MTWD
Seaxe Man's Did You Know? Part 3 - The Modern Era
MTWD
By Seaxe Man
February 9 2006
In the final part of this three part series, Seaxe Man examines the Middlesex men who have captained England since the Second World War (The Modern Era). Four Middlesex players have been honoured to captain England in the last 60 years.
MTWD
February 9 2006
In the final part of this three part series, Seaxe Man examines the Middlesex men who have captained England since the Second World War (The Modern Era). Four Middlesex players have been honoured to captain England in the last 60 years.
SEAXE MAN’S DID YOU KNOW?..............
PART THREE – THE MODERN ERA
Did you know that.... eleven Middlesex players have captained England since the 1st test match in 1876/77? Seaxe Man has split these into three groups for a short series of articles:
• pre World War One;
• between the wars;
• since World War Two (The Modern Era).
In the final part of this three part series, Seaxe Man examines the Middlesex men who have captained England since the Second World War (The Modern Era). Four Middlesex players have been honoured to captain England in the last 60 years.
Four Middlesex players (so far) have captained England since the Second World War:
• George Mann
• Mike Brearley
• Mike Gatting
• John Embury
8. George Mann - born Byfleet, Surrey 1917 - died August 2001.
F.G. (George) Mann was the son of a Middlesex and England Captain F.T.(Fred) Mann (see Part Two of this feature). George Mann played in 7 consecutive tests (309-315) after which, (he was an amateur) work commitments prevented him from playing 1st class cricket. He captained in all 7 tests that he played, with a record of won 2, drawn 5. He made his debut as player and captain in the 1st test of the 1948/9 South Africa tour at Durban. England won this series 2-0. He batted in the middle order and made 136* in the 5th test at Port Elizabeth; this was to be his highest ever test score and indeed his highest ever 1st class score. In the following summer, 1949, he captained in the first tests of the New Zealand series but then made himself unavailable due to work commitments. He was connected to the Watney/Mann brewery family. The New Zealand series comprised 4 tests of 3 days duration. Unsurprisingly, all four were drawn. In later life George Mann did valuable work as an administrator as chairman of TCCB, President of Middlesex and President of the MCC at various times. I well remember George Mann as Middlesex President and a pretty fine one he was too. He also had a pretty fair test record.
His test record was:
Played 7
Innings 12
Not Out 2
Runs 376
Highest 136*
Average 37.60
100s 1
50s 0
Catches 3
His first class record, mainly for Middlesex, was more modest on average:
Played 166
Innings 262
Not Out 17
Runs 6350
Highest 136*
Average 25.91
100s 7
50s 32
Catches 72
9. Mike Brearley - born Harrow, Middlesex 1942
Mike Brearley played in 39 tests captaining in 31 of them, with a record of won 18, drawn 9, lost 4. This includes Ashes series wins both home and away and puts him up there amongst the most successful of England captains. His career was entwined with the Packer years. Initially he was vice captain to Tony Greig but when Greig announced his involvement with Packer (and was consequently sacked!) Mike was asked to take over. This he did with some reluctance. Most of us know the story from there. A prince of captains indeed. He later wrote 'The Art of Captaincy' which is a recognised seminal book on cricket and leadership generally.
His debut as a test player was at Trent Bridge in the 1976 West Indies series, opening with John Edrich; Mike made 0 and 17 at a time when the West Indies had a formidable team including demon fast bowlers (Roberts, Julien, Holder and Daniel in that match – Middlesex fans will be pleased to know that “it wasn’t Diamond what done for him” in either innings that match). Match drawn. He played in the second test at Lord's (Holding came in for Daniel that match) but Brearley was mercifully dropped for the rest of the series. This was the famous series which Greigy prefaced by saying that he was going to make the West Indies 'grovel'. England did well to lose only 3-0.
Editor’s note: Brearley consoled himself by leading Middlesex to victory over the West Indians and indeed most everyone else that summer.
