Alec Coxon
Encyclopedia
Alexander "Alec" Coxon is a former English
cricket
er who played for Yorkshire
. He also played one Test match
for England
in 1948. Cricket writer, Colin Bateman stated, "Coxon's Test career was abrupt - much like the man himself. An ever-willing seam bowler, he was one of several tried in the search for a partner for Alec Bedser
, but he did himself no favours with a brusqueness which could upset".
, Yorkshire
. World War II
delayed Coxon's first-class
debut for Yorkshire to 1945, when he was 29. Coxon was an aggressive fast-medium bowler who only ever made the verge of the England Test squad. He played for England once — against Australia
in 1948
at Lord's
. There were rumours of an argument with Denis Compton
, and his prickly nature was later attested to by Brian Close
. Coxon retired after the 1950
season, allegedly in umbrage at his non-selection for the forthcoming Ashes
tour, and moved to play Minor counties cricket with Durham
. He played 29 times for that county between 1951 and 1954, taking 127 wickets and scoring 1,047 runs with two centuries. His highest score was 102 not out against Yorkshire Second X1 at Scarborough in 1952. Also in 1952, he achieved his best bowling figures for Durham; nine for 28 and six for 58 against Staffordshire
.
He also played professionally with Sunderland, where he took 753 wickets at 8.73 runs apiece, and scored 3,764 runs at an average of 34.21.
In 1959, he moved to South Shields
were he took 443 wickets for 10.28 and scored 2,663 runs at 23.63. He had shorter spells with both Wearmouth and Bolden, before finally retiring from the sport some distance past his 50th birthday.
He also played soccer for Bradford Park Avenue A.F.C.
in wartime matches. He kept up a keen interest in club cricket until the end.
Coxon was the namesake for the Jamaica
n record producer
, Clement Dodd
, whose boyhood cricket prowess earned him the name by which he became better known, "Coxsone."
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er who played for Yorkshire
Yorkshire County Cricket Club
Yorkshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Yorkshire as one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure....
. He also played one Test match
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
for England
English cricket team
The England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end...
in 1948. Cricket writer, Colin Bateman stated, "Coxon's Test career was abrupt - much like the man himself. An ever-willing seam bowler, he was one of several tried in the search for a partner for Alec Bedser
Alec Bedser
Sir Alec Victor Bedser, CBE was a professional English cricketer. He was the chairman of selectors for the English national cricket team, and the president of Surrey County Cricket Club...
, but he did himself no favours with a brusqueness which could upset".
Life and career
Coxon was born in HuddersfieldHuddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
. World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
delayed Coxon's first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
debut for Yorkshire to 1945, when he was 29. Coxon was an aggressive fast-medium bowler who only ever made the verge of the England Test squad. He played for England once — against Australia
Australian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
in 1948
1948 English cricket season
The 1948 English cricket season marked the final appearance in England of Don Bradman, who was shortly to retire. Bradman's team, which included Arthur Morris, a very young Neil Harvey, Ray Lindwall and Keith Miller, went through the tour without being beaten and became known to cricket's folklore...
at Lord's
Lord's Cricket Ground
Lord's Cricket Ground is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board , the European Cricket Council and, until August 2005, the...
. There were rumours of an argument with Denis Compton
Denis Compton
Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
, and his prickly nature was later attested to by Brian Close
Brian Close
Dennis Brian Close , usually known as Brian Close, is a former cricketer who is the youngest man ever to play Test cricket for England. He was picked for the Test team to play against New Zealand, in July 1949, when he was 18 years old. Close went on to play 22 Test matches for England,...
. Coxon retired after the 1950
1950 English cricket season
-Honours:*County Championship - Lancashire and Surrey shared the title*Minor Counties Championship - Surrey II*Wisden Cricketers of the Year from 1951 edition of Wisden for deeds in the 1950 season – Godfrey Evans, Sonny Ramadhin, Alf Valentine, Everton Weekes, Frank Worrell-County...
season, allegedly in umbrage at his non-selection for the forthcoming Ashes
The Ashes
The Ashes is a Test cricket series played between England and Australia. It is one of the most celebrated rivalries in international cricket and dates back to 1882. It is currently played biennially, alternately in the United Kingdom and Australia. Cricket being a summer sport, and the venues...
tour, and moved to play Minor counties cricket with Durham
Durham County Cricket Club
Durham County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Durham. Its limited overs team is called the Durham Dynamos. Their kit colours are blue with yellow trim and the shirt sponsor was...
. He played 29 times for that county between 1951 and 1954, taking 127 wickets and scoring 1,047 runs with two centuries. His highest score was 102 not out against Yorkshire Second X1 at Scarborough in 1952. Also in 1952, he achieved his best bowling figures for Durham; nine for 28 and six for 58 against Staffordshire
Staffordshire County Cricket Club
Staffordshire County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Staffordshire and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy...
.
He also played professionally with Sunderland, where he took 753 wickets at 8.73 runs apiece, and scored 3,764 runs at an average of 34.21.
In 1959, he moved to South Shields
South Shields
South Shields is a coastal town in Tyne and Wear, England, located at the mouth of the River Tyne to Tyne Dock, and about downstream from Newcastle upon Tyne...
were he took 443 wickets for 10.28 and scored 2,663 runs at 23.63. He had shorter spells with both Wearmouth and Bolden, before finally retiring from the sport some distance past his 50th birthday.
He also played soccer for Bradford Park Avenue A.F.C.
Bradford Park Avenue A.F.C.
Bradford Association Football Club, previously also known as Bradford and since its reformation in the 1970s now referred to as Bradford Park Avenue, is a football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England...
in wartime matches. He kept up a keen interest in club cricket until the end.
Coxon was the namesake for the Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, Clement Dodd
Coxsone Dodd
Clement Seymour "Sir Coxsone" Dodd, CD was a Jamaican record producer who was influential in the development of ska and reggae in the 1950s, 1960s and beyond...
, whose boyhood cricket prowess earned him the name by which he became better known, "Coxsone."
External links
- A profile of Alec Coxon by Dave Liverman Cricket Society Autumn 2008
- Cricinfo page on Alec Coxon
- CricketArchive page on Alec Coxon