Rodney Cass
Encyclopedia
George Rodney Cass is a former English cricketer
: a wicket-keeper
who played first-class cricket
for Essex
and Worcestershire
in England, and for Tasmania in Australia, in the 1960s and 1970s. He was capped by Worcestershire in 1970.
Cass played for Yorkshire
's Second XI in 1962, before moving to Essex in 1963.
He made his first-class debut against Glamorgan
at Clacton-on-Sea
in late July 1964, when he scored 7 and took one catch (to dismiss opposing keeper Eifion Jones
).
That was his only such appearance of the season; the following year he played four matches, but scored only 49 runs and made just three dismissals in total.
1966 saw Cass play a full part in an Essex season for the first time: he hit 772 first-class runs at a shade over 20
and claimed 14 catches and two stumpings; with Brian Taylor
as the regular wicket-keeper and captain of the Essex side at this time, his opportunities to keep wicket were limited and he played for Essex largely as a specialist batsman. He scored two half-centuries in 1966, of which the higher was the 65 he struck against Cambridge University
in June. His achievement in this game was somewhat overshadowed by that of Keith Boyce
, playing only his second first-class match,
who took career-best figures of 9-61 in the first innings.
Cass also made his List A debut in 1966, when he played for Essex against Worcestershire in the Gillette Cup.
In 1967 Cass scored his maiden first-class century, 104 not out
against Warwickshire
in early July.
However, he did not play at all in the second half of that season, nor (a few Second XI games in August excepted) throughout 1968.
When Cass's first-class career finally resumed in 1969, it was with a new county, Worcestershire, where he played as wicket-keeper and batsman. He enjoyed a most productive season with both bat and gloves: in first-class cricket he hit 756 runs and made 48 dismissals (44 ct, 4 st) while in one-day cricket he scored 334 runs and claimed 21 dismissals (16 ct, 5 st). All these figures were either career bests or second to just one other season. His form dipped slightly in 1970, but he could be consoled with the award of his county cap.
In 1970-71, Cass played several games in Australia for Tasmania, though he enjoyed very little success: in two first-class and one List A game he had a top score of 21 and claimed no dismissals at all. Back in England for 1971 his season was broken into two halves as he played no games in June or July, Gordon Wilcock
having taken his place behind the stumps.
Cass had a wretched time even when he did play, with a first-class average of under 10 and a top score of 30 from 12 innings. His two 1971-72 outings for Tasmania proved little more successful with the bat than they had the previous English winter, with 59 runs coming from four innings, and he still made only one dismissal.
1972 was, if anything, even worse than the previous year had been: Cass scored a grand total of 21 runs in five first-class innings, with seven catches. He did redeem himself somewhat in the one-day game, with 119 runs in six innings (top score 36) to put with his six catches, and he claimed four dismissals in an outing as pro for Lowerhouse
of the Lancashire League,
but real success would have to wait for the winter, when he finally came good for Tasmania. In mid-December he scored 38 and 73 against the touring Pakistanis,
and followed it up immediately with 87 for a Tasmania Combined XI against the same opposition three days later.
His last three years of first-class cricket were exclusively for Worcestershire. In 1973 he played regularly, and finished with 50 first-class dismissals for the only summer of his career. His 23 List A dismissals were also the highest he managed in one season.
He played only the first half of 1974,
but did play for most of 1975 once he had re-established himself in the team at the start of June. A notable performance in a minor game was the 75 he struck, opening the batting, against the Indians in a warm-up match for the 1975 Cricket World Cup
.
Two days later he made by some way his highest first-class score when he hit 172*
against Leicestershire
at Grace Road
, sharing in an unbroken third-wicket stand of 269 with Jim Yardley
.
Cass played his last first-class and List A games for Worcestershire in mid-September 1975. Thereafter, he played on in minor counties cricket for some years for Shropshire
, making 103* against Somerset
Second XI in 1978.
In both 1976 and 1978 he represented Shropshire at List A level in the Gillette Cup, although on neither occasion was he particularly successful. He also played minor cricket for MCC
, accompanying them on several tours of Ireland, and played in a rain-affected game for Worcestershire Norton Taverners of the Midland Combined Counties League in 1996, aged 56.
By this time he was also employed as an MCC coach, and in that capacity made a trip to Guttsta Cricket Park in Sweden in 1996.
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"....
: a wicket-keeper
Wicket-keeper
The wicket-keeper in the sport of cricket is the player on the fielding side who stands behind the wicket or stumps being guarded by the batsman currently on strike...
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...
for Essex
Essex County Cricket Club
Essex 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 Essex. Its limited overs team is called the Essex Eagles, their team colours this season are blue.The club plays most of its home games...
and 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 England, and for Tasmania in Australia, in the 1960s and 1970s. He was capped by Worcestershire in 1970.
Cass played for 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....
's Second XI in 1962, before moving to Essex in 1963.
He made his first-class debut 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...
at Clacton-on-Sea
Vista Road Recreation Ground
Vista Road Recreation Ground is a cricket ground in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. The first recorded match on the ground was in 1931, when Essex played their first first-class match there against Lancashire...
in late July 1964, when he scored 7 and took one catch (to dismiss opposing keeper Eifion Jones
Eifion Jones (cricketer)
Eifion Wyn Jones was a Welsh cricketer who played for Glamorgan County Cricket Club.When he first came to Glamorgan Jones was a specialist right-handed batsman but after being tutored by Phil Clift he became their first choice keeper...
).
That was his only such appearance of the season; the following year he played four matches, but scored only 49 runs and made just three dismissals in total.