Brearley then toured India in 1976/7 where in the last test in Bombay, he made what proved to be his highest test score of 91. England won that series 3-1. He then played in the centenary test of 1976/7 making 12 and 43. His score of 12 in the first England knock of 95 all out was the third highest. England lost. In 1977 the Packer World Series affair took off and Brearley took over the captaincy for the Ashes series which England won 3-0. His top score in this series was 81 at Trent Bridge.
There followed a drawn series in Pakistan in 1977/8 during which Brearley was struck on the arm by Sikander Bhatt in a warm up game between the 2nd and 3rd tests. He was forced to return home and Boycott took over the captaincy for the rest of the tour which ended in New Zealand. Mike reappeared the following summer (1978) for the reverse tours by Pakistan and NZ. These ended 2-0 and 3-0 to England respectively.
Despite criticism from media hacks, Brears captained the Ashes tour of 78/9 to defend the old urn. This he did to the tune of 5-1, though he struggled personally with the bat. In the 1979 summer, England hosted the World Cup, where Mike took England to the final only to lose to the West Indies juggernaut. I well remember watching this from the Nursery End and seem to recall Mike taking an amazing running catch. Then followed the India tour where by dint of an innings win at Edgbaston, England won 1-0.
Then followed the non Ashes tour of 1979/80 which England lost 3-0. Ashes tours by then, were deemed to be of 5 match duration. In the 1st test of that series in Perth there occurred the famous clash between Brearley and Lillee over the use of an aluminium bat wielded by Lillee. Brearley refused to accept this bat and won his point. Lillee then hurled it in the general direction of the pavilion, Since then the Laws have been amended to say that the bat must be made of 'wood'.
There followed the Golden Jubilee Test in India in Bombay on the way home. England winning by 10 wkts. Brearley then stood down from the England team and Botham took over the captaincy. This lasted until the Lord's test of the 1981 Ashes series when Botham resigned with England 1-0 down. Mike was asked to take up the baton which he did and then inspired Botham and others to achieve historic wins in the next three matches; the famous Headingley win followed by the almost equally nail-biting Edgbaston win and the Old Trafford clincher. The final (drawn) match at the Oval (test 907) being Mike Brearley’s last test.
Editor’s note: The last three tests of that historic 1981 series saw Brearley, Gatting and Embury all appear in the same test match. Surely a unique triple; three players who were to be England captains all from the same county. And all three playing their part in such an awesome series.
Mike Brearley’s legacy was three Ashes series victories. A tough act to follow. His record as a batsman was modest and attracted his critics. But you cannot argue with his world class captaincy record. His slip catching was also outstanding, pouching 52 catches. The Borough of Hillingdon and Uxbridge Cricket Club named a road after him called Brearley Close, adjacent to the ground, in his honour.
His test batting record was:
Played 39
Innings 66
Not Out 3
Runs 1442
Highest 91
Average 22.88
100s 0
50s 9
Catches 52
His first class batting record, mostly Middlesex, was pretty decent and as follows:
Played 455
Innings 768
Not Out 102
Runs 25186
Highest 312*
Average 37.81
100s 45
50s 134
Catches 418
10. Mike Gatting, born Kingsbury, Middlesex 1957
Gatt is the Middlesex player with the highest number of England caps; 79. Test centurywise, his total of 10 puts him second only to Denis Compton with 17, on the Middlesex list of test centurions. Of those 79 caps, 23 were as captain, with a record of won 2, drawn 16, lost 5. Crucially, the 2 wins came in the Ashes tour of 1986/7 which secured a 2-1 victory and was England’s last success until 'you know when'.
Mike Gatting was elevated to the captaincy in similar circumstances to Mike Brearley, if memory serves me correctly. After the 1st Test at Lord's of the 1986 India series was lost, Gower was removed from the captaincy and Gatt took over. The next test at Leeds was also lost and with it the series. Gatt did have a consolation prize of scoring 183* not out in the 3rd Test at Edgbaston. There followed the New Zealand series the same summer, which was lost 1-0, despite another ton from Gatt at The Oval of 121.
