Derek Pearson
Encyclopedia
Derek Brooke Pearson is a former English cricketer
who played first-class cricket
from the mid-1950s until the early 1960s, taking over 200 wickets. He played all but two of his games for Worcestershire
, who capped him in 1959; the others were for Combined Services
.
Pearson's career was at times controversial. He was called for throwing
in his second match in 1954, and in the opening match of the 1959 Indian tour
, he was no-balled five times by umpire
Syd Buller
on the first day. He was no-balled again once in a County Championship
match three weeks later, and then twice more in a match in 1960.
Pearson made his first-class debut for Worcestershire at Worcester
against Cambridge University
in June 1954, taking four wickets; his first victim was Colin Smith
.
He played one more first-class match that summer, but none at all in 1955 and just two in each of 1956 and 1957. In that last year, both appearances were for Combined Services: Pearson was in the Royal Air Force
, for whose team
he had appeared in a minor match against his county in 1956.
Pearson's first-class career really began in 1958: that season he played 24 times for Worcestershire and collected 62 wickets at 22.22
, twice managing five wickets in an inning. He was capped the following season, and repaid his county with his best season's aggregate: 79 wickets, taken at 25.69 apiece. That year too he achieved his career-best bowling performance, claiming 6-70 against Leicestershire
,
picking up three more five-wicket hauls in the course of the season.
Pearson began 1960 as a first-team regular, and early in the year produced his best match figures, 11-145 against Glamorgan
;
he also took nine wickets in the game against Oxford University
.
He held his place until mid-season, but some disappointing figures then saw him drop into the Second XI, whence he did not re-emerge until August. He then played three County Championship
games for a total return of just two wickets,
and was out of the side again by the end of the season, ending with only 45 wickets for the summer.
Except for an early (and wicketless) outing against the Australians, Pearson was confined to the Second XI for the first half of 1961. However, he took plenty of wickets for the seconds, and was restored to the first team in mid-August, playing Worcestershire's last five matches of the season. Sadly for him, his promotion was not successful: despite four wickets in his first game back, against Nottinghamshire
,
he took only four more wickets in total. His career came to a quiet end against Sussex
at Hove in early September, a game in which Pearson bowled just four overs.
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 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...
from the mid-1950s until the early 1960s, taking over 200 wickets. He played all but two of his games for Worcestershire
Worcestershire County Cricket Club
Worcestershire 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 Worcestershire...
, who capped him in 1959; the others were for Combined Services
Combined Services cricket team
The Combined Services cricket team represents the British armed forces. The team played at first-class level in England for more than forty years in the mid-twentieth century. Their first first-class match was against Gentlemen of England at Lord's in 1920, while their last was against Oxford...
.
Pearson's career was at times controversial. He was called for throwing
Throwing (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, throwing, commonly referred to as chucking, is an illegal bowling action which occurs when a bowler straightens their arm when delivering the ball. The Laws of Cricket specify that a bowler's arm must be fully extended and rotated about the shoulder to impart velocity to...
in his second match in 1954, and in the opening match of the 1959 Indian tour
Indian cricket team in England in 1959
The Indian cricket team toured England in the 1959 season. The team played five Test matches against England and lost them all: the first time that England had won all the matches in a five-match series...
, he was no-balled five times by umpire
Umpire (cricket)
In cricket, an umpire is a person who has the authority to make judgements on the cricket field, according to the Laws of Cricket...
Syd Buller
Syd Buller
John Sydney Buller, MBE was an English first-class cricketer, and notable international cricket umpire....
on the first day. He was no-balled again once in a County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
match three weeks later, and then twice more in a match in 1960.
Pearson made his first-class debut for Worcestershire at Worcester
New Road, Worcester
New Road, Worcester, England, has been the home cricket ground of Worcestershire County Cricket Club since 1896. Immediately to the northwest is a road called New Road, part of the A44, hence the name.- Overview :...
against Cambridge University
Cambridge University Cricket Club
Cambridge University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team. It now plays all but one of its first-class cricket matches as part of the Cambridge University Centre of Cricketing Excellence , which includes Anglia Ruskin University...
in June 1954, taking four wickets; his first victim was Colin Smith
Colin Stansfield Smith
Professor Sir Colin Stansfield Smith CBE, is a British architect and academic. He played over 100 games of first-class cricket in the 1950s.-Architecture:...
.
He played one more first-class match that summer, but none at all in 1955 and just two in each of 1956 and 1957. In that last year, both appearances were for Combined Services: Pearson was in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, for whose team
Royal Air Force cricket team
The Royal Air Force cricket team is a cricket side representing the British Royal Air Force. The team played 11 first-class matches: nine between 1922 and 1932, mostly against other branches of the Services, and another two in 1945 and 1946. Their home ground is the Royal Air Force Sports Ground,...
he had appeared in a minor match against his county in 1956.
Pearson's first-class career really began in 1958: that season he played 24 times for Worcestershire and collected 62 wickets at 22.22
Bowling average
Bowling average is a statistic measuring the performance of bowlers in the sport of cricket.A bowler's bowling average is defined as the total number of runs conceded by the bowlers divided by the number of wickets taken by the bowler, so the lower the average the better. It is similar to earned...
, twice managing five wickets in an inning. He was capped the following season, and repaid his county with his best season's aggregate: 79 wickets, taken at 25.69 apiece. That year too he achieved his career-best bowling performance, claiming 6-70 against Leicestershire
Leicestershire County Cricket Club
Leicestershire 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 Leicestershire. It has also been representative of the county of Rutland....
,
picking up three more five-wicket hauls in the course of the season.
Pearson began 1960 as a first-team regular, and early in the year produced his best match figures, 11-145 against Glamorgan
Glamorgan County Cricket Club
Glamorgan 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 Glamorgan aka Glamorganshire . Glamorgan CCC is the only Welsh first-class cricket club. Glamorgan CCC have won the English County...
;
he also took nine wickets in the game against Oxford University
Oxford University Cricket Club
Oxford University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team, representing the University of Oxford. It plays its home games at the University Parks in Oxford, England...
.
He held his place until mid-season, but some disappointing figures then saw him drop into the Second XI, whence he did not re-emerge until August. He then played three County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
games for a total return of just two wickets,
and was out of the side again by the end of the season, ending with only 45 wickets for the summer.
Except for an early (and wicketless) outing against the Australians, Pearson was confined to the Second XI for the first half of 1961. However, he took plenty of wickets for the seconds, and was restored to the first team in mid-August, playing Worcestershire's last five matches of the season. Sadly for him, his promotion was not successful: despite four wickets in his first game back, against Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire 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...
,
he took only four more wickets in total. His career came to a quiet end against Sussex
Sussex County Cricket Club
Sussex County Cricket Club is the oldest of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Sussex. The club was founded as a successor to Brighton Cricket Club which was a representative of the county of Sussex as a...
at Hove in early September, a game in which Pearson bowled just four overs.