Brian Close

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The last years at Yorkshire

In 1969 Close played only 18 County Championship games as he was plagued by a calf injury, although he did lead Yorkshire to victory in the one-day Gillette Cup for a second time, the first time being in 1965. A shoulder injury saw Close miss much of the 1970 season, and Yorkshire fell down the County Championship table, but once Close was fit again, they had an extraordinary run and finished a creditable fourth.

Related Topics:
1969 - One-day - 1965 - 1970

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Close, however, has always opposed one-day cricket, believing that it lessens players' abilities. Mike Procter notes that when Gloucestershire played Yorkshire in the John Player 40-over League in 1970, with Yorkshire 3 wickets down needing 6 an over, word came from Close in the dressing room: "No chance of winning this one, lads — just get some batting practice."

Related Topics:
Mike Procter - Gloucestershire - 1970 - Over

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Yorkshire had a policy of not offering contracts to its players, but in return they would tell cricketers by the end of July if they did not require their services the next summer. When July 1970 came and went, Close must have thought he was safe. However, Close offended the Lancashire president, the Honourable Lionel Lister when Lister entered the away captain's changing room to speak to Close after Lancashire, Yorkshire's arch rivals, had beaten them at Old Trafford to retain the one-day John Player League trophy. Close, who may not have known who Lister was, offered Lister some choice words. Then Lister immediately told Brian Sellers, his Yorkshire counterpart, of the insult.

Related Topics:
Lancashire - Old Trafford

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Close wrote a letter to Lister apologising, and gave a copy to a Yorkshire committeeman. But the letter was never presented to the committee as a whole, which voted to sack him as the first agenda item on their next meeting. And so it was that in November 1970, Close was summoned to see Sellers, when he was given the choice of either resigning or being sacked. To begin with, he chose to resign. But later that day, and after speaking to his legal adviser, he retracted this, leaving Yorkshire to sack him. The reason, according to Yorkshire, was Close's dislike for the new 40-over one-day cricket league, that was first played in 1969 (Close thought it led to bad habits and negative play) and because Close had supposedly not brought on the younger players.

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