Tommy Greenhough
Encyclopedia
Thomas "Tommy" Greenhough (9 November 1931 - 15 September 2009) was an English
cricket
er, who represented Lancashire
during the 1950s and 1960s, as well as playing four Test
s for England.
After the retirement of Doug Wright
, Eric Hollies
and Roly Jenkins
, together with the disappearance from the county scene of Bruce Dooland
and Gamini Goonesena
, Greenhough stood as the last county
leg spin
ner of any standing in an era when overgrassed pitches and bowling tactics changing rapidly from the enterprising attack of the 1940s, to rigid containment rapidly removed this style of bowling from prominence. Greenhough had nothing like the spin of Wright or Jenkins, but could disguise his googly
exceptionally well, although he bowled from a quite long run-up for a slow bowler. During 1959 and 1960, Greenhough formed an extremely valuable complement to Brian Statham
- at the time probably the greatest post-war English bowler - but for the remainder of his career a succession of injuries, and form lapses, prevented him reaching the potential those two seasons suggested.
Cricket writer, Colin Bateman, commented that "it was amazing that Tommy Greenhough played Test cricket at all. As a young player with Lancashire, he took a job in a cotton mill
during the winter and fell from a gantry. Both ankles were badly broken and his feet ended up different sizes". Bateman went on "he overcame his handicap ro become one of the most inventive leg-break bowlers in the country, performing well when called up in 1959. He could, however, lose confidence, as happened on the 1960 tour of the West Indies, where he did not play a Test".
and Malcolm Hilton
. In 1957, however, he seemed to lack spin and in 1958 he played only eight games out of twenty eight for the first eleven. It was thus a surprise that, in the dry summer of 1959, Greenhough was able to not only displace both Tattersall and Hilton, but even leap into the Test
side against India. Although he did well, even if India's lack of batting prowess was taken into account, Greenhough was soon reported for persistently running down the pitch during his follow-through. Once he had corrected this problem he bowled as well as before. Greenhough's form in 1959 suggested that, had he not been correcting his run-up, he would probably have been the leading first-class wicket-taker, and a strong contender for Cricketer of the Year honours.
In 1960, Greenhough took 111 wickets for Lancashire, and played one Test against South Africa, but 1961 was wiped out by the first of a succession of finger injuries. Even when he had recovered, he again ran into the problem of lacking spin, despite a few good performances as the only recognised slow bowler in a now-weak county side. Despite more finger trouble keeping him out of the Lancashire side for most of 1964, he was awarded a benefit
that season and showed when he returned that he still had considerable skill. He achieved a career-best seven for 56 against Worcestershire
in the last county match, plus seven for 108 against MCC
in the previous game.
In 1965 Greenhough, though fitter, failed to maintain the promise shown late in 1964, and at the end of July 1966 he was unceremoniously dumped by the county. After being discarded, Greenhough moved back to the South Lancashire League, and was honoured by his original club Fieldhouse with a testimonial in 1977.
Greenhough died, aged 77, in September 2009.
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 represented 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...
during the 1950s and 1960s, as well as playing four Test
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...
s for England.
After the retirement of Doug Wright
Doug Wright (cricketer)
Douglas Vivian Parson Wright, better known as Doug Wright was an English cricketer. A leg-spinner for Kent and England from 1932 to 1957 he took a record seven hat-tricks in first class cricket. He played for Kent for 25 years and was their first professional captain from late 1953 to 1956...
, Eric Hollies
Eric Hollies
William Eric Hollies was an English cricketer, who is mainly remembered for taking the wicket of Donald Bradman for a duck in Bradman's final Test match innings, in which only four was needed for a Test average of 100...
and Roly Jenkins
Roly Jenkins
Roly Jenkins was an English cricketer, almost exclusively for Worcestershire as a leg spinner in the period immediately after World War II...
, together with the disappearance from the county scene of Bruce Dooland
Bruce Dooland
Bruce Dooland was an Australian cricketer who played in 3 Tests from 1947 to 1948....
and Gamini Goonesena
Gamini Goonesena
Gamini Goonesena , born in Colombo, was a Sri Lankan first-class cricketer prior to his country being granted Test status...
