Derek Shackleton played seven tests for England and took a record 2,669 wickets for Hampshire. He was born on August 12, 1924, in Todmorden, Lancashire, United Kingdom. Only six men have taken more wickets than his total first-class haul of 2,857.
Derek Shackleton was a medium-paced seam bowler who was exceptionally accurate but not fast enough to be often called upon by England. He was incredibly unfortunate not to have been called upon more often. Unfortunately for him, he played in an era when Alec Bedser, Fred Trueman, and others were dominant.
According to John Arlott, Derek Shackleton was incredibly accurate and shrewdly varied. He was beating down as unremittingly as February rain. Shackleton was also economical, conceding fewer than two runs and an over. Initially, he relied on the late outswing, but he later developed an equally late inswinger, and he could also cut the ball either way off the pitch.
Although he played seven test matches in two spurts, separated by nearly a decade, he was not as effective at the top level. His hidden talent was soon recognized, and he played his first Test against the West Indies in 1950. He played once in 1950 and 1951 and then toured India in 1951–52, finishing with the most wickets but only one more test. He had to wait until 1963 for a recall, taking 14 wickets at 34.53 against the West Indies, including 3 for 93 and the best 4 for 92 at Lord’s.
Derek Shackleton made his test debut for Hampshire, who spotted him while he was playing service cricket. In 1948, he was taken on as a batsman who bowled occasional leg spin. Bereft of quick bowlers, Hampshire asked him to give it a try. Shackleton took 21 wickets in his first season and a hundred in his second season.
In a career that lasted until 1969, he took 100 wickets in a season 20 times consecutively. His haul of 172 in 1962, a year after he had helped the county to their first championship title, Being the best, few bowlers have got through so many overs and those that have been spinners He had a really impressive personality on and off the field. And fairly tall, good-looking with neat dark wavy hair, always looks clean-cut and immaculate.
In 1955, Shackleton took match figures of 14 for 29 against Somerset. Which includes the famous 8 for 4 in their first inning? In 1950, he took five wickets in nine balls for no runs. But not including a hat trick, which was about the only achievement that eluded him.
In all, Shackleton took 2,857 first-class wickets at 18.65 in 647 matches. He also scored 9,574 runs in first-class cricket at 14.61 with an 87* was his highest score against Essex at Bournemouth in 1949. His best bowling was 9 for 30. His 18 test wickets cost him 42.66. After retiring, he coached and acted as a groundsman at Canford School in Dorset and he had a brief spell as an umpire in 1979. He was one of Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Year in 1959.
He was a useful footballer on the books of Burnley F.C. as a goalkeeper in 1943. However, despite his great love for cricket, he dropped his soccer passion. He died on September 27, 2007, at the age of 83. His son Julian Shackleton also played first-class for Yorkshire in the mid-1970s.
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