George Duckworth

For other people named George Duckworth, see George Duckworth (disambiguation).

George Duckworth
Personal information
Full name
George Duckworth
Born(1901-05-09)9 May 1901
Warrington, Lancashire, England
Died5 January 1966(1966-01-05) (aged 64)
Warrington, Lancashire, England
BattingRight-handed
BowlingOccasional right arm medium
RoleWicket-keeper
RelationsHugh de Prez (grandson)[1]
Ronald Taylor (cousin)[1]
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 219)26 July 1924 v South Africa
Last Test18 August 1936 v India
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1923–1938Lancashire
Career statistics
Competition Tests First-class
Matches 24 504
Runs scored 234 4,947
Batting average 14.62 14.59
100s/50s 0/0 0/6
Top score 39 not out 75
Balls bowled 0 68
Wickets – 0
Bowling average – –
5 wickets in innings – –
10 wickets in match – –
Best bowling – –
Catches/stumpings 45/15 755/343
Source: CricketArchive, 28 February 2009

George Duckworth (9 May 1901 – 5 January 1966) was a professional cricketer who played first-class cricket for Lancashire and England. Duckworth played over 500 times for Lancashire and 24 times in Test cricket for England. Over eight decades after retiring, Duckworth still holds the record for dismissals for Lancashire.

Early life

Duckworth was born in Warrington, Lancashire as the eldest of 10 children. His father, Arthur, had been a wicketkeeper and young George followed in his footsteps, playing behind the stumps for Boteler Grammar School and later taking his father's spot in the Warrington Cricket Club first team.[2][3][4] Duckworth was the nephew of the rugby league footballer for Warrington, Jack Duckworth.

Playing career

Duckworth joined the groundstaff at Warwickshire County Cricket Club in 1922, before returning to his home county Lancashire in 1923.[2] He played his first game for the county in 1923.[5] 1928 was his best season, with him taking 77 catches and 30 stumpings, and this earned him the accolade of being one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1929.[6] He played 24 Test matches for England, but as a wicket-keeper he was in direct competition in his later years with Les Ames, who was a much better batsman. At county level, Duckworth also faced stiff competition from Bill Farrimond, who was considered good enough to represent England four times between 1931 and 1935.

He was awarded a benefit in 1934, which raised £1,257.[1][7]

Duckworth announced his Lancashire retirement in 1937 but returned for one county match in June 1938 in Farrimond's absence. He played his final first-class match in a 1947 North v South game.[8][9]

He was reputed to have the loudest shout of appeal of any cricketer of his time.[10]

Post-playing career

After retirement, Duckworth was a journalist and a broadcaster on both cricket and rugby league. He went on to become a member of the Lancashire committee. He also acted as a cricket tour organiser and as baggage master and scorer on Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) tours.[11][12] Frank Worrell, recognising the high esteem that Len Hutton had held Duckworth's role in 1953/54 took him to Australia as West Indies' baggageman/scorer/guru on their ground-breaking tour.[13]

Death and legacy

On New Year's Day 1966, Duckworth collapsed near his home in Warrington and died less than a week later at the Warrington General Hospital.[14] At his funeral at the Warrington Parish Church on 7 January 1966, his coffin was carried by players of both the Lancashire County Cricket Club and the Warrington Rugby League Club. He was later cremated at the Walton Crematorium.[15]

Duckworth's total of 925 dismissals as a wicket-keeper for Lancashire is a record for the county.[16]

A peanut shaped roundabout in his home town Warrington has been named after him. Duckworth's Roundabout is at Birchwood Way (A574) and Oakwood Gate.[17]

References

  1. ^ a b c "George Duckworth". CricketArchive. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  2. ^ a b Blackstaff (9 June 1923). "A survey of cricket. Lancashire gives youth its chance; the story of Duckworth". Liverpool Echo. p. 3. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  3. ^ Argus Junior (28 July 1923). "Pickings from the pitches". Sports Argus. p. 1. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  4. ^ Bearshaw, Brian (1990). "Chapter 9 1919–25". From the Stretford end : the official history of Lancashire County Cricket Club. Partridge Press. pp. 219–20. ISBN 185225081X. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
  5. ^ Goodridge, Tony (6 January 1966). "G. Duckworth dies at the age of 64". The Daily Telegraph. p. 12. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  6. ^ "Cricketer of the Year 1929 – George Duckworth". Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. 1929. Archived from the original on 8 April 2025. Retrieved 4 January 2026 – via ESPNcricinfo.
  7. ^ Olympian (25 May 1934). "George Duckworth's benefit". The Bolton News. p. 9. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  8. ^ "Duckworth retiring at end of season". Manchester Evening News. 7 August 1937. p. 1. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
  9. ^ "First-Class Matches played by George Duckworth". CricketArchive. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
  10. ^ "'Ducky'—man with an appeal you could never forget". Evening Standard. 5 January 1966. p. 15. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  11. ^ Cardus, Neville (6 January 1966). "George Duckworth". The Guardian. p. 5. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  12. ^ Hutton, Leonard (9 January 1966). "George Duckworth". The Observer. p. 19. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  13. ^ Woodhouse, David (2021). Who Only Cricket Know: Hutton's Men in the West Indies 1953/54. London: Fairfield Books. pp. 363–4. ISBN 9781909811591.
  14. ^ "Duckworth is still serious". Liverpool Echo. 3 January 1966. p. 1. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  15. ^ "Ex-Test star mourned". Liverpool Echo. 7 January 1966. p. 13. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  16. ^ "Most victims in a career for Lancashire". CricketArchive. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  17. ^ Bysouth, Alex (7 June 2015). "HALL OF HEROES: George Duckworth". Warrington Guardian. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  • Media related to George Duckworth at Wikimedia Commons
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