Lives in Cricket No 3 - George Duckworth

best-ever score. These are not negligible items in a long career and they point to a cricketer outstanding in one regard, and capable in another. He was also soon demonstrating another valued talent – and that was a highly developed flair for the tactics and practices of cricket, so much so that he soon joined the Witan of sages, such as Harry Makepeace and Ernest Tyldesley, who acted as advisory council to Leonard Green and Lionel Lister, their skippers. As in many county sides of the era, they were the experienced sergeant majors, offering wily counsel to unseasoned officers. According to John Kay, the well-known Manchester journalist and recorder of Lancashire’s doings, George Duckworth said perkily on one occasion, ‘skipper’s aw reet. He does his job and we do ours.’ Eddie Phillipson, Dick Pollard’s opening bowling partner, just before and after World War II, and later an umpire, related two anecdotes on this issue. One concerned his own bowling. It was at Dover against Kent in 1934, when Eddie Phillipson was very much the new boy. With a brisk wind blowing towards third man, George Duckworth advised the captain to dispense with a mid-off, a substantial sacrifice in that day and age, and strengthen the slip area. Although he conceded exactly a hundred runs, the young Phillipson finished with his career best figures of 8 for 100, two caught by Duckworth, the rest bowled or lbw. The second tale concerns a clash of wits with Wally Hammond in a Gloucestershire match, with Duckworth in a last wicket partnership towards the end of the first day, with the home side not relishing twenty minutes batting against the powerful Lancashire attack. George snicked a ball to Walter Hammond and ‘the world’s greatest slip fielder’ dropped a straightforward chance. ‘The next ball’, said Phillipson, ‘George “accidently” trod on his own wicket. George and Wally smiled at one another. George was just as smart as Wally.’ By that time, George and Wally were allies on the national front as well as adversaries on the county stage. ... and England Inevitably, the English selectors rapidly heard stirring news of the promising Lancashire professional. In fact, he made his debut quickly, being asked to play in the Old Trafford Test against South 34 The Cricket