Line and Length
Cricketer Of The Year
One of the saddest losses to cricket was Colin Milburn who retired after losing the sight of his left eye in a motor accident in 1969. His right eye was also damaged. He announced his retirement in 1971 but attempted a comeback in 1973 and 1974. However, he was a shadow of his former self, and these games did little beyond reducing his career batting average.
Milburn played 9 Test matches scoring 2 centuries and 2 half centuries at an average of 46.7 but it was more a case of his aggressive style than any statistics for which he is remembered. Perhaps this was best illustrated by his 243 in a Shield game for WA against Queensland. In this innings he scored 181 runs between lunch and tea.
Milburn's Test career was cut short by his accident but it was also truncated because he was sometimes regarded as a liablility in the field. This was definitely the case early in his career. Selected for the First Test against the West Indies in 1966, he had the most ignominious start for an opener, run out for a first-innings duck. He redeemed himself with 94 in the second innings as England went down to a heavy defeat. An aggressive century (126 not out) helped England to draw the Second Test, and despite standing up courageously to the formidable Caribbean pace attack in the following matches, he was dropped for the final Test, supposedly because his bulk hindered his mobility in the field.
Milburn died of a heart attack in 1990. His funeral was attended by hundreds, including ex-players and fans, with Ian Botham one of the pallbearers. Nicknamed "Ollie" in reference to Oliver Hardy. Milburn never married.
Milburn played 9 Test matches scoring 2 centuries and 2 half centuries at an average of 46.7 but it was more a case of his aggressive style than any statistics for which he is remembered. Perhaps this was best illustrated by his 243 in a Shield game for WA against Queensland. In this innings he scored 181 runs between lunch and tea.
Milburn's Test career was cut short by his accident but it was also truncated because he was sometimes regarded as a liablility in the field. This was definitely the case early in his career. Selected for the First Test against the West Indies in 1966, he had the most ignominious start for an opener, run out for a first-innings duck. He redeemed himself with 94 in the second innings as England went down to a heavy defeat. An aggressive century (126 not out) helped England to draw the Second Test, and despite standing up courageously to the formidable Caribbean pace attack in the following matches, he was dropped for the final Test, supposedly because his bulk hindered his mobility in the field.
Milburn died of a heart attack in 1990. His funeral was attended by hundreds, including ex-players and fans, with Ian Botham one of the pallbearers. Nicknamed "Ollie" in reference to Oliver Hardy. Milburn never married.
