Ray Illingworth: A fine cricketer and England captain, at his best when in control

HUW TURBERVILL pays tribute to former England captain Ray Illingworth, who has died at the age of 89

Control was a keyword when it came to Ray Illingworth. Control when it came to his bowling, which was supremely accurate and parsimonious. And control when it came to telling the story of his cricket adventures.

I rang him to find out about his Ashes tours. He was very bitter about the 1962/63 trip. He called it the 'Sussex tour' because the people in control were from the Home Counties.

He was hilarious about the Duke of Norfolk, the tour manager, recounting how he woke in the middle of the night and said to his wife: "I want to lead MCC to Australia."

"Then you must, Marmaduke, you must," said his wife.

It was a real them-and-us approach that winter – the amateurs were given cars to drive and the professionals had to do what they were told. Illingworth had to leave his sickbed to field for Colin Cowdrey, who wanted to take his wife to the cinema.

In 1970/71, Illingworth was not having a truck of it. He was captain, he was in control. He inspired the best out of Geoffrey Boycott, and had a wonderful spearhead in John Snow, who he man-managed magnificently. He led the team off the field at Sydney when Snow was manhandled by a spectator, although Keith Fletcher thought it was a storm in a teacup.

^{Michael Atherton was England captain when Illingworth became chairman of selectors (Graham Chadwick/Getty Images)}

That 2-0 Ashes victory was one of England's greatest. He spoke to me for what seemed hours. My hand ached from taking down his memories, for he spoke rapidly and fluently.

It contrasted amusingly with when I rang him to discuss the surprise defeat to India at home in 1971. "I don't wish to talk about that," he said, and the phone went down.

He was very fine cricketer. An accurate bowler, he did have a reputation for choosing his moments to bowl when conditions suited. He hated going for any runs. He was a handy batter, lower middle order, although sometimes he even opened when the professionals didn’t fancy it.

He was an excellent captain although he had to leave Yorkshire to be given a chance in charge, and achieved great success for Leicestershire, winning the County Championship in 1975 and four one-day trophies.

He came out of retirement at 50 to lead Yorkshire, and his bowling was as tight as ever.

He became England supremo in the mid-1990s. The job came at least a decade too late. He had a turbulent relationship with captain Mike Atherton, although there was grudging respect.

^{Illingworth and Bill Lawry toss up at the MCG during England's 1970/71 series win (Hulton/Getty Images)}

Some selections were inspired, like Craig White, but others were odd – he had blind spots about Jack Russell and Angus Fraser, for instance.

Attempts to remodel Devon Malcolm's action in South Africa in 1995/96 went disastrously – folly as Malcolm had taken 9 for 57 against the same opposition at The Oval in 1993.

Only one of the great Yorkshire quartet of legends remains now – Boycott – with Illingworth joining Fred Trueman and Brian Close in the great pavilion in the sky, no doubt discussing all matters of the White Rose.