Feb 24, 2012

Essex Cricketers ‘I’

Continuing our look back through the alphabet at Essex cricketers who served the County so well, we arrive at the letter ‘I’ as we reflect on the distinguished careers of three more players.

MARK ILOTT

Born in Watford in August 1970, he Mark learned  his cricket with the Watford  Town Cricket Club - for whom his father was president – and  represented Hertfordshire Colts and appeared for that County in Minor Counties cricket when just 16 years old.

He joined Essex in 1988 and made his first-class debut for us against Cambridge University gaining the first of his 628 first-class wickets when he bowled Michael Atherton who, later in his career, was to become England captain.

But even at that early stage in his career, Mark suffered injuries which temporarily halted his progress. However, he shook off those problems and by the end of 1990, the left-arm new ball bowler had established himself in the Essex team to assume the role as natural successor to John Lever. 

His talent was soon noted by the national selectors and he was chosen for an England ‘A’ tour to Pakistan in the winter of 1990/91 but in the opening match of our domestic season, he suffered a stress fracture of the back that was to sideline him for the remainder of the year.

Fully recovered for the start of the following campaign, he was showed no ill-effects taking 64 wickets that earned him another trip with England ‘A’, this time to Australia.  He was awarded his county cap in 1993 and experienced played Test cricket for the first time that summer. Mark was 12th man when England lost the first two Tests of a one-sided series before he made his debut in a drawn match. Bowling with great heart and energy, he returned match figures of 4-152 and he also batted stubbornly. He proved his stamina again in the next Test, taking 3-161 in 51 overs of hard graft although England lost by an innings and during the winter; he went to South Africa with the England ‘A’ party.

With Essex increasingly dependent on him to lead the attack, Ilott responded and bowled beautifully in 1995 taking 78 first-class wickets. He recorded the best bowling figures for the County in a single innings when he returned 9-19, including a hat-trick of lbws, against Northants and match figures of 14-105 in a Championship match at Luton yet Essex still lost. His performances that summer were enough to warrant a recall to the Test squad for the tour to South Africa, where, playing in the rain-ravaged third Test he produced his best Test figures of 3-48. He bowled well, though without much luck, in the fourth Test but a thigh injury sidelined him halfway through and his tour was over.

Just over 6 feet tall and capable of sending down deliveries with prodigious swing movement,  Mark took another 50 first-class wickets in 1996 but the burden of leading – and often carrying – the struggling seam Essex attack appeared to have affected his incisiveness on occasions. The 1997 term began well, but a heel injury impeded his progress and he struggled to recapture his rhythm however a good 1998 season was followed by an injury-ravaged 1999 and 2000. When available though, .he remained one of the most consistent performers in county cricket still proving a tough proposition. However, as his fitness went through a difficult time he found it increasingly difficult to maintain a place in the Essex side and, at the end of the 2002 season - his benefit year - he was released.

Mark was also an effective and consistent performer in one-day cricket taking 232 wickets and also providing valuable late order runs on a number of occasions. Always convivial, he was one of the most popular cricketers with members and supporters.

Since retiring, he has covered cricket for Sky Sports including a role as a witty summariser.

DOUG INSOLE

Born in Clapton in 1926 and educated at Sir George Monoux School in Walthamstow, Doug enjoyed a wonderful playing career, including nine Test appearances for England, before becoming prominent in cricket administration. Five of his international matches came in the 1956-57 series in South Africa, where he was vice-captain to Peter May and topped the tourists’ batting averages with 408 runs at an average 27.20.

Having studied at Cambridge University and captained the Light Blues in 1949, Doug became joint-captain of Essex in 1950.  Initially he shared duties with T.N. Pearce but assuming full control in June, a role he maintained until the end of the 1960 season when Trevor Bailey took over. Although Essex finished bottom of the Championship in 1950, over the next decade – influenced by Insole’s leadership qualities - they became a force in the competition.

By the time he retired in 1963, Insole had scored 20,113 first-class runs in 345 matches for Essex averaging 38.67, the ninth highest aggregate for the club. He was a fine batsman particularly strong on the on-side, who made 48 centuries for his County and one for England with a combination of great concentration and tenacity although his natural inclination was to score at a fast rate.  Named as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1956, Doug was an excellent slip fielder, an occasional wicket-keeper and a right-arm medium pace bowler who was good enough to take 138 first-class wickets. He was President of the MCC for the twelve months, beginning on October 1^st 2006. For his many services to cricket, Doug was appointed a CBE in 1979.

Doug made his first-class debut in 1947, firstly for Cambridge University and then later that summer, for Essex against Northamptonshire at Northampton and at the end of the season, he struck his maiden century for the County hitting 109 not out against Lancashire at Clacton. A shrewd judge with a quick sense of humour, Doug made a career total of 450 first-class appearances scoring 25,411 runs that included 54 centuries and 126 fifties. He passed 1,000 runs in a season on thirteen occasions reaching 2,000 runs three times.  His highest score was recorded  at Colchester when,  playing against Yorkshire in 1949,  he struck an unbeaten 219  during  a season that saw him lead the County batting averages by some margin with an average of 65.38. He was also awarded his county cap that summer.

