Jack Young (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
John Albert "Jack" Young (14 October 1912 – 5 February 1993) was an English
cricket
er, who played for Middlesex
and England. His first-class cricket
career lasted from 1933 to 1956.
The cricket writer, Colin Bateman, commented, "the son of a music hall
comic
, Jack Young was a theatrical performer and extremely popular with spectators".
, and was a slow left-arm spin bowler
, who relied on accuracy and a flat delivery rather than flight. He was on the staff at Middlesex for much of the 1930s, but only came to the fore after World War II
. In 1947, he took more than 150 wickets as Middlesex, led by the batting of Denis Compton
, Bill Edrich
and Jack Robertson
, won the County Championship
, and he repeated the feat two years later when the Championship was shared with Yorkshire
. He also took more than 150 wickets in 1951 and 1952, so that, when he retired from injury after just three matches in the 1956 season, he had taken more than 1,300 wickets in ten seasons at an average of less than 20 runs per wicket.
Young played Test cricket
for England eight times between 1947 and 1949, but took only 17 wickets in those games. Though his accuracy made him economical, and he bowled eleven consecutive maiden overs on his home Test debut at Trent Bridge
against the 1948 Australians Don Bradman and Lindsay Hassett
, then a world-record return, he appeared to lack the penetration to trouble the best batsmen. He was also perhaps unlucky in selection policies: in 1948, he played the first, third and fifth Tests and was omitted from the chosen 12 at Headingley
, where the pitch for the fourth Test might have suited him better.
His tally of 1,182 wickets for Middlesex is bettered by only Fred Titmus
and Jim Sims
since World War II.
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 Middlesex
Middlesex County Cricket Club
Middlesex 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 Middlesex. It was announced in February 2009 that Middlesex changed their limited overs name from the Middlesex Crusaders, to the...
and England. His 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 lasted from 1933 to 1956.
The cricket writer, Colin Bateman, commented, "the son of a music hall
Music hall
Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
comic
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
, Jack Young was a theatrical performer and extremely popular with spectators".
Life and career
Young was born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and was a slow left-arm spin bowler
Spin bowling
Spin bowling is a technique used for bowling in the sport of cricket. Practitioners are known as spinners or spin bowlers.-Purpose:The main aim of spin bowling is to bowl the cricket ball with rapid rotation so that when it bounces on the pitch it will deviate, thus making it difficult for the...
, who relied on accuracy and a flat delivery rather than flight. He was on the staff at Middlesex for much of the 1930s, but only came to the fore after 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...
. In 1947, he took more than 150 wickets as Middlesex, led by the batting of Denis Compton
Denis Compton
Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer...
, Bill Edrich
Bill Edrich
William John "Bill" Edrich DFC was a distinguished cricketer who played for Middlesex, MCC, Norfolk and England.Edrich's three brothers, Brian, Eric and Geoff, and also his cousin, John, all played first-class cricket...
and Jack Robertson
Jack Robertson
Jack Robertson was an English cricketer, who played county cricket for Middlesex, and in eleven Tests for England....
, won the County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
, and he repeated the feat two years later when the Championship was shared with 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 took more than 150 wickets in 1951 and 1952, so that, when he retired from injury after just three matches in the 1956 season, he had taken more than 1,300 wickets in ten seasons at an average of less than 20 runs per wicket.
Young played Test cricket
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 eight times between 1947 and 1949, but took only 17 wickets in those games. Though his accuracy made him economical, and he bowled eleven consecutive maiden overs on his home Test debut 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...
against the 1948 Australians Don Bradman and Lindsay Hassett
Lindsay Hassett
Arthur Lindsay Hassett MBE was a cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. The diminutive Hassett was an elegant middle-order batsman, described by Wisden as, "... a master of nearly every stroke ... his superb timing, nimble footwork and strong wrists enabled him to make batting look a...
, then a world-record return, he appeared to lack the penetration to trouble the best batsmen. He was also perhaps unlucky in selection policies: in 1948, he played the first, third and fifth Tests and was omitted from the chosen 12 at Headingley
Headingley Stadium
Headingley Stadium is a sporting complex in the Leeds suburb of Headingley in West Yorkshire, England. It is the home of Yorkshire County Cricket Club, rugby league team Leeds Rhinos and rugby union team Leeds Carnegie ....
, where the pitch for the fourth Test might have suited him better.
His tally of 1,182 wickets for Middlesex is bettered by only Fred Titmus
Fred Titmus
Frederick John Titmus MBE was an English cricketer, whose first-class career spanned five decades. Although he was best known for his off spin , he was an accomplished lower-order batsman who deserved to be called an all-rounder, even opening the batting for England on six occasions...
and Jim Sims
Jim Sims
James Morton Sims was an English cricketer.Jim Sims represented Middlesex in 381 first-class matches matches between 1929 and 1952 as a right-handed batsman and off-break bowler who scored 7173 runs and took 1,257 wickets...
since World War II.