Billy Sutcliffe

William "Billy" Herbert Hobbs Sutcliffe (October 10, 1926 in Pudsey, near Leeds, Yorkshire, England - September 16, 1988 in Collingham, Yorkshire) was a professional cricketer, and the son of cricket great Herbert Sutcliffe; his middle name was in honour of Jack Hobbs.

Playing as a punishing right handed batsman and occasional medium and leg break bowler, he made his debut for Yorkshire County Cricket Club in 1948 and retired from the first class game in 1959. In 210 first class matches he scored 7530 runs, with a career best score of 181 against Kent, at the respectable average of 26.42. He scored 6 centuries in all, including 171* against Worcestershire and 161* against Glamorgan, and took 90 catches and 15 wickets at just 22.26. Bob Appleyard recalled that Billy batted with a 2 pounds 6 ounces bat, which had to be specially made as it was considered very heavy in its day.

Sutcliffe captained Yorkshire as an amateur for two largely unhappy years in 1956 and 1957 during which senior professionals felt they were more suited to the task. Surrey's dominance of the county championship remained undaunted but Sutcliffe led a recovering Yorkshire to 3rd in the county championship in his final season in charge.

Yorkshire great Brian Close called him "a super lad who made himself into a county cricketer because it was expected of him and because he believed in Yorkshire cricket and its right to pre-eminence. He was happier having a pint and a natter than he was in cracking the whip on the field."

Yorkshire and England spin bowler and MCC coach Don Wilson said "It was unfair to suggest he was only in the job because of his name. He was a great league player and had proved himself a knowledgeable captain for Leeds. It was the senior players who were at the root of this malediction."

References

* [http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/21133.html Cricinfo Profile]
* [http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/33/33132/33132.html Cricket Archive Statistics]