Lives in Cricket No 48 - Maurice Leyland

131 Signing off greatness. The simple charm of the man himself is more apparent now that the big scores are a rarity for him and the applause of the crowd is reserved for others. This was not Leyland’s game, for Place and King played the two innings which are the sort that win matches. But the last day was emphatically his day, for on it he foiled the best young side in the championship and kept the crown in Yorkshire. Within a few days of this triumph Maurice sat down and wrote a letter of resignation to Yorkshire County Cricket Club - and team mates Wilf Barber and Cyril Turner followed suit. Talking to the Daily Express , during the Hampshire match, at Scarborough, on August 16, forever self-deprecatory, he explained: “There’s no room in a Yorkshire County side for old men - even old men as young as 46. We have the experience and the ability, but we are not as quick in the field as we used to be.” At that point there was a sharp pick up and throw by Hutton. “You see what I mean,” he said: I believe I could go on playing in Championship matches for a long time. But I want to see the youngsters get their chance. I was 20 when I first played for Yorkshire and starting young helped me to learn. We old men may be good enough for other county teams, but we are not good enough for Yorkshire. I would hate to think I was letting the side down by staying on until I was told to go. Skipper Sellers responded to the news with a philosophical, “The day comes to us all,” before adding, “Maurice has been an ideal team member, a really great cricketer, and one of the best fellows I have met.” Bill Bowes, who was a little more expansive, remarked: “The Yorkshire side won’t seem the same without Maurice, whose cheery smile and happy ways have lightened even the longest day in the field. We will all lose a great cricketing friend with his retirement.” The season for Maurice, and with it his Yorkshire playing career, ended in time honoured Yorkshire fashion - the Scarborough Festival. Yorkshire wrapped up their championship campaign at