Willie Watson (England cricketer)

Infobox Historic Cricketer


nationality = English
country = England
country abbrev = ENG
name = Willie Watson
picture = Cricket_no_pic.pngbatting style = Left-hand bat
bowling style = -
tests = 23
test runs = 879
test bat avg = 25.85
test 100s/50s = 2/3
test top score = 116
test balls = -
test wickets = -
test bowl avg = -
test 5s = -
test 10s = -
test best bowling = -
test catches/stumpings = 8/-
FCs = 468
FC runs = 25670
FC bat avg = 39.86
FC 100s/50s = 55/132
FC top score = 257
FC balls = 194
FC wickets = -
FC bowl avg = -
FC 5s = -
FC 10s = -
FC best bowling = -
FC catches/stumpings = 295/-
debut date = 7 June
debut year = 1951
last date = 14 March
last year = 1959
source = http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/22340.html

William "Willie" Watson, (7 March 1920 – 23 April 2004) was a cricketer who played for Yorkshire, Leicestershire and England. He was a double international as he was also a footballer who represented England.

Cricket career

Born in Bolton on Dearne, England, Watson, a left-handed batsman, made his debut for Yorkshire in 1939 and was a regular in the side for a dozen years after the Second World War. He made his Test match debut against the South Africans in 1951, and did well. But at a time when England was rich in batting talent, Watson rarely commanded a regular place and his 23 Test matches were spread across eight years. His most famous innings was one of 109, in almost six hours, which enabled England to save the second Test at Lord's in 1953 against the Australians when the game appeared to be lost.

Watson's cricket career received a late boost when, in 1958, he left Yorkshire and joined Leicestershire as assistant secretary and captain. He temporarily regained his England place and was also instrumental in a limited revival of the county's fortunes. He retired in 1962 though he made several appearances in 1964.

He was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1954.

Football career

As a footballer, Watson was a cultured wing-half for Huddersfield Town, Sunderland and Halifax Town. He made 223 league appearances for Sunderland in his seven seasons at the club. He played for England four times, gaining his first cap in England's 9-2 victory over Northern Ireland in November 1949. He was a member of the squad for the 1950 FIFA World Cup, though he did not appear in any of the games in the tournament in Brazil. He had two spells in charge of Halifax, from 1954 to 1956 and later from 1964 to 1966 and also also managed Bradford City from 1966 to 1968, where he laid the foundations of a promotion-winning team, but his biggest successes were in cricket.

External links