15 Facts About Dennis Brookes

Dennis Brookes was an English cricketer who played for Northamptonshire between 1934 and 1959.

Dennis Brookes played in one Test match for England against West Indies in 1948.

Dennis Brookes attended Kippax Council School, where he was captain of cricket and football.

Dennis Brookes quickly became a regular in the county team, but his career was interrupted by the Second World War, in which he served as a sergeant-instructor in the RAF.

Dennis Brookes's tour ended prematurely after he chipped a finger bone immediately after the first Test.

Brown retired in 1953, and Dennis Brookes took over, the first professional captain of the county.

Dennis Brookes was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1957, but he stood down as captain for 1958, replaced by Raman Subba Row, an amateur.

Dennis Brookes retired from first-class cricket after the 1959 season, but captained the Players against the Gentlemen that year.

Dennis Brookes passed 1,000 runs in a season 17 times, and 2,000 runs six times.

Dennis Brookes made 71 first-class centuries, including one against each of the other 16 counties, and six double centuries.

Dennis Brookes held many Northamptonshire records, including the most appearances, most career runs, most centuries and most runs in a season.

Dennis Brookes was later captain of the Northamptonshire second XI, a coach for Northamptonshire, and a local magistrate.

Dennis Brookes was president of Northamptonshire from 1982 to 1985.

In 1947, in a match between Northamptonshire and Somerset, Arthur Wellard, was bowling rather well, when Dennis Brookes, who was batting, played a false stroke through the slips beating the eccentric Boss Meyer as he was too crippled by lumbago to bend down to catch it.

Dennis Brookes died in March 2006, in Northampton, at the age of 90.