Gatt was unfortunate to captain in the summer (so called) of 1987. The weather was appalling and had a big say in losing the 5 test Pakistan series 1-0. In particular the 1st and 4th tests. where rain came to Pakistan's aid when England had them over the proverbial 'barrel'. There followed the World Cup in Pakistan/India where Gatt (as his Middlesex and England predecessor had done 1979), piloted England to another losing final.
Next followed the controversial 3 test tour of Pakistan featuring the Shakoor Rana affair at Faisalabad. The series was lost 1-0. The next port of call was New Zealand in early 1988 which resulted in a drawn series 0-0. This brought on the 1988 tour by West Indies where Gatt lost the captaincy after winning the one day series 3-0 and drawing the first test at Trent Bridge. This was, in time-honoured tradition, a consequence of tabloid tales. Gatting’s sacking did not seem a good idea to me at the time, given that the West Indies were in their pomp. 18 years later, it still doesn't look any better as an idea. John Emburey took over for the next two tests which were both lost. He was then replaced by Chris Cowdrey, who lost the 4th and he in turn was replaced by Graham Gooch who lost the 5th. Result 4-0 to West Indies. If you check the A-Z guide you will find Gatting Way listed. An unusual honour for a current player, as he then was.
His test batting record was:
Played 79
Innings 138
Not Out 14
Runs 4409
Highest 207
Average 35.55
100s 10
50s 21
Catches 59
His first class batting record, mostly Middlesex, was as follows:
Played 551
Innings 861
Not Out 123
Runs 36549
Highest 258
Average 49.52
100s 94
50s 181
Catches 493
Editor’s note: Gatt’s test record looks a trifle modest next to his 1st class record, which is truly awesome. He did come up against more than his fair share of test great bowlers, I suppose.
11. John Embury, born Peckham, London, 1952
J.E (John, or indeed 'Ernie') Embury played in 64 tests and captained in 2. He took over in awkward circumstances as described above, at a time when the team's morale must have been at rock bottom and against the West Indies in their pomp. Hardly surprising that both tests were lost. It is as a test player that John's record really shines. He did the all-rounder double of 1500 runs and 100 wickets and is one of four Middlesex spinners with over 100 test wickets. The others being Titmus, Edmonds and Tufnell.
He has returned to Lord's in the capacity of Middlesex coach. He arrived at a time when the Club was at a low ebb and has gradually guided Middlesex to calmer waters. Trophies are hopefully now beckoning, but Middlesex success is a different story.
His test batting record was:
Played 64
Innings 96
Not Out 20
Runs 1713
Highest 75
Average 22.53
100s 0
50s 10
Catches 34
His test bowling record was as follows:
Balls 15391
Runs 5646
Wickets 147
BBI 7/78
BBM 7/105
Average 38.40
Econ 2.20
SR 104.7
5WI 6
10WM 0
His first class batting record, mostly Middlesex, was as follows:
Played 513
Innings 644
Not Out 130
Runs 12021
Highest 133
Average 23.38
100s 7
50s 55
Catches 459
His first class bowling record was as follows:
Balls 112862
Runs 41958
Wickets 1608
BBI 8/40
BBM ?
Average 26.09
Econ 2.23
SR 70.18
5WI 72
10WM 12
Editor’s note. Embers 1st class record is exceptional. He was an incredibly mean bowler at 1st class and test level and was able to score vital runs for his team as well.
In conclusion
Middlesex can be immensely proud of its contribution to England cricket. More England captains have originated from Middlesex than from any other county. The blue riband of English cricket is generally recognised as the Anglo/Australian series. In this, Middlesex have made a full contribution with 4 of their players (Stoddart, Warner, Brearley, Gatting) captaining in Ashes successes, 4 of which were series wins in Australia - not a place where it is easy to win.
