Brian Close

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Retirement

By the time he retired from county cricket at the end of the 1977 season, Close had achieved folk hero status for Somerset. He went on to play for Todmorden in the Lancashire League. Close also had a stint as an England selector between 1979 and 1981 and in 1984 he was elected to the Yorkshire committee. He became chairman of the cricket subcommittee, which led him into more controversy and conflict with the captain, Geoffrey Boycott.

Related Topics:
1977 - Todmorden - Lancashire League - 1979 - 1981 - 1984 - Geoffrey Boycott

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After his retirement from Somerset, Close continued to play at the Scarborough Festival against the touring international teams, first for TN Pearce?s XI in 1978 and then for his own XI from 1982 to 1986. In 1986, aged 55, and playing his last-ever first-class innings, Close needed 10 runs to achieve a career-total 35,000 runs. When he scored 4 he glanced a ball down leg-side to the wicket-keeper and walked. Afterwards, the New Zealanders said that if they'd known how near he was to the landmark, they would have let him stay, but Close would have none of it – he was out, and that was that. Close's 786 first-class matches leave him 10th on the all-time list. Only four other outfielders have taken more catches.

Related Topics:
1978 - 1982 - 1986 - Wicket-keeper

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Close continued to turn out to help train Yorkshire youngsters; sometimes captaining games with them and taking the short leg position without a cap, a position he had taken so many times in the past.

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