Brian Statham
A natural athlete, Statham was an outstanding fielder who operated in deep positions, usually on the boundary where his running speed and the accuracy of his throwing were great assets.
[12] An RAF corporal called Larry Lazarus, the sports NCO at Stafford, recognised Statham's potential as a fast bowler who could bowl straight.
Lazarus was a Londoner and he wrote to Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) to ask if they had a ground staff vacancy which Statham could fill when his national service ended.
He was invited to take part in a two-day trial match in April 1950 and this was successful, especially as he dismissed two first team batsmen, Winston Place and Alan Wharton.
His captain Cyril Washbrook told him to maintain a good length against Fagg who was strong against short-pitched bowling and played the hook shot exceptionally well.
[24] After conceding a single to Len Hutton, he bowled Frank Lowson for a duck and went on to take five for 52 as Yorkshire scored 226 with a century by their captain Norman Yardley.
[28] Statham returned to his old job in accountancy for the winter, a generous act by his employer as he had been absent for nearly two years since leaving for national service and then going straight into county cricket.
Wisden commented on the serious difficulties posed by ground conditions throughout the tour with lifeless pitches resulting in more than half the matches inevitably being drawn.
Wisden had words of praise for Statham who, despite the unfavourable conditions, looked menacing at times and showed the potential to become a top-class bowler of genuine pace.
With 101 wickets at 16.33 in the season, he was third in the national averages behind Les Jackson and Tony Lock, but even this good form could not secure a regular England selection.
Lancashire were again well served by Statham and Tattersall but now with sterling support from the left arm spinner Bob Berry and there was a considerable improvement in the team's batting performances.
[51] After the euphoria of regaining the Ashes, the winter tour of West Indies began disastrously for England who lost the first two Tests but then recovered to draw the series 2–2 with one match drawn.
[3] England's recovery hinged on his dramatic opening spell of three wickets for ten runs in the Third Test at Georgetown when he dismissed Frank Worrell, Jeff Stollmeyer and Clyde Walcott.
[64] Hutton's tactics went awry in the first Test at The Gabba in Brisbane where the pitch was not as fast as expected and England's fielders somehow contrived to drop twelve catches, half of them off Statham's bowling.
[65] In terms of his contribution to the England team, it is widely agreed that Statham's most outstanding performance was in the second innings of the second Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground when Tyson bowled at frightening speed with a strong wind behind him.
[68] On Wednesday, 19 January 1955, Statham was playing for MCC in a two-day match against a South Australian Country XI in Mount Gambier, which was at the time celebrating its city charter.
[70] Wisden wrote that, having been England's leading Test wicket-taker in the West Indies twelve months earlier, Statham reached his peak in Australia.
[73] Lancashire slipped to ninth in the County Championship, largely because Statham had no regular fast bowling partner and, crucially given frequent unavailability, no backup.
In county cricket, he took 84 wickets at 12.82 and Playfair said he remained the major problem for opposing batsmen at Old Trafford, especially so on good pitches which didn't help other bowlers.
Statham dismissed both openers before the close when South Africa were precariously placed at 17 for two which was in effect 17 for three because Jack Cheetham suffered a nasty injury when he was struck on the elbow by the final ball of the day, bowled by Trueman.
[14] Having missed the third Test, Statham returned to partner Peter Loader in the fourth at Headingley where South Africa won by 224 runs to level the series.
[79] South Africa's win set up a series decider at the Oval where England played an attack of Statham, Bailey, Laker and Lock (one pace, one seam, two spinners).
It is 5,700 feet above sea level and Statham had breathing problems because of the rarefied air, though his teammate Peter Loader found it helpful in clearing his asthma.
In the Trent Bridge Test, Collie Smith played a back foot drive to a full-length delivery and the ball sailed over Statham's head and onto the roof of the pavilion.
It was a strong Anglo-Australian eleven led by Richie Benaud and including Fred Trueman, Ken Barrington, Tom Graveney, Ray Illingworth, Bob Simpson and Norm O'Neill among others.
Statham took five for 53 in the first innings at Old Trafford, a match England should certainly have won but for a disastrous batting collapse on the final day after they had allowed a dramatic last wicket stand of 98 between Alan Davidson and Graham McKenzie.
The Australian captain Richie Benaud was another contender with 219 wickets, but it was Statham who broke the record in the fourth Test at Adelaide when Trueman caught Barry Shepherd in the gully.
[14] In 1963, Statham's county form on over-grassed pitches was back to something close to his best but, on the less grassy surface of Old Trafford in the first Test against the West Indies, his bowling lacked its old venom.
It was the last ball in a spell of five successive maiden overs and it was pitched on a good length at the middle stump of Yorkshire captain Brian Close, who blocked it.
[123] On 30 July 2011, Tameside Council donated, for permanent display at Denton West Cricket Club, a commemorative plaque which was unveiled by Audrey in the presence of Brian's former teammates Geoff Clayton and Colin Hilton.