Editor’s final note: And who would bet against Middlesex supplying a twelfth captain in the not too distant future? Let’s just say that Seaxe Man is sharpening his pencil and studying Cricinfo player listings around the STR area.
PART THREE – THE MODERN ERA
Did you know that.... eleven Middlesex players have captained England since the 1st test match in 1876/77? Seaxe Man has split these into three groups for a short series of articles:
• pre World War One;
• between the wars;
• since World War Two (The Modern Era).
In the final part of this three part series, Seaxe Man examines the Middlesex men who have captained England since the Second World War (The Modern Era). Four Middlesex players have been honoured to captain England in the last 60 years.
Four Middlesex players (so far) have captained England since the Second World War:
• George Mann
• Mike Brearley
• Mike Gatting
• John Embury
8. George Mann - born Byfleet, Surrey 1917 - died August 2001.
F.G. (George) Mann was the son of a Middlesex and England Captain F.T.(Fred) Mann (see Part Two of this feature). George Mann played in 7 consecutive tests (309-315) after which, (he was an amateur) work commitments prevented him from playing 1st class cricket. He captained in all 7 tests that he played, with a record of won 2, drawn 5. He made his debut as player and captain in the 1st test of the 1948/9 South Africa tour at Durban. England won this series 2-0. He batted in the middle order and made 136* in the 5th test at Port Elizabeth; this was to be his highest ever test score and indeed his highest ever 1st class score. In the following summer, 1949, he captained in the first tests of the New Zealand series but then made himself unavailable due to work commitments. He was connected to the Watney/Mann brewery family. The New Zealand series comprised 4 tests of 3 days duration. Unsurprisingly, all four were drawn. In later life George Mann did valuable work as an administrator as chairman of TCCB, President of Middlesex and President of the MCC at various times. I well remember George Mann as Middlesex President and a pretty fine one he was too. He also had a pretty fair test record.
His test record was:
Played 7
Innings 12
Not Out 2
Runs 376
Highest 136*
Average 37.60
100s 1
50s 0
Catches 3
His first class record, mainly for Middlesex, was more modest on average:
Played 166
Innings 262
Not Out 17
Runs 6350
Highest 136*
Average 25.91
100s 7
50s 32
Catches 72
9. Mike Brearley - born Harrow, Middlesex 1942
Mike Brearley played in 39 tests captaining in 31 of them, with a record of won 18, drawn 9, lost 4. This includes Ashes series wins both home and away and puts him up there amongst the most successful of England captains. His career was entwined with the Packer years. Initially he was vice captain to Tony Greig but when Greig announced his involvement with Packer (and was consequently sacked!) Mike was asked to take over. This he did with some reluctance. Most of us know the story from there. A prince of captains indeed. He later wrote 'The Art of Captaincy' which is a recognised seminal book on cricket and leadership generally.
His debut as a test player was at Trent Bridge in the 1976 West Indies series, opening with John Edrich; Mike made 0 and 17 at a time when the West Indies had a formidable team including demon fast bowlers (Roberts, Julien, Holder and Daniel in that match – Middlesex fans will be pleased to know that “it wasn’t Diamond what done for him” in either innings that match). Match drawn. He played in the second test at Lord's (Holding came in for Daniel that match) but Brearley was mercifully dropped for the rest of the series. This was the famous series which Greigy prefaced by saying that he was going to make the West Indies 'grovel'. England did well to lose only 3-0.
Editor’s note: Brearley consoled himself by leading Middlesex to victory over the West Indians and indeed most everyone else that summer.
Brearley then toured India in 1976/7 where in the last test in Bombay, he made what proved to be his highest test score of 91. England won that series 3-1. He then played in the centenary test of 1976/7 making 12 and 43. His score of 12 in the first England knock of 95 all out was the third highest. England lost. In 1977 the Packer World Series affair took off and Brearley took over the captaincy for the Ashes series which England won 3-0. His top score in this series was 81 at Trent Bridge.
