Ken Higgs RIP

Ken Higgs forgotten master test bowler 71 wickets @20.74

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8f3PyVUikQI

Loved the Higgsmeister, particularly when he joined Leicestershire.

As well as his effective bowling he figured in a number of famous late order partnerships. Everyone remembers that one in the Test Match with John Snow, but years later when he was almost at the end of his time with Leics he also put on an incredible 200 and more for the last wicket with Ray Illingworth. Ken didn't quite make his ton though sadly, falling in the nervous 90s.

I'd forgotten about his batting prowess, alun. He of course was the most successful opening partner of the great Brian Statham, who opened the bowling in test matches with Fiery Fred.

Did I ever mention my brother in law's late brother opened the bowling with Freddy for Yorkshire? He had a brief county career before injury curtailed his career, but he had some notable scalps.

Christopher Harland Wood (23 July 1934 – 28 June 2006) was an English first-class cricketer, who played four matches of first-class cricket for Yorkshire County Cricket Club in 1959,[1] against Essex, Hampshire, Derbyshire and the touring Indian team. He also played for Yorkshire against Ireland in the same year, without success.

Born in Manningham, Bradford, Yorkshire, England, Wood was a right arm fast medium bowler, who took eleven wickets at an average of 29.00, with a best of 4 for 39 on debut against Essex; and a right-handed late order batsman who scored 22 runs at 7.33, with a best score of 10. He also took one catch.[1]

Wood died in June 2006, aged 71.[1]

Cheers KM, don't recall you mentioning it to me before.

Was Pro for Rishton in the Lancashire League after he quit FCC.
Here's a Scorecard or a game against my team Colne.


Rishton v Colne
Lancashire League 1970
Venue    Blackburn Road, Rishton on 2nd May 1970 (1-day single innings match)
Balls per over    8
Toss    Toss not known
Result    Match drawn
Points    Rishton 1; Colne 1
Colne innings    Runs    Balls    Mins    4s    6s
D Harker    run out    57                        
T Lonsdale    b Higgs    17                        
LM Cornelius (Pro)    b Higgs    0                        
JM Pollard    b Higgs    6                        
A Kennedy    lbw b Higgs    21                        
P Lane    b Higgs    9                        
A Braithwaite    b Higgs    0                        
B Bulcock    not out    6                        
A Harker    lbw b Higgs    9                        
RA Little    not out    1                        
J Kitchen    did not bat                             
Extras    (3 b, 1 lb, 1 w)    5
Total    (8 wickets, declared, 43 overs)    131
Fall of wickets:
1-51, 2-51, 3-77, 4-91, 5-113, 6-113, 7-116, 8-126
Rishton bowling    Overs    Mdns    Runs    Wkts    Wides    No-Balls
Higgs    19       3    51    7    -    -
Smith    8       1    22    0    -    -
Hill    5       1    15    0    -    -
Lomas    11       0    38    0    -    -
Rishton innings    Runs    Balls    Mins    4s    6s
K Kennedy    c Kennedy b Kitchen    21                        
E Nuttall    c Cornelius b Little    2                        
JR Marsden    b Kitchen    3                        
*+E Whalley    c A Harker b Kitchen    11                        
D Chew    b Kitchen    14                        
S Ormerod    c Lane b Cornelius    16                        
W Wilkinson    b Cornelius    0                        
K Higgs (Pro)    not out    36                        
R Smith    not out    2                        
B Hill    did not bat                             
D Lomas    did not bat                             
Extras    (4 lb, 1 w)    5
Total    (7 wickets, 25 overs)    110
Fall of wickets:
1-9, 2-22, 3-33, 4-52, 5-55, 6-56, 7-83
Colne bowling    Overs    Mdns    Runs    Wkts    Wides    No-Balls
Cornelius    9       0    51    2    -    -
Little    4       1    17    1    -    -
Kitchen    8       2    24    4    -    -
Bulcock    4       0    13    0    -    -
Notes

7-51 and 36 not out, obviouly still a class above that league, mind you he'd still be fairly young.

Was generally a good standard of cricket in the Lancs League Mitchell.

Kennedy and guys like Alan Wharton went on to play in FCC.

iNDEED tambers, but Illy called him back into FCC after his non league stint, so obviously still a class act at only 33, and a bit too good for the non league, good as they were.

Yes thats why he was the Pro.
Magical days at the Horsfield in COLNE.
I still have the autographs of the likes of..
Worrell, Weekes Colly Smith, Alf Valentine Cowdrey and many more.

I was Worrell at Headingley, the only test I've attended. Clean bowled Freddie first ball.

Or was he? Need to check that.

Just been reading that Higgs made a brief 'comeback' in 1986 at age 49, four years after 'retiring'.  Still too good for Yorkshire, taking 5-22. Very decent of him not to dismiss the others.

One of the stalwarts of BBC2's John Player League coverage on a Sunday back in the 70's.

Hallam Moseley, Barry Stead, John Price (another curving run quickie), Keith Boyce....

Tears begin to well......

Roger, your inspired thread about the John Player Sunday League on the cricket forum was one of the finest ever. It deserves to be resurrected if only for us to say goodbye to Higgs on there too.

Let's not forget his shirt hanging out of his keks (open to belly button) shirt sleeves rolled-up and golden locks being brushed back every other ball...

Sep 22, 2016 -- 2:51PM, alun2005 wrote:

Roger, your inspired thread about the John Player Sunday League on the cricket forum was one of the finest ever. It deserves to be resurrected if only for us to say goodbye to Higgs on there too.

Indeed - very happy days, as the young Rodge sat scoring every televised JPL game for a whole season (1975 I think it was).

I could probably have a damn good stab at naming the 8 or 9 of the key players inthe JPL, from every county, from around that time.

What a sad act!!

Same here Rog !

I was particularly besotted with Worcester, and was delighted when my beloved G M Turner hit the Fastest 50 at one time. He and Ron Headley were a great opening partnership, and you could generally rely on runs from J A Ormrod, E J O Helmsley, the late T J Yardley and some late order pyrotechnics from pipe-smoking intellectual captain N Gifford.

Sorry, I could go on for days but I'll stop hijacking the thread now.

Asif Iqbal - Kent would be one of my 8

Mike Proctor - Glos charging in

always remember mike proctor taking a hat trick in a 1 day game back in the day - brilliant tv & celebrations

ken higgs - rip

Worcester - A slippery quick, BM Brain formed a potent opening attack with VA Holder, backed up by the all-round 'bit of everything' talents of BL D'Oliveira.

I remember Dolly and Gifford almost turning a Benson and Hedges Cup final (against Kent I think) around with some magnificent late order batting, only to be thwarted (probably by Norman Graham!) at the finish.

Ah, the memories!

Sep 22, 2016 -- 4:30PM, geordie1956 wrote:

always remember mike proctor taking a hat trick in a 1 day game back in the day - brilliant tv & celebrationsken higgs - rip

Indeed - it was the only time I heard Richie Benaud go mental as a commentator.

The last man out was Rice (not Clive. John(?)) a big blonde somewhat effete individual who along with the likes of Ashley Harvey-Walker and James Graham-Brown, only ever seemed to make it in the one day game.

Correct Roger, it was the heartbreaking 1973 B&H Final.

Kent repeated the torture against Worcs in the long hot summer of '76 in the B&H Final when Dolly clubbed another half century in vain before going back to the OAP Care Home.

RIP Ken Higgs