David Nicholls (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
David Nicholls, born at East Dereham, Norfolk
on 8 December 1943 and died at Dartford
, Kent
on 10 June 2008, was a cricketer
who played for Kent
during the 1960s and 1970s.
Nicholls was a powerfully-built left-handed batsman, usually used as an opener, and a wicketkeeper. In both roles, he usually had to play second fiddle to Kent's established stars, being behind Peter Richardson
, Brian Luckhurst
, Mike Denness
and Graham Johnson
for most of his career as an opening batsman, and being deputy to Alan Knott
as wicketkeeper. In an 18-season first-class cricket
career, he played more than 200 matches for Kent, plus almost 100 List A games, but was a regular member of the side with a fixed place in the team for only a couple of years in the early 1970s. In one of those seasons, 1971, he completed exactly 1,000 first-class runs, the only time he passed this particular landmark.
at Trent Bridge
.
In 1963, the Kent side was in transition and captain Colin Cowdrey
was injured for much of the season. Luckhurst and Denness took advantage of vacancies in the batting line-up to establish themselves in the side, but Nicholls was unable to do so: although he played in 16 first-class matches, he made only 684 runs at an average of just 25. He did, however, make the highest individual score of the whole English season, 211 against Derbyshire
at Folkestone in 335 minutes.
It remained the highest score of Nicholls' first-class career.
's wicketkeeper, Nicholls played fairly regularly from 1968 through to 1976. Wisden
noted in 1969 that "he would prove even more useful if he could recover his batting form". In 1969, batting improvement came, and Nicholls played in several games where Knott was also playing: he scored 743 runs and his average rose to 23. He was also awarded his county cap.
Kent's County Championship
-winning season of 1970 was not a success for Nicholls, but in 1971, with Luckhurst joining Knott as an England regular and Cowdrey ill for much of the season, he established himself as a regular opener as well as deputising as wicketkeeper. Wisden noted: "He was not merely to be regarded as the deputy wicket-keeper... Nicholls emerged as a highly successful opening batsman, scoring his runs quickly and in entertaining fashion, well-deserving to reach 1,000 for the first time in his career. He met with equal success either opening with Luckhurst or, in that batsman's absence on Test
duty, with Denness." He finally added a second century to the double he had scored in 1963, making 135 against Lancashire
at Southport
.
as a new Kent wicketkeeper brought the end of Nicholls' first-class career, though he continued to play second eleven matches until 1980 and also reappeared in a few one-day matches in the 1980 season.
He then went on to work for the sports company Lillywhite Frowd based in Tonbridge, Kent.
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
on 8 December 1943 and died at Dartford
Dartford
Dartford is the principal town in the borough of Dartford. It is situated in the northwest corner of Kent, England, east south-east of central London....
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
on 10 June 2008, was a cricketer
Cricketer
A cricketer is a person who plays the sport of cricket. Official and long-established cricket publications prefer the traditional word "cricketer" over the rarely used term "cricket player"....
who played for Kent
Kent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
during the 1960s and 1970s.
Nicholls was a powerfully-built left-handed batsman, usually used as an opener, and a wicketkeeper. In both roles, he usually had to play second fiddle to Kent's established stars, being behind Peter Richardson
Peter Richardson (cricketer)
Peter Edward Richardson is an English former cricketer, who played for Worcestershire, Kent and, in thirty four Tests, for England....
, Brian Luckhurst
Brian Luckhurst
Brian William Luckhurst was an English cricketer, who played his entire county career for Kent County Cricket Club. He played for Kent from 1958 to 1976, usually opening the batting, then in 1985, in an emergency, played in one more match against the Australians. He was cricket manager from 1981...
, Mike Denness
Mike Denness
Mike Denness is a former Scottish cricketer who played for England, Scotland, Essex and Kent. Scotland did not have a representative international team at the time of Denness' career, so he could only play for England at Test and ODI level. Denness became the first Scotsman to captain England...
and Graham Johnson
Graham Johnson (cricketer)
Graham William Johnson was a cricketer with Kent.He made his debut in 1965 and won his county cap in 1970. He was an opening batsman and off spin bowler.Graham attended the London School of Economics....
for most of his career as an opening batsman, and being deputy to Alan Knott
Alan Knott
Alan Philip Eric Knott is a former Kent County Cricket Club and English cricketer, as a wicket-keeper-batsman....
as wicketkeeper. In an 18-season first-class cricket
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...
career, he played more than 200 matches for Kent, plus almost 100 List A games, but was a regular member of the side with a fixed place in the team for only a couple of years in the early 1970s. In one of those seasons, 1971, he completed exactly 1,000 first-class runs, the only time he passed this particular landmark.
