John Lyon (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
John Lyon was a first-class
cricketer
who played for Lancashire
between 1973 and 1979.
. He worked as a glass cutter at Pilkington
, the glass company whose headquarters are in St Helens.
In 1973, Lyon made his first-class debut for Lancashire in the match against Oxford University
, and later that season played in two County Championship
games. The following year, 1974, when the regular Lancashire wicket-keeper Farokh Engineer
was playing for the Indian touring team
, Lyon stepped up to take part in 16 first-team matches, "keeping wicket with distinction and also playing several innings of importance and promise", Wisden
noted. His highest score of the season was 48 in the match against the Indian tourists; Engineer did not play in that game.
In the winter of 1974-75, Lyon joined the unofficial tour of South Africa organised by Derrick Robins
, which played matches against South African provincial sides despite the ban on official sporting contact because of the apartheid policies. Lyon played in only one first-class match on the tour.
Engineer resumed as Lancashire's first-choice wicket-keeper in 1975 and 1976, leaving Lyon playing mostly for the second team. But in his one first-class match of 1976, against Somerset
at Weston-super-Mare
, he went in as nightwatchman
after 21 wickets had fallen on the first day and Jack Simmons, opening Lancashire's second innings, had been forced to retire hurt after being hit over the eye. Lyon survived that night and went on the next day to make 60, his first innings of more than 50.
in the early-season match with the Australian team
that often provided clues to Test match
selection. Nine of the MCC team did subsequently play for England but Lyon, who took four catches in the match, was one of two – the other was Allan Jones – who didn't.
Lyon had a better season all round in 1978, rising to equal seventh in the English county wicket-keepers' statistics with 52 dismissals. Lyon had "found his touch again", said Wisden. His batting also improved and in the match against Nottinghamshire
at Old Trafford Cricket Ground he put on 161 for the seventh wicket with Simmons, making an unbeaten 74 himself, his highest first-class score to date. Without that innings, however, Lyon's batting average for the season would still have been below 10 runs an innings.
The batting was better in 1979 and Lyon's aggregate of 313 runs and average of 22.35 were his best in first-class cricket. Much of that improvement was due to one innings: against Warwickshire
at Old Trafford, he was sent in again as a nightwatchman after Lancashire had been forced to follow on and two quick wickets had fallen. As at Weston three years earlier, Lyon not only survived but prospered: he made 123 and, after the deficit had been overhauled, shared in an eighth wicket stand of 158 with Bob Ratcliffe
which remains the Lancashire record for that wicket in first-class cricket. Ratcliffe also scored the only century of his career in this innings. The wicket-keeping for Lyon was less satisfactory, though, and he made only 32 dismissals in the season. He lost his place to Scott for the last matches and was not offered a new contract at the end of the season.
, but nothing came of this, and he did not play first-class cricket again. Instead, he went to Ireland where he was associated with clubs at Bangor
and Clontarf
as a coach. He later settled in South Africa where he ran a bar, and he died there on 1 January 2010.
Lyon was married in 1972 to Cynthia Mary. He also played rugby league
.
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...
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 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...
between 1973 and 1979.
Early cricket career
A wicket-keeper and a lower order right-handed batsman, Lyon played for Lancashire's second eleven in the Minor Counties Championship and the Second Eleven Championship from 1970, while playing club cricket for St Helens Recreation in the Liverpool and District Cricket CompetitionLiverpool and District Cricket Competition
The Liverpool and District Cricket Competition is the top level of competition for recreational club cricket in the Liverpool area and since 2000 has been a designated ECB Premier League, one of two in Lancashire, the other being the Northern League....
. He worked as a glass cutter at Pilkington
Pilkington
Pilkington Group Limited is a multinational glass manufacturing company headquartered in St Helens, United Kingdom. It is a subsidiary of the Japan-based NSG Group...
, the glass company whose headquarters are in St Helens.
In 1973, Lyon made his first-class debut for Lancashire in the match 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...
, and later that season played in two County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
games. The following year, 1974, when the regular Lancashire wicket-keeper Farokh Engineer
Farokh Engineer
Farokh Maneksha Engineer is a former Indian cricketer of Parsi background who played 46 Tests for India and played first-class cricket for Mumbai in India and Lancashire in England. Engineer's active international career started in 1961 and continued to 1975, and he was India's first-choice...
was playing for the Indian touring team
Indian cricket team in England in 1974
The Indian cricket team toured England in the 1974 English domestic cricket season. After matches against many of county cricket and other minor teams, in April and May, the Indian team played three Test matches and two One-day Internationals against the England cricket team...
, Lyon stepped up to take part in 16 first-team matches, "keeping wicket with distinction and also playing several innings of importance and promise", Wisden
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
noted. His highest score of the season was 48 in the match against the Indian tourists; Engineer did not play in that game.
In the winter of 1974-75, Lyon joined the unofficial tour of South Africa organised by Derrick Robins
Derrick Robins
Derrick Harold Robins, often known as D. H. Robins was an English cricketer and sports promoter, at one time chairman of Coventry City Football Club. He was born in Bexleyheath, Kent....
