jack bannister

obituaries
GRAHAM
atkinson
The former Somerset and Lancashire
opening batsman, has died aged 77.
Born and raised in Yorkshire, he was
recommended to Somerset by Johnny
Lawrence and made his first-class
debut for them against Pakistan in
1954. His County Championship debut
came a few days later.
He made his maiden century for
Combined Services, 164 against
Warwickshire at Taunton in 1958,
while doing his national service in
the RAF, and prospered when he rejoined
Somerset in 1958, making five
centuries the following year. In 1961
he became the youngest Somerset
batsman to score 2,000 runs in a County
Championship season.
He also topped 2,000 in 1962 - and
1,000 runs in each of the next five
seasons - but left Somerset in 1966
after he was overlooked for the
captaincy and offered only a one-year
contract. He played three more seasons
with Lancashire.
In his 271 matches for Somerset,
Atkinson scored almost 14,500 runs
at an average of 32.08 and was highly
regarded for his fine technique on
uncovered pitches. In all he played in
347 first-class matches and scored
17,654 runs, including 27 centuries.
He returned to Somerset in his later
years and lived near Bath. He was a
regular attender at Somerset former
player functions.
COLIN HILTON
The former Lancashire and Essex fastbowler
has died, aged 78 after a short
illness. Born and raised in Atherton, his
performances in the league attracted
Lancashire’s attention and he made
his debut for them against Cambridge
University in 1957.
Hilton took 94 wickets in 1962, and
also topped 50 wickets in 1961 and
1964, the latter being his only season
with Essex. In total he took 321 wickets
in 115 first-class matches - including
eight five-wicket hauls.
tom graveney
Tom Graveney, the former England, Gloucestershire and
Worcestershire player who was one of the most elegant batsmen of
his era and has a place in the ICC’s Hall of Fame, has died aged 88.
Tom Graveney’s death came just nine days after that
of his elder brother Ken, who was also a former
Gloucestershire captain.
Tom, who was born in Northumberland but raised in
Bristol, scored 11 centuries in 79 Tests and captained
his country against Australia at Headingley in 1968. He
served as President of the MCC and Worcestershire and
worked as a television commentator after retiring as
a player.
Graveney made his debut for Gloucestershire in 1948
and captained them in 1959 and 1960 before moving to
Worcestershire, where he had to complete a qualification
period before playing his new county.
He made his Test debut against South Africa in 1951 and
toured Australia three times, topping England’s batting
averages in the 1954-55 Ashes series.
His highest first-class score of 258 – one of seven
double centuries – came against the West Indies at Trent
Bridge in 1958.
His Test career ended suddenly and controversially.
He had committed himself to appearing in one of his
benefit matches on the rest day of the first Test against
the West Indies in 1969 and faced two balls at the start of
the match. That was enough to bring disciplinary action.
Graveney was suspended for three Tests but was not
selected by England again.
He continued to score heavily in domestic cricket for
Worcestershire and made his 100thfirst-class century for
them in 1964.
Graveney, whose nephew David also captained
Gloucestershire, retired from county cricket in 1970 but
continued to play in Australia for Queensland where
he also coached. His last first-class appearance came
for Queensland in 1971. In all, he scored 47,793 runs,
including 122 centuries, in 732 first-class matches. He
scored a further 1,147 runs in 45 one-day matches.
He captained Worcestershire from 1968 to 1970 and was
awarded a benefit in 1969. His services to cricket were
recognised with the award of an OBE in 1968.
thepca.co.uk / BtB issue 18 19