Early career
Nicholls made his first-class debut as a 16-year-old in 1960 but did not bat, bowl or keep wicket in his only game that season. He appeared next in 1962, playing nine first-class matches and making his first score of more than 50 – 76 against NottinghamshireNottinghamshire County Cricket Club
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Nottinghamshire, and the current county champions. Its limited overs team is called the Nottinghamshire Outlaws...
at Trent Bridge
Trent Bridge
Trent Bridge is a Test, One-day international and County cricket ground located in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, England and is also the headquarters of Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club. As well as International cricket and Nottinghamshire's home games, the ground has hosted the Finals Day of...
.
In 1963, the Kent side was in transition and captain Colin Cowdrey
Colin Cowdrey
Michael Colin Cowdrey, Baron Cowdrey of Tonbridge, CBE , better known as Colin Cowdrey, was the Captain of Oxford University, Kent County Cricket Club and the England cricket team in a career that lasted from 1950 to 1976...
was injured for much of the season. Luckhurst and Denness took advantage of vacancies in the batting line-up to establish themselves in the side, but Nicholls was unable to do so: although he played in 16 first-class matches, he made only 684 runs at an average of just 25. He did, however, make the highest individual score of the whole English season, 211 against Derbyshire
Derbyshire County Cricket Club
Derbyshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the England and Wales domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Derbyshire...
at Folkestone in 335 minutes.
It remained the highest score of Nicholls' first-class career.
Re-emergence
That career did not go forward much over the next few seasons. Nicholls remained a fringe first-team player, with his batting average drooping below 20. From 1967, however, he began to act as deputy wicketkeeper to Knott, and with Knott increasingly selected as EnglandEnglish 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...
's wicketkeeper, Nicholls played fairly regularly from 1968 through to 1976. Wisden
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
noted in 1969 that "he would prove even more useful if he could recover his batting form". In 1969, batting improvement came, and Nicholls played in several games where Knott was also playing: he scored 743 runs and his average rose to 23. He was also awarded his county cap.
Kent's County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
-winning season of 1970 was not a success for Nicholls, but in 1971, with Luckhurst joining Knott as an England regular and Cowdrey ill for much of the season, he established himself as a regular opener as well as deputising as wicketkeeper. Wisden noted: "He was not merely to be regarded as the deputy wicket-keeper... Nicholls emerged as a highly successful opening batsman, scoring his runs quickly and in entertaining fashion, well-deserving to reach 1,000 for the first time in his career. He met with equal success either opening with Luckhurst or, in that batsman's absence on Test
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...
duty, with Denness." He finally added a second century to the double he had scored in 1963, making 135 against Lancashire
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
at Southport
Southport
Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. During the 2001 census Southport was recorded as having a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England...
.
Later career
Nicholls remained a regular player in the 1972 season, but he failed to make 1,000 runs and his highest score was just 60. Wisden noted in both 1973 and 1974, however, that Kent had almost an embarrassment of batting talent at its disposal, and between 1972 and 1977, with the exception of the 1975 season, Nicholls' batting average was in the low 20s. It meant that though he commanded a place when he was acting as Knott's deputy, his appearances as a batsman-only became less frequent. He continued to contribute useful runs, but did not score any more centuries. In 1977, the emergence of Paul DowntonPaul Downton
Paul Downton is a former English cricketer, who played in thirty Tests and twenty eight ODIs from 1977 to 1989. He was a wicket-keeper and a useful batsman in the lower middle-order...
as a new Kent wicketkeeper brought the end of Nicholls' first-class career, though he continued to play second eleven matches until 1980 and also reappeared in a few one-day matches in the 1980 season.
He then went on to work for the sports company Lillywhite Frowd based in Tonbridge, Kent.