http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/2135207/Vic-Wilson.html?DCMP=EMC-new_16062008
Vic Wilson Last Updated: 12:02AM BST 16/06/2008 Captain of Yorkshire who revived his county's fortunes and took the side to two championships in three years Vic Wilson, who died on June 5 aged 87, was a stalwart left-handed batsman for Yorkshire during the post-war years; he also became one of the most successful captains in the county's history. During the 1950s Yorkshire had so many fine players – among them Len Hutton, Frank Lowson, Willie Watson, Brian Close, Bob Appleyard, Johnny Wardle, Raymond Illingworth and Fred Trueman – that the passage of nine seasons (1950-58) without a championship title was regarded as a severe disappointment. A lot of the trouble lay in the dressing-room atmosphere, which was poisonous even by Yorkshire standards. When Norman Yardley retired as captain in 1955, Billy Sutcliffe, son of the great Herbert, took over for a couple of seasons without notably restoring morale. For 1958 the committee turned in desperation to a Bradford League veteran called Ronnie Burnet, who had never played first-class cricket. At first Burnet's captaincy seemed to make matters worse. In 1958, as Yorkshire sank to 11th position in the championship, the England left-arm spinner Johnny Wardle was sacked by the county for his disobliging attitude – or, as Wardle himself saw the matter, for refusing "to accept the authority of the quite hopeless old man appointed captain". In this crisis Vic Wilson, as senior professional, stood firmly behind Burnet. It may have been that, as Wardle's partner at bridge, he had endured quite enough recrimination on his own account; more pertinently, though, he understood that Yorkshire needed above all to establish unity and discipline. He himself, moreover, was just the man to help Burnet achieve this. Wilson's formidable physical presence went with a quiet and agreeable manner, while his strong will and determination were seasoned by dry humour. In a sudden reversal of fortune, Yorkshire won the championship in 1959. Although Wilson went through a bad period with the bat that summer, even dropping down to the second XI in order to recover his form, his influence played an important part in the county's resurgence. Burnet retired in triumph, and in 1960 Wilson took over the captaincy. He was the first professional to lead the county since the period 1878-82, when Tom Emmett had assumed the reins "in the absence of a gentleman". "Authority fitted him well," *Wisden* wrote of Wilson. "Almost overnight a quiet firmness crept into his voice, and there was purpose about his actions." While he made every member of the side feel wanted, he was as much a stickler for smart turn-out and discipline as the redoubtable Brian Sellars had been before the Second World War. Yorkshire retained the title in 1960. Wilson was the first to acknowledge how much the county owed to Fred Trueman's great bowling that season: 132 championship wickets at 12.79 apiece. The players themselves, though, accorded equal importance to Wilson's fair dealing as captain of the side. In the next season, 1961, Yorkshire won seven of their first eight games and seemed to be galloping away to a third successive triumph. Somehow, though, the side lost inspiration, and allowed Hampshire to snatch the championship. Ray Illingworth, whose bowling figures in these years were almost as impressive as Trueman's, and who in general admired Wilson, felt that there were key moments in 1961 when the captain lacked inspiration. Wilson, for his part, considered that he had not been tough enough with his players. It seemed at first as though the season of 1962 would prove another disappointment. A recovery began in July; yet when, at the end of that month, Trueman turned up late for the game against Somerset at Taunton, Wilson did not hesitate to drop him from the side. Of course, Trueman made the most of being outraged, and Yorkshire were gravely weakened. Wilson, though, had made his point. After the storm had subsided, Yorkshire performed strongly, and succeeded in regaining the championship by winning their last match of the season, against Glamorgan at Harrogate, even though rain allowed only two days' play. That was Wilson's last game for Yorkshire. In three years as captain he had led the county to two championships and second place in 1961. Members of his side such as Brian Stott, Ken Taylor, Brian Bolus, Doug Padgett and Phil Sharpe were surely no better than their predecessors. Thanks to Wilson, though, they were bonded into an effective team. Moreover, Brian Close was able to continue where Wilson left off, winning four more championships between 1963 and 1968. John Victor Wilson was born at Scampston, near Malton, on January 17 1921, the son of a farmer who was a well-known cricketer in the East Riding. Like his father, Vic became a left-handed batsman, striking the ball with agricultural strength. At Malton Grammar School he also excelled as a footballer, using his height to dominate at centre-forward or centre-half. He was good enough to sign amateur forms with Leeds United. Cricket came first, though. At 14 Wilson was playing for Malton, for whom he scored a century in the East Yorkshire Cup; at 16 he turned out for York and won the League batting prize. His father allowed him time off from the farm for cricket; and in the nets at Headingley, under the eye of the great Herbert Sutcliffe, the young hopeful encountered another promising youngster called Jim Laker. Farming being a reserved occupation, Vic Wilson was not called up during the Second World War. On Saturdays he played in the Bradford League, successively for Undercliffe, Bingley and Pudsey St Lawrence. "Wilson fails", proclaimed the local newspaper, after he had followed three successive centuries for Pudsey with an innings of 75. In 1946, when county cricket resumed, Wilson played six times for Yorkshire. Not until 1948, however, did he establish himself as a regular in the county side. That year he made more than 1,000 runs – a feat he would accomplish 14 times – and hit his maiden first-class century against Surrey at the Oval. There was nothing elegant about Wilson's batting, which remained more remarkable for power than for technique. His straight hitting, however, could be awesome, and he also developed a kind of combined square cut and drive which was all his own. On turning wickets he appeared leaden-footed and all at sea, though his determination never wavered. In the field, by contrast, he moved beautifully, and later in his career became a brilliant close catcher. Wilson's best season was 1951, when he made 2,027 runs at 48.26, and for the next five years he remained a thoroughly reliable Number 3. Chosen for the tour of Australia in 1954-55, he found the fast Australian wickets too testing for his powers. So impressive was his fielding, however, that he was chosen as 12th man for all five Tests, and then for two more in New Zealand. By a curious statistical foible Wilson ended the tour with a better bowling average than Johnny Wardle, Trevor Bailey and Alec Bedser, having taken five wickets at 20.00 apiece. Nevertheless, his right-arm medium pace was strictly occasional; he captured only four other wickets in his entire first-class career. In 502 matches Wilson scored 21,650 runs (including 30 centuries) at an average of 31.33. His highest score was 230 against Derbyshire in 1952. He also held 549 catches. In 1961 he was one of *Wisden*'s Five Cricketers of the Year. During the winter months Wilson returned to the farm, which also occupied him after his retirement from cricket. He did, however, turn out for Lincolnshire in the mid-1960s. Vic Wilson's wife, Gwen, predeceased him, and he is survived by their son and daughter. Dr Michael Benjamin, Psychiatrist myRay: For peace of mind, Free Online Self-Help CBT: http://www.myray.com Fact Sheet: Emotional Stress: http://www.MyDoctorExplains.com A Psychiatrist's Blog: http://www.DrMichaelBenjamin.com _______________________________________________ the Leeds List is an unmoderated mailing list and the list administrators accept no liability for the personal views and opinions of contributors. Leedslist mailing list [email protected] http://list.zetnet.co.uk/mailman/listinfo/leedslist "the morphine patch and the handfuls of dihydrocodiene and paracetamol did the business. I am GOING TO WEMBLEY !!!!" Dave Nattan May 16th 2008
