Ex pro cricketer/umpire/coach
After a lifetime in the game, memories and individuals clearly remained pin sharp in Jack’s memory. He had a lot to tell and did so with candour and little concession to modern polite or woke ways of forming his opinions!
Coached as a youngster at the renowned St Lawrence Cricket School, gave him a great start, and a Yorkshire contract followed. Once, when batting in the slips with an equally non experienced ‘slipper’, Vic Wilson, they twice – in successive overs – let edges bisect them for boundaries …off a less than impressed FS Trueman. When offered an apology Fred snarled, ‘Don’t worry, lad, it’s my fault for putting you there!’”
In 1961, competition for places and the chance to join the impressive Willie Watson made sense for a switch to Leicestershire. After six years when his lower order batting was more useful than his off spin, things changed.
Fellow spinner Tony Lock, was prominent in having ‘the nature of the wicket’ changed and Jack was immediately and consistently in the wickets. Catching the attention of the selectors he was called up for the Test tour of India where his first wicket was that of Sunil Gavaskar.
Jack won the County Championship with LCCC before turning to umpiring for over 250 first class games. He coached Somerset and Leicestershire, leading the latter in two Championship winning campaigns.
There was virtually an instant response or story about nearly every question from the floor – he clearly enjoyed himself and so did our members, especially the fact that Jack was wearing his Yorkshire tie.