27 Facts About Derek Shackleton

Derek Shackleton was a Hampshire and England bowler.

Derek Shackleton took over 100 wickets in 20 consecutive seasons of first-class cricket, but only played in seven Tests for England.

Derek Shackleton has the seventh-highest tally of first-class wickets, and the most first-class wickets of any player who began his career after World War II.

Derek Shackleton holds the record for the most first-class wickets taken by any Hampshire player.

Derek Shackleton was born in Todmorden, on the border between Lancashire and Yorkshire in England.

Derek Shackleton was educated at Roomfield School, where he played cricket and football.

Derek Shackleton began his career in the Yorkshire and Lancashire leagues as an all-rounder bowling some medium pace, but decided to concentrate on leg spin.

Derek Shackleton was signed by Burnley FC as a goalkeeper.

Derek Shackleton joined the Army in 1942, entering the Pioneer Corps, and played Services cricket and football.

Derek Shackleton was signed by Hampshire in 1948, after being spotted by the Hampshire coach, Sam Staples.

Derek Shackleton took 100 wickets in 20 consecutive seasons, from 1949 until his retirement at the end of 1968.

Derek Shackleton almost reached a thousand runs as a batsman in his first season, but his batting subsequently declined until he was firmly entrenched in the lower order by the mid-1950s.

Derek Shackleton's talent was recognised, and he played his first Test against the West Indies in 1950.

Derek Shackleton failed on his only chance of an Ashes tour.

In taking eight wickets for four runs, Derek Shackleton posted the most remarkable bowling figures in county cricket in the 20th century.

Derek Shackleton was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1959, and recorded his best innings figures, 9 for 30, against Warwickshire at Portsmouth in 1960.

Derek Shackleton took nine wickets in an innings on three further occasions, and took five wickets in nine balls against Leicestershire in 1950, but never managed to take a hat-trick.

Derek Shackleton was ninth out in England's second innings, chasing six runs to win with two balls left to play.

Derek Shackleton supported an irresistible Trueman well with the ball in the third Test, but was relatively ineffective in the last two games, and never played for England again.

Derek Shackleton 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.

Derek Shackleton has the seventh-highest tally of first-class wickets, behind Rhodes, Tich Freeman, Charlie Parker, Jack Hearne, Tom Goddard and Alec Kennedy.

Derek Shackleton has the most first-class wickets of any player who played his whole career after the World War II.

Derek Shackleton bowled mostly in-swingers, with the occasional out-swinger, both moving late, with a classical high and smooth sideways-on action.

Derek Shackleton could move the ball off the seam, with a leg cutter, a yorker, and off-spinning slower ball.

Derek Shackleton umpired several first-class matches from 1979 to 1982.

Derek Shackleton became an honorary member of the Marylebone Cricket Club in 1994.

Derek Shackleton died in Canford Magna, Dorset in September 2007 at the age of 83, survived by his two children, his wife having predeceased him.