, Greenhough stood as the last county
County cricket
County cricket is the highest level of domestic cricket in England and Wales. For the 2010 season, see 2010 English cricket season.-First-class counties:...
leg spin
Leg spin
Leg spin is a type of spin bowling in the sport of cricket. A leg spinner bowls right-arm with a wrist spin action, causing the ball to spin from right to left in the cricket pitch, at the point of delivery. When the ball bounces, the spin causes the ball to deviate sharply from right to left, that...
ner of any standing in an era when overgrassed pitches and bowling tactics changing rapidly from the enterprising attack of the 1940s, to rigid containment rapidly removed this style of bowling from prominence. Greenhough had nothing like the spin of Wright or Jenkins, but could disguise his googly
Googly
In cricket, a googly is a type of delivery bowled by a right-arm leg spin bowler. It is occasionally referred to as a Bosie , an eponym in honour of its inventor Bernard Bosanquet.- Explanation :...
exceptionally well, although he bowled from a quite long run-up for a slow bowler. During 1959 and 1960, Greenhough formed an extremely valuable complement to Brian Statham
Brian Statham
John Brian "George" Statham, CBE was one of the leading English fast bowlers in 20th-century English cricket. Initially a bowler of a brisk fast-medium pace, Statham was able to remodel his action to generate enough speed to become genuinely fast...
- at the time probably the greatest post-war English bowler - but for the remainder of his career a succession of injuries, and form lapses, prevented him reaching the potential those two seasons suggested.
Cricket writer, Colin Bateman, commented that "it was amazing that Tommy Greenhough played Test cricket at all. As a young player with Lancashire, he took a job in a cotton mill
Cotton mill
A cotton mill is a factory that houses spinning and weaving machinery. Typically built between 1775 and 1930, mills spun cotton which was an important product during the Industrial Revolution....
during the winter and fell from a gantry. Both ankles were badly broken and his feet ended up different sizes". Bateman went on "he overcame his handicap ro become one of the most inventive leg-break bowlers in the country, performing well when called up in 1959. He could, however, lose confidence, as happened on the 1960 tour of the West Indies, where he did not play a Test".
Life and career
Greenhough first played for Lancashire as early as 1951, after coming from the League club Fieldhouse, but until 1956 he played very little for the first eleven. That season, however, he took 66 wickets for less than eighteen runs apiece, and formed a remarkable trio of spinners with Roy TattersallRoy Tattersall
Roy Tattersall is an English former Lancashire cricketer, who played sixteen Tests for England as a specialist off spin bowler....
and Malcolm Hilton
Malcolm Hilton
Malcolm Jameson Hilton was an English left-arm spin bowler, who played for Lancashire and in four Test matches for England....
. In 1957, however, he seemed to lack spin and in 1958 he played only eight games out of twenty eight for the first eleven. It was thus a surprise that, in the dry summer of 1959, Greenhough was able to not only displace both Tattersall and Hilton, but even leap into the Test
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...
side against India. Although he did well, even if India's lack of batting prowess was taken into account, Greenhough was soon reported for persistently running down the pitch during his follow-through. Once he had corrected this problem he bowled as well as before. Greenhough's form in 1959 suggested that, had he not been correcting his run-up, he would probably have been the leading first-class wicket-taker, and a strong contender for Cricketer of the Year honours.
In 1960, Greenhough took 111 wickets for Lancashire, and played one Test against South Africa, but 1961 was wiped out by the first of a succession of finger injuries. Even when he had recovered, he again ran into the problem of lacking spin, despite a few good performances as the only recognised slow bowler in a now-weak county side. Despite more finger trouble keeping him out of the Lancashire side for most of 1964, he was awarded a benefit
Benefit (sports)
A benefit or testimonial is a match or season of activities granted by a sporting body to a loyal sportsman to boost their income before retirement. Often this is in the form of a match for which all the ticket proceeds are given to the player in question.There have been occasions when a...
that season and showed when he returned that he still had considerable skill. He achieved a career-best seven for 56 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 the last county match, plus seven for 108 against 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...
in the previous game.
In 1965 Greenhough, though fitter, failed to maintain the promise shown late in 1964, and at the end of July 1966 he was unceremoniously dumped by the county. After being discarded, Greenhough moved back to the South Lancashire League, and was honoured by his original club Fieldhouse with a testimonial in 1977.
Greenhough died, aged 77, in September 2009.