, which played matches against South African provincial sides despite the ban on official sporting contact because of the apartheid policies. Lyon played in only one first-class match on the tour.
Engineer resumed as Lancashire's first-choice wicket-keeper in 1975 and 1976, leaving Lyon playing mostly for the second team. But in his one first-class match of 1976, against Somerset
Somerset County Cricket Club
Somerset 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 Somerset...
at Weston-super-Mare
Clarence Park, Weston-super-Mare
Clarence Park was given to the town of Weston-super-Mare by Rebecca Davies in memory of her husband. The cricket pavilion at the park dates from 1882. A multitude of sports have been played at the park, including cricket. The ground is owned by the local council. It is currently used by...
, he went in as nightwatchman
Nightwatchman (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a nightwatchman is a lower-order batsman who comes in to bat higher up the order than usual near the end of the day's play...
after 21 wickets had fallen on the first day and Jack Simmons, opening Lancashire's second innings, had been forced to retire hurt after being hit over the eye. Lyon survived that night and went on the next day to make 60, his first innings of more than 50.
Regular county player
After the 1976 season, Engineer went into business, and though Lancashire paid him a retainer, the county did not call on him to play ever again. Lyon became the regular wicket-keeper for the next three seasons, though he appears never to have been entirely sure of his place: the county recruited as well Chris Scott, highly thought of as a wicket-keeper but a poor batsman. The threat to Lyon came at the end of his first regular season: "Lyon performed creditably and played an occasional good innings," wrote Wisden, "but towards the end of the season his form suffered... and for the last three Championship matches Lancashire introduced the 18-year-old Scott and were quite impressed with the youngster's form and promise." Lyon's own batting was disappointing with a top score of only 34 and an average of less than 10 runs per innings, and his 41 dismissals put him 12th on the list of wicket-keepers in the English game for the 1977 season. He did, however, make his one representative appearance in the 1977 season, playing for MCCMarylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
in the early-season match with the Australian team
Australian cricket team in England in 1977
The Australian cricket team toured England in the 1977 season to play a five Test matches for the 1977 Ashes series against England. The Australians also played 3 one day internationals and 19 other tour matches....
that often provided clues to 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...
selection. Nine of the MCC team did subsequently play for England but Lyon, who took four catches in the match, was one of two – the other was Allan Jones – who didn't.
Lyon had a better season all round in 1978, rising to equal seventh in the English county wicket-keepers' statistics with 52 dismissals. Lyon had "found his touch again", said Wisden. His batting also improved and in the match 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...
at Old Trafford Cricket Ground he put on 161 for the seventh wicket with Simmons, making an unbeaten 74 himself, his highest first-class score to date. Without that innings, however, Lyon's batting average for the season would still have been below 10 runs an innings.
The batting was better in 1979 and Lyon's aggregate of 313 runs and average of 22.35 were his best in first-class cricket. Much of that improvement was due to one innings: against Warwickshire
Warwickshire County Cricket Club
Warwickshire 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 Warwickshire. Its limited overs team is called the Warwickshire Bears. Their kit colours are black and gold and the shirt sponsor...
at Old Trafford, he was sent in again as a nightwatchman after Lancashire had been forced to follow on and two quick wickets had fallen. As at Weston three years earlier, Lyon not only survived but prospered: he made 123 and, after the deficit had been overhauled, shared in an eighth wicket stand of 158 with Bob Ratcliffe
Bob Ratcliffe
Robert Malcolm Ratcliffe is a cricketer who played for Lancashire from 1972 to 1980. He was a right-handed medium pace bowler and a middle to lower order batsman. In 82 first class matches he took 205 wickets at an average of 26.39 and scored 1022 runs at an average of 16.48...
which remains the Lancashire record for that wicket in first-class cricket. Ratcliffe also scored the only century of his career in this innings. The wicket-keeping for Lyon was less satisfactory, though, and he made only 32 dismissals in the season. He lost his place to Scott for the last matches and was not offered a new contract at the end of the season.
After first-class cricket
Lyon was only 28 when his career with Lancashire came to an end. In an annual published the following year, his name is linked with SussexSussex 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...
, but nothing came of this, and he did not play first-class cricket again. Instead, he went to Ireland where he was associated with clubs at Bangor
Bangor, County Down
Bangor is a large town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is a seaside resort on the southern side of Belfast Lough and within the Belfast Metropolitan Area. Bangor Marina is one of the largest in Ireland, and holds Blue Flag status...
and Clontarf
Clontarf
Clontarf may refer to:Placenames:*Clontarf, Dublin, Ireland*Clontarf, New South Wales, Australia*Clontarf, Queensland, Australia*Clontarf, Minnesota, United StatesOther:*Battle of Clontarf, 1014...
as a coach. He later settled in South Africa where he ran a bar, and he died there on 1 January 2010.
Lyon was married in 1972 to Cynthia Mary. He also played rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
.