Derek Shackleton

Derek Shackleton (born August 12, 1924, Todmorden, Yorkshire, England) was a Hampshire and England bowler who influenced the trend of short-of-a-length medium-pace bowling that was responsible for the declining attractiveness of English first-class cricket during the 1950s and 1960s. However, Shackleton was much more skilful and deceptive than most bowler of this type: able to vary his pace constantly and to swing the ball both ways in the often cloudy English atmosphere. Shackleton's accuracy was remarkable, and his solid build gave him such great stamina that in some seasons he bowled several hundred more overs than any other bowler in the County Championship.

Related Topics:
August 12 - 1924 - Todmorden - Yorkshire - England - Bowler - First-class cricket - 1950s - 1960s - County Championship

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Shackleton began his career in the Yorkshire and Lancashire leagues as an all-rounder, and was signed by Hampshire in 1948. In his first season he did little of note, but in 1949, despite unfavourable pitches, Shackleton became the mainstay of Hampshire's attack and took 100 wickets - a feat he achieved every year until his retirement. He batted so well that year that he almost reached a thousand runs, but after this his batting declined until he was firmly entrenched in the lower order by the middle 1950s.

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However, Shackleton's advance as a bowler was so rapid that in 1950 he played his first Test against the West Indies. With the pitches plumb and batsmen willing to hit him, Shackleton enjoyed little success and failed on his only chance of an Ashes tour, but in county cricket he was already one of the best opening bowlers. After another successful season in 1951, Shackleton was chosen to tour India in 1951/1952, but though accurate he lacked penetration on the slow Indian turf.

Related Topics:
Test - Ashes tour

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With Freddie Trueman and Brian Statham solving England's woes in pace bowling from 1952 onwards, Shackleton had no opportunities in Test cricket for over a decade, but his county record continued to improve: he took 150 wickets for 20.46 each in 1953, and bettered that in 1955 with 159 and 1958 with 165. In the former year Shackleton took an amazing 14 for 29 at Weston-super-Mare.

Related Topics:
Freddie Trueman - Brian Statham

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Shackleton's amazing workrate reached new levels in the following years: he bowled over 9000 balls in the dry summer of 1961 - spearheading Hampshire's drive to their first County Championship win. In 1962 Shackleton became the last bowler to bowl 10000 balls in a season (and only the third who was not a spinner after J.T. Hearne and Maurice Tate). His continuing superb form in 1963 saw Shackleton recalled - surprisingly - to the Test arena for the Second Test against the West Indies at Lord's to support Trueman. He supported an irresistible Trueman well in the Second and Third Tests but was relatively ineffective in the last two games and never played for England again. He was the leading first-class wicket-taker every year from 1962 to 1965, and although limited-overs cricket showed he could be hit, Shackleton remained amazingly economical right up to his retirement from first-class cricket at the end of 1968 - still among the top ten wicket-takers in the country. He played a few limited-overs games in 1969 and 1970, and played for Dorset for a number of years after this - showing he still retained his skill in the 1973 Gillette Cup.

Related Topics:
J.T. Hearne - Maurice Tate - Lord's

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