a place with several other useful off-spinners. A fine series against India in 1967 finally established him in the team, but at the age of 35 his long-term career prospects looked poor. 1969 marked a renaissance - frustrated at his home club, he took up the offer of the Leicestershire captaincy, and when Cowdrey was injured he took over as England captain. He had immediate success in both positions, leading England to a series wins over West Indies and New Zealand. His batting seemed to be transformed by the captaincy, and he became a very capable number seven. There was no tour that winter and in 1970, Illingworth led England against a Rest of the World side after the cancellation of the South Africa tour. In 1970/71 he recorded his greatest triumph, leading England to Ashes victory, making useful runs, taking wickets, and above all captaining superbly.

He developed an intense loyalty from his players, and supported them to the hilt, even to the extent of incurring the wrath of spectators and umpires alike by leading them off the field after spectator trouble in Sydney. More success followed, with series wins over New Zealand and Pakistan, and retaining the Ashes at home in 1972. A loss against India in 1971 was tempered by his second Test century and bowling success. Age was beginning to tell however, and, after England were comprehensively beaten by the West Indies in 1973, he stepped down as England captain. He was still bowling as well as ever, and Leicestershire benefited from his return, winning the Championship in 1975.

He retired in 1978 and returned to Yorkshire as team manager. He became much involved in the internal feuding that split the club for years, his relationship with Boycott being particularly difficult. In 1982 he returned to captain Yorkshire at the age of 50, and despite finishing last in the Championship that year he stayed on to lead them to the Sunday League title the next season before finally retiring. He remained at Yorkshire as manager until 1984, and later took on a similar position for England. His reign as England chairman of selectors and manager was stormy, and not marked by success, his relationships with players being strained at times. He stepped down after three difficult years in 1997.

He was awarded the CBE for services to cricket, and was also made an honorary member of the MCC. He became the Chairman of England's Board of Test Selectors and the England Cricket Coach. Ray Illingworth's glittering reputation as a cricket strategist was unfortunately compromised by his three-year stint as chairman of selectors, which came when he had nothing to gain in public esteem. In his time as captain, which embraced an Ashes-winning tour, his insistence on fielding only players of his choice was seen as a sign of independence. But when, as chairman, he denied his captains the same right, apparent strength of mind was exposed as pig-headedness. The most damaging example was his refusal to let Mike Atherton have Alec Stewart, rather than Illy's choice Jack Russell, keeping wicket in the 1996 World Cup.

A droll sense of humour and a fund of reminiscences made him one of the best-liked players of his time and quite rightly a Yorkshire legend.

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