There followed a drawn series in Pakistan in 1977/8 during which Brearley was struck on the arm by Sikander Bhatt in a warm up game between the 2nd and 3rd tests. He was forced to return home and Boycott took over the captaincy for the rest of the tour which ended in New Zealand. Mike reappeared the following summer (1978) for the reverse tours by Pakistan and NZ. These ended 2-0 and 3-0 to England respectively.
Despite criticism from media hacks, Brears captained the Ashes tour of 78/9 to defend the old urn. This he did to the tune of 5-1, though he struggled personally with the bat. In the 1979 summer, England hosted the World Cup, where Mike took England to the final only to lose to the West Indies juggernaut. I well remember watching this from the Nursery End and seem to recall Mike taking an amazing running catch. Then followed the India tour where by dint of an innings win at Edgbaston, England won 1-0.
Then followed the non Ashes tour of 1979/80 which England lost 3-0. Ashes tours by then, were deemed to be of 5 match duration. In the 1st test of that series in Perth there occurred the famous clash between Brearley and Lillee over the use of an aluminium bat wielded by Lillee. Brearley refused to accept this bat and won his point. Lillee then hurled it in the general direction of the pavilion, Since then the Laws have been amended to say that the bat must be made of 'wood'.
There followed the Golden Jubilee Test in India in Bombay on the way home. England winning by 10 wkts. Brearley then stood down from the England team and Botham took over the captaincy. This lasted until the Lord's test of the 1981 Ashes series when Botham resigned with England 1-0 down. Mike was asked to take up the baton which he did and then inspired Botham and others to achieve historic wins in the next three matches; the famous Headingley win followed by the almost equally nail-biting Edgbaston win and the Old Trafford clincher. The final (drawn) match at the Oval (test 907) being Mike Brearley’s last test.
Editor’s note: The last three tests of that historic 1981 series saw Brearley, Gatting and Embury all appear in the same test match. Surely a unique triple; three players who were to be England captains all from the same county. And all three playing their part in such an awesome series.
Mike Brearley’s legacy was three Ashes series victories. A tough act to follow. His record as a batsman was modest and attracted his critics. But you cannot argue with his world class captaincy record. His slip catching was also outstanding, pouching 52 catches. The Borough of Hillingdon and Uxbridge Cricket Club named a road after him called Brearley Close, adjacent to the ground, in his honour.
His test batting record was:
Played 39
Innings 66
Not Out 3
Runs 1442
Highest 91
Average 22.88
100s 0
50s 9
Catches 52
His first class batting record, mostly Middlesex, was pretty decent and as follows:
Played 455
Innings 768
Not Out 102
Runs 25186
Highest 312*
Average 37.81
100s 45
50s 134
Catches 418
10. Mike Gatting, born Kingsbury, Middlesex 1957
Gatt is the Middlesex player with the highest number of England caps; 79. Test centurywise, his total of 10 puts him second only to Denis Compton with 17, on the Middlesex list of test centurions. Of those 79 caps, 23 were as captain, with a record of won 2, drawn 16, lost 5. Crucially, the 2 wins came in the Ashes tour of 1986/7 which secured a 2-1 victory and was England’s last success until 'you know when'.
Mike Gatting was elevated to the captaincy in similar circumstances to Mike Brearley, if memory serves me correctly. After the 1st Test at Lord's of the 1986 India series was lost, Gower was removed from the captaincy and Gatt took over. The next test at Leeds was also lost and with it the series. Gatt did have a consolation prize of scoring 183* not out in the 3rd Test at Edgbaston. There followed the New Zealand series the same summer, which was lost 1-0, despite another ton from Gatt at The Oval of 121.
