Lives in Cricket No 2 - Johnny Briggs

mountain of statistics and it is through these indisputable and irrefutable figures that one is able to put Briggs’ career into a certain amount of perspective. Of course, there is the oft-repeated saw that ‘there are lies, damned lies and statistics’ but Briggs’ runs and wickets add up to a formidable case on his behalf, although Cardus cautioned: ‘We remember not the scorer and the results in after years; it is the men who remain in our minds, in our imagination.’ But it would be churlish to ignore Briggs’ statistics, which in themselves tell a story of supreme dedication to his art. As a batsman, he amassed 14,902 first-class runs at an average of 18.27, scoring ten centuries, and his bowling brought him 2,221 wickets for 15.95 apiece. He claimed five wickets in an innings a remarkable two hundred times and achieved ten wickets in a match 41 times. In twelve of his seasons at Old Trafford he exceeded 100 wickets, five times going past 150. He is the only player to date to have scored more than 10,000 runs and taken 1,000 wickets for Lancashire. Only Brian Staham, with 761, has taken more than Briggs’ 760 first-class wickets at Old Trafford. In the Test arena alone, he played 33 times for England, undertaking seven overseas tours – six of them to Australia – and scored 815 runs (average 18.11) with 118 wickets (average 17.74). His stamina and his stoicism, particularly in the face of the illness which finally claimed him at such a young age, is not in doubt. There was always something happening or about to happen when Briggs was on a cricket field. He was an adornment to the game he loved – and the game and its supporters loved him. Briggs remained true to the spirit of the game until his dying day – and no one can say any more than that. What are we to make of him? 92