1966 saw Cass play a full part in an Essex season for the first time: he hit 772 first-class runs at a shade over 20
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
and claimed 14 catches and two stumpings; with Brian Taylor
Brian Taylor (cricketer)
Brian Taylor, born at West Ham on 19 June 1932, was a cricketer who played for and captained Essex.Known as "Tonker" Taylor for his forthright approach to batting and his evident enjoyment of the game, Taylor was a high-class wicketkeeper who was thought of in his early playing days as a potential...
as the regular wicket-keeper and captain of the Essex side at this time, his opportunities to keep wicket were limited and he played for Essex largely as a specialist batsman. He scored two half-centuries in 1966, of which the higher was the 65 he struck 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. His achievement in this game was somewhat overshadowed by that of Keith Boyce
Keith Boyce
Keith David Boyce played 21 Tests and 8 One Day Internationals for the West Indies in the 1970s, he died from the effects of chronic cirrhosis of the liver while sitting in a chair at a pharmacist in Speightstown, Barbados in 1996.Boyce was the first man to take eight wickets in a List A match; he...
, playing only his second first-class match,
who took career-best figures of 9-61 in the first innings.
Cass also made his List A debut in 1966, when he played for Essex against Worcestershire in the Gillette Cup.
In 1967 Cass scored his maiden first-class century, 104 not out
Not out
In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress...
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...
in early July.
However, he did not play at all in the second half of that season, nor (a few Second XI games in August excepted) throughout 1968.
When Cass's first-class career finally resumed in 1969, it was with a new county, Worcestershire, where he played as wicket-keeper and batsman. He enjoyed a most productive season with both bat and gloves: in first-class cricket he hit 756 runs and made 48 dismissals (44 ct, 4 st) while in one-day cricket he scored 334 runs and claimed 21 dismissals (16 ct, 5 st). All these figures were either career bests or second to just one other season. His form dipped slightly in 1970, but he could be consoled with the award of his county cap.
In 1970-71, Cass played several games in Australia for Tasmania, though he enjoyed very little success: in two first-class and one List A game he had a top score of 21 and claimed no dismissals at all. Back in England for 1971 his season was broken into two halves as he played no games in June or July, Gordon Wilcock
Gordon Wilcock
Howard Gordon Wilcock is a former English cricketer who played first-class and List A cricket for Worcestershire during the 1970s....
having taken his place behind the stumps.
Cass had a wretched time even when he did play, with a first-class average of under 10 and a top score of 30 from 12 innings. His two 1971-72 outings for Tasmania proved little more successful with the bat than they had the previous English winter, with 59 runs coming from four innings, and he still made only one dismissal.
1972 was, if anything, even worse than the previous year had been: Cass scored a grand total of 21 runs in five first-class innings, with seven catches. He did redeem himself somewhat in the one-day game, with 119 runs in six innings (top score 36) to put with his six catches, and he claimed four dismissals in an outing as pro for Lowerhouse
Lowerhouse Cricket Club
Lowerhouse Cricket Club is a cricket club in the Lancashire League, which plays its home games at Liverpool Road in Burnley. For the 2011 season its captain is Charlie Cottam, and its professional is South African Francois Hasbroek. The club won the league for the first time in 2005, captained by...
of the Lancashire League,
but real success would have to wait for the winter, when he finally came good for Tasmania. In mid-December he scored 38 and 73 against the touring Pakistanis,
and followed it up immediately with 87 for a Tasmania Combined XI against the same opposition three days later.
His last three years of first-class cricket were exclusively for Worcestershire. In 1973 he played regularly, and finished with 50 first-class dismissals for the only summer of his career. His 23 List A dismissals were also the highest he managed in one season.
He played only the first half of 1974,
but did play for most of 1975 once he had re-established himself in the team at the start of June. A notable performance in a minor game was the 75 he struck, opening the batting, against the Indians in a warm-up match for the 1975 Cricket World Cup
1975 Cricket World Cup
-Group B:-Knockout stage:-Semifinals:In the best World Cup performance to date by a bowler, Gary Gilmour took six wickets as England were bowled all out for 93 , after falling to 37/7...
.
Two days later he made by some way his highest first-class score when he hit 172*
Not out
In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress...
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....
at Grace Road
Grace Road
Grace Road is a cricket ground, in Leicester, England, home to Leicestershire County Cricket Club.-History:The land which Grace Road is built on was bought by Leicestershire County Cricket Club in 1877 from the then Duke of Rutland and spent the massive sum of £40,000 on developing a cricket club,...
, sharing in an unbroken third-wicket stand of 269 with Jim Yardley
Jim Yardley (cricketer)
Thomas James Yardley was an English cricketer: a left-handed batsman, occasional wicket-keeper and even more occasional right-arm medium pace bowler who played for Worcestershire and Northamptonshire between 1967 and 1982.-Career:Yardley played football for his local team Chaddesley Corbett and...
.
Cass played his last first-class and List A games for Worcestershire in mid-September 1975. Thereafter, he played on in minor counties cricket for some years for Shropshire
Shropshire County Cricket Club
Shropshire County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Shropshire and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy...
, making 103* 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...
Second XI in 1978.
In both 1976 and 1978 he represented Shropshire at List A level in the Gillette Cup, although on neither occasion was he particularly successful. He also played minor cricket 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...
, accompanying them on several tours of Ireland, and played in a rain-affected game for Worcestershire Norton Taverners of the Midland Combined Counties League in 1996, aged 56.
By this time he was also employed as an MCC coach, and in that capacity made a trip to Guttsta Cricket Park in Sweden in 1996.