Gatt was unfortunate to captain in the summer (so called) of 1987. The weather was appalling and had a big say in losing the 5 test Pakistan series 1-0. In particular the 1st and 4th tests. where rain came to Pakistan's aid when England had them over the proverbial 'barrel'. There followed the World Cup in Pakistan/India where Gatt (as his Middlesex and England predecessor had done 1979), piloted England to another losing final.
Next followed the controversial 3 test tour of Pakistan featuring the Shakoor Rana affair at Faisalabad. The series was lost 1-0. The next port of call was New Zealand in early 1988 which resulted in a drawn series 0-0. This brought on the 1988 tour by West Indies where Gatt lost the captaincy after winning the one day series 3-0 and drawing the first test at Trent Bridge. This was, in time-honoured tradition, a consequence of tabloid tales. Gatting’s sacking did not seem a good idea to me at the time, given that the West Indies were in their pomp. 18 years later, it still doesn't look any better as an idea. John Emburey took over for the next two tests which were both lost. He was then replaced by Chris Cowdrey, who lost the 4th and he in turn was replaced by Graham Gooch who lost the 5th. Result 4-0 to West Indies. If you check the A-Z guide you will find Gatting Way listed. An unusual honour for a current player, as he then was.
His test batting record was:
Played 79
Innings 138
Not Out 14
Runs 4409
Highest 207
Average 35.55
100s 10
50s 21
Catches 59
His first class batting record, mostly Middlesex, was as follows:
Played 551
Innings 861
Not Out 123
Runs 36549
Highest 258
Average 49.52
100s 94
50s 181
Catches 493
Editor’s note: Gatt’s test record looks a trifle modest next to his 1st class record, which is truly awesome. He did come up against more than his fair share of test great bowlers, I suppose.
11. John Embury, born Peckham, London, 1952
J.E (John, or indeed 'Ernie') Embury played in 64 tests and captained in 2. He took over in awkward circumstances as described above, at a time when the team's morale must have been at rock bottom and against the West Indies in their pomp. Hardly surprising that both tests were lost. It is as a test player that John's record really shines. He did the all-rounder double of 1500 runs and 100 wickets and is one of four Middlesex spinners with over 100 test wickets. The others being Titmus, Edmonds and Tufnell.
He has returned to Lord's in the capacity of Middlesex coach. He arrived at a time when the Club was at a low ebb and has gradually guided Middlesex to calmer waters. Trophies are hopefully now beckoning, but Middlesex success is a different story.
His test batting record was:
Played 64
Innings 96
Not Out 20
Runs 1713
Highest 75
Average 22.53
100s 0
50s 10
Catches 34
His test bowling record was as follows:
Balls 15391
Runs 5646
Wickets 147
BBI 7/78
BBM 7/105
Average 38.40
Econ 2.20
SR 104.7
5WI 6
10WM 0
His first class batting record, mostly Middlesex, was as follows:
Played 513
Innings 644
Not Out 130
Runs 12021
Highest 133
Average 23.38
100s 7
50s 55
Catches 459
His first class bowling record was as follows:
Balls 112862
Runs 41958
Wickets 1608
BBI 8/40
BBM ?
Average 26.09
Econ 2.23
SR 70.18
5WI 72
10WM 12
Editor’s note. Embers 1st class record is exceptional. He was an incredibly mean bowler at 1st class and test level and was able to score vital runs for his team as well.
In conclusion
Middlesex can be immensely proud of its contribution to England cricket. More England captains have originated from Middlesex than from any other county. The blue riband of English cricket is generally recognised as the Anglo/Australian series. In this, Middlesex have made a full contribution with 4 of their players (Stoddart, Warner, Brearley, Gatting) captaining in Ashes successes, 4 of which were series wins in Australia - not a place where it is easy to win.
Editor’s final note: And who would bet against Middlesex supplying a twelfth captain in the not too distant future? Let’s just say that Seaxe Man is sharpening his pencil and studying Cricinfo player listings around the STR area.
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