Michael Allen (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
Michael Henry John Allen (7 January 1933 – 6 October 1995) was an English
cricket
er who played for Northamptonshire
from 1956 to 1963, for MCC
from 1958 to 1961 and Derbyshire
from 1964 to 1966.
Allen was born in Bedford
and started his career at Northamptonshire, who finished in fourth position in the County Championship in his debut season, 1956. Allen debuted against Worcestershire
in May and played in more than half the matches in the season. In 1957, Allen moved into a regular first-team place and finished high in the bowling averages, as Northamptonshire finished second in the County Championship
table.
During the early part of 1958, Allen played for Marylebone Cricket Club
, for whom he scored a duck on debut, and played one more match. He came back to Northamptonshire for the opening of the 1958 County Championship season, where, once again, the team played strongly, finishing in fourth position in the table. Come 1959, he played less often in the first team, though he made his debut for the Northamptonshire Second XI, taking a wicket in a two-day draw.
Allen played consistently for Northamptonshire until the end of the 1963 season, interspersed with some appearances for MCC. Northamptonshire finished seventh in the 1963 County Championship table, an improvement on their second-bottom table showing the previous season.
Allen moved to Derbyshire
for the opening of the 1964 season
, debuting against Glamorgan
in an almost playless match. Allen represented Derbyshire for two more years, before quitting first-class cricket.
Allen was a right-handed batsman and a left-arm slow bowler. He was a consistent bowler, accruing five-wicket bowling hauls in eight individual seasons, and securing ten wickets in an individual match three times. He was a lower-order batsman during his Northamptonshire career, switching to the tailend on occasion while playing for Derbyshire.
Allen died in Lancaster
in 1995.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
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 Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire County Cricket Club
Northamptonshire 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 Northamptonshire. Its limited overs team is called the Northants Steelbacks. The traditional club colour is Maroon. During the...
from 1956 to 1963, for MCC
Marylebone 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...
from 1958 to 1961 and 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...
from 1964 to 1966.
Allen was born in Bedford
Bedford
Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
and started his career at Northamptonshire, who finished in fourth position in the County Championship in his debut season, 1956. Allen debuted against 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...
in May and played in more than half the matches in the season. In 1957, Allen moved into a regular first-team place and finished high in the bowling averages, as Northamptonshire finished second in the County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
table.
During the early part of 1958, Allen played for Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone 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...
, for whom he scored a duck on debut, and played one more match. He came back to Northamptonshire for the opening of the 1958 County Championship season, where, once again, the team played strongly, finishing in fourth position in the table. Come 1959, he played less often in the first team, though he made his debut for the Northamptonshire Second XI, taking a wicket in a two-day draw.
Allen played consistently for Northamptonshire until the end of the 1963 season, interspersed with some appearances for MCC. Northamptonshire finished seventh in the 1963 County Championship table, an improvement on their second-bottom table showing the previous season.
Allen moved to 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...
for the opening of the 1964 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1964
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1964 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for ninety three years. It was their sixtieth season in the County Championship and they won five matches to finish twelfth in the County Championship...
, debuting 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...
in an almost playless match. Allen represented Derbyshire for two more years, before quitting first-class cricket.
Allen was a right-handed batsman and a left-arm slow bowler. He was a consistent bowler, accruing five-wicket bowling hauls in eight individual seasons, and securing ten wickets in an individual match three times. He was a lower-order batsman during his Northamptonshire career, switching to the tailend on occasion while playing for Derbyshire.
Allen died in Lancaster
Lancaster, Lancashire
Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire, England. It is situated on the River Lune and has a population of 45,952. Lancaster is a constituent settlement of the wider City of Lancaster, local government district which has a population of 133,914 and encompasses several outlying towns, including...
in 1995.
External links
- Michael Allen at Cricket Archive