Terry Willetts
Encyclopedia
Frank Terence Willetts, born in Birmingham
on 20 November 1939, played first-class
and list A cricket
for Somerset
in the mid-1960s. He also played Minor Counties cricket for Shropshire
and Cornwall
. He was a left-handed middle-order batsman. But though a prolific scorer at second eleven and Minor Counties level, he was not able to establish himself in first-class cricket.
Willetts played for Somerset's second eleven as a batsman from 1960, and in the 1964 season made more than 900 runs for the second team, playing in both the Minor Counties Championship and the Second Eleven Championship. He was brought into Somerset's first team for three matches in mid-season, but made little impact. The following season, 1965, he was given six matches, but only in the game against Glamorgan
at Weston-super-Mare
did he make significant runs, his first-innings 38 being the highest score of his career. His first List A appearance was in a losing Gillette Cup
semi-final in 1966 against Warwickshire
when he failed to score. In the 1967, he played a further six first-class matches and two List A games, without success, and he left the county staff at the end of the season.
Willetts had a long career in second-class cricket. He joined Shropshire's Minor Counties team in 1968, moved back to Somerset's second eleven in the early 1970s and then went on from 1977 to Cornwall where, from 1988 to 1990, finishing at the age of 50, he was captain of the Minor Counties side. He appeared in one further List A match for Cornwall, in the first round of the 1980 Gillette Cup, when the Cornish side lost to Devon
.
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
on 20 November 1939, played first-class
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...
and list A 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...
for 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...
in the mid-1960s. He also played Minor Counties cricket 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...
and Cornwall
Cornwall County Cricket Club
Cornwall 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 Cornwall and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy...
. He was a left-handed middle-order batsman. But though a prolific scorer at second eleven and Minor Counties level, he was not able to establish himself in first-class cricket.
Willetts played for Somerset's second eleven as a batsman from 1960, and in the 1964 season made more than 900 runs for the second team, playing in both the Minor Counties Championship and the Second Eleven Championship. He was brought into Somerset's first team for three matches in mid-season, but made little impact. The following season, 1965, he was given six matches, but only in the game 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 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...
did he make significant runs, his first-innings 38 being the highest score of his career. His first List A appearance was in a losing Gillette Cup
Gillette Cup
The Gillette Cup may refer to the following cricket competitions:* Gillette Cup — an English knock-out one-day competition known as the Gillette Cup from 1963 to 1980, now known as the Friends Provident Cup...
semi-final in 1966 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...
when he failed to score. In the 1967, he played a further six first-class matches and two List A games, without success, and he left the county staff at the end of the season.
Willetts had a long career in second-class cricket. He joined Shropshire's Minor Counties team in 1968, moved back to Somerset's second eleven in the early 1970s and then went on from 1977 to Cornwall where, from 1988 to 1990, finishing at the age of 50, he was captain of the Minor Counties side. He appeared in one further List A match for Cornwall, in the first round of the 1980 Gillette Cup, when the Cornish side lost to Devon
Devon County Cricket Club
Devon 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 Devon and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy....
.