Lives in Cricket No 1 - Allan Watkins

Leeds kept England’s Ashes hopes alive going into the Oval Test, where the urn finally changed hands. By this time Bailey was something of a cult hero and he became a fixture in the England side for the next five years, usually as the side’s all-rounder and third seamer, though sometimes opening the bowling. Only once, in the second Test of 1949, did Allan and Trevor Bailey play in the same England side. Though on the initial list of 19 whose availability was sounded out for the tour of the West Indies, Allan felt that, with Hutton as skipper, his chances of making the side were slim. Yet his stature in the English first-class game was still growing, and comparison of the two all-rounders suggests that, Allan, the older by nearly two years, was statistically the more valuable cricketer at this time. Watkins Bailey Runs Ave Wkt Ave Runs Ave Wkt Ave 1952 1,267 32.48 88 21.47 1,513 36.90 103 29.09 1953 1,104 39.42 53 23.86 1,278 38.72 86 26.47 1954 1,640 34.89 103 15.82 1,344 32.78 101 21.39 1955 1,160 24.16 114 20.49 1,429 37.60 89 23.92 With an average of over 40 in Tests, there is a tendency to look upon Allan primarily as a batsman, while Bailey’s stronger suit may have been bowling. Yet, for four consecutive years, Allan’s bowling average in English first-class cricket was superior. Over this period he took 358 wickets at 19.89 against Bailey’s 379 at 25.25. In two of those seasons he had a higher batting average and, while Bailey was a good fielder, it was Allan who had the reputation as a world-class catcher. Injury cut down Allan’s appearances in the summer of 1953, but that winter there was some compensation for missing the tour to the West Indies when he was asked to fly out to India to reinforce a Commonwealth team touring under the captaincy of the former Australian wicket-keeper Ben Barnett. Frank Worrell and Sonny Ramadhin had been called home to play for West Indies against England, and Allan and the Australian mystery bowler Jack Iverson joined the party as replacements. Initially, Glamorgan had not been keen for Allan to take part in a full tour, but acceded to a later plea from manager George Duckworth, so on Christmas Eve he received his jabs prior to departing on Boxing Day. The Commonwealth team was not as strong as those that had toured earlier, winning only one of the five unofficial ‘Tests’. For Allan, though, his seven matches 74 The Best All-Rounder in English Cricket