His most productive season with the bat came in 1955 when he aggregated 2,427 runs averaging 42.57 and scored more runs than any other batsman in the country. He also returned his best bowling figures during that year when he took 5-22 against Surrey at Ilford. His last first-class appearance was at Clacton against Yorkshire in 1963 although he did make a single Sunday League appearance in 1969 when he played against Somerset at Yeovil.

Doug was also a talented amateur footballer who played for Corinthian Casuals in the 1956 Amateur Cup Final and he also appeared for Walthamstow Avenue  and Pegasus during his soccer career.

An inspirational leader, he set a fine example in the field and raising the county’s fielding standards. Doug made centuries against all the other first-class counties, and served cricket with considerable distinction after his playing career. He was on the MCC committee for over 20 years, and an England selector for nineteen. Notably he was chair of the Test and County Cricket Board at the time of the Packer "crisis", and led English cricket through a difficult time with much common sense. He also managed the 1978-79 England tour of Australia, and latterly was chair of the European Cricket Council. In 2006 he was elected as president of MCC. Council and is currently President of Essex Cricket.

A former capped player for Essex and a past Secretary of MCC and latterly journalist Jack bailey, once wrote this fitting tribute: “Essex and many facets of English cricket owe immeasurable debt to the time and effort Douglas Insole has put in on their behalf.  That he has enjoyed it, almost every moment, I have no doubt.”  

RONNIE IRANI

Having spent his formative years with Lancashire, all-rounder Ronnie found himself denied extended opportunities with the Red Rose County and so moved down to Essex in 1994 and it proved a rewarding move both for the player and his new County. By the time injury forced him to end his career; he had won three England Test caps to add to his 31 one-day international appearances and captained his adopted county for 7 years. He was still at the helm when a persistent and deteriorating knee condition forced him to prematurely retire in 2007.  An effective performer with both bat and ball, the serious nature of his knee problem in 2003 determined that bowling was no longer an option but Irani shook of that setback playing as a specialist batsman. His inability to bowl only served to enhance his batting illustrated by an average that exceeded 56 in both 2004 and 2005.

Ronnie was born in Leigh, near Bolton,  in October 1971 and immediately endeared himself to the Essex public on his move south with his vibrant  personality and totally committed, fighting spirit approach to the game. He had appeared in only nine first-class matches for Lancashire in four years but injuries to John Stephenson and Derek Pringle in 1994 offered him a regular opportunity to become a regular member of the Essex side. He needed no second invitation and he responded with some outstanding performances. 

Irani was a fine all-rounder. A forceful batsman, particularly strong off the back foot,  he could also offer stubborn defence when the situation demanded and was also an effective right-arm medium pace bowler with the ability to swing the ball away from the right-hander. He  fought his way into the Test side in 1996 making his debut at Edgbaston but after helping to save the match with India at Lord’s in the following match, he was dropped  and although he went on tour in 1996/97, he had to wait until 1999 for his third and final Test cap.

In 2000, he was named as Essex captain a role he retained, despite often playing through the pain barrier, until he was finally forced to quit in mid-season of 2007. Irani also combined the leadership responsibilities with some of the duties of first team coach following the decision of Graham Gooch to step down from the role prior to the start of the 2005 season.

At county level, Ronnie was a most feared opponent in the domestic game. He enjoyed a brilliant domestic 2002 campaign when he averaged 61 with the bat and 20 with the ball in first-class cricket winning him a recall to the England one-day side  and although he retained his place for the 2003 World Cup, his  knee problems were beginning to surface  In a bid to extend his cricket career, although by now exclusively as a batsman, Irani flew to America and then Germany to undergo knee treatment with positive results, In 2006 he averaged 59 in the Championship and began 2007 with 144 against Derbyshire in the opening Championship match of the season before recording his career-best innings of 218 against Glamorgan at Chelmsford in the next game. However, that was to prove his final first-class innings at the County Ground.

During a Championship game with Leicestershire in May 2007, Irani slipped and   twisted his knee and was forced to seek immediate medical attention. After treatment and a final consultation with his specialist, it was revealed that the damage was more serious than initially feared and he was told that if he continued professional sport, then it would seriously affect his health and lifestyle. Ronnie acted upon the specialist’s advice and announced his retirement.

By the time his career ended, he had played 211 first-class matches for Essex accumulating 12,944  first-class runs  @43.43 and also claimed 316 wickets @29.24.  In one-day league matches for Essex, Irani struck 4,392 runs in 179 matches and also claimed 161 wickets.

A fine ambassador for the Club, he is one of the most popular players to have represented the county and now has a permanent position at talksport where he co-hosts a daily early morning programme.