Frederick John Titmus MBE was an English cricketer, whose first-class career spanned five decades died he was , 78. Although he was best known for his off spin (though at first he bowled medium pace as well), he was an accomplished lower-order batsman who deserved to be called an all-rounder, even opening the batting for England on six occasions. Outside of cricket, Titmus was also an able footballer; at one stage he was contracted to Watford as a professional, having earlier played for Chelsea as a junior.(24 November 1932 – 23 March 2011) |
Early years
Titmus was in his school's first XI by the age of thirteen, and when sixteen he wrote to Lord's, the ground being very close to his home, to ask for a trial. He was quickly accepted onto the MCC groundstaff, and in June 1949 he was plucked straight from the groundstaff to make his first-class cricket debut against Somerset at Bath. Although he did little in the match, his selection for the first team at such a young age was a clear sign of his potential.1950 was Titmus's first full season of county cricket, and he performed reasonably well, taking 55 wickets including 7–34 against [Minor Counties in July. His appearances in 1951 and 1952 were restricted because of his National Service obligations, although he kept his hand in with games for the Combined Services. In 1953 he returned to play for Middlesex full-time, and took 105 wickets, the first of 16 years in which he would reach three figures.
1955 was a superb year for Titmus, as he did the double for the first time:[2] he took what would remain his best season's haul of 191 wickets at just 16.31, taking five or more wickets in an innings on no less than 18 occasions. 158 of these wickets were for his county, beating by four the record set up in 1900 by Albert Trott. He also passed a thousand runs for the first time, scoring 1,235 including the first of his six centuries, making 104 against Hamshire albeit in a losing cause as Middlesex lost by an innings.
England: picked... and dropped
A fine display for MCC against the South Africans, where he took 8–43 in the second innings, brought Titmus his England debut for the second Test at Lord's, but he took only one wicket (that of Hugh Tayfield) and failed twice with the bat; and if anything he had a worse time in the third Test at Old Trafford, making 0 and 19 and taking 0–51. He was dropped,[2] and though he went on a non-Test tour to Pakistan with MCC that winter, full England selection was always unlikely with Jim Laker in his prime.From 1956 to 1962 inclusive, Titmus achieved the double in every year except 1958, but despite the end of Laker's England career in 1959, a place in the Test team still eluded him as the selectors looked elsewhere. 1961 was his best year with the bat, as he scored 1,703 runs at a fine average of 37.02, including one hundred and no less than 14 half-centuries; he passed 50 more than a hundred times in the course of his first-class career.
Recalled to the Test team
His form in 1962 – 136 wickets and 1,238 runs – saw Titmus recalled to Test cricket, and he played in the third and fourth Tests against Pakistan. For his performances that year (including a career-best nine for 52 against Cambridge University) he was made one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in the 1963 version of the Almanack. Titmus went to Australia for the 1962-63 Ashes series and made his highest first-class century of 137 not out vs South Australia. He played in all five Tests, and took more wickets than any other English bowler; 21 at 29.33, including a Test career best 7 for 79 in the Third Test[2] and 5 for 103 in the Fifth, both at Sydney, and making 59 not out in the Fourth Test at Adelaide.For five years Titmus remained an automatic choice for England, and he produced some outstanding displays, not least in India in 1963/64, when in the course of a five-Test series (packed into just six weeks) he picked up 27 wickets to help relieve the monotony as every game finished in a draw. In 1964 he opened the batting against Australia with Geoff Boycott at Nottingham after John Edrich was injured. Meanwhile he continued to be invaluable for Middlesex, racking up 100 wickets in most years and contributing handy knocks with the bat, as well as captaining the county side between 1965 and 1968.
Boating accident
His place in the England side was now unchallenged, and he was appointed vice-captain for the Tour of the West Indies in 1967/68, but his run came to a shocking end in Barbados on that same tour. Having acquitted himself reasonably well in the first two Tests, Titmus was involved in a horrific accident shortly before the Third when, whilst swimming, he caught his foot in the propellor of a boat. He lost four toes, and for a time there was a doubt whether he would play again. He received a paltry £90 compensation from the MCC's insurance policy; which, at least, had the effect of ensuring a complete overhaul of insurance cover for England cricketers playing overseas.[2] By May 1968 he was once again wheeling in for Middlesex, and doubts about his fitness were dispelled as he claimed 111 victims that season and actually headed Middlesex's batting averages, though averaging under 26 an innings. However, his England spot had gone, seemingly for good.Titmus's batting gradually became less effective, and from 1969 onwards he passed fifty only six more times, though he did make an unbeaten 112 against Warwickshire as late as 1976. His bowling, however, remained a force to be reckoned with and until 1976 he took at least 57 first-class wickets in every year.
Later career
1974/75 saw Titmus make a surprise return to the England team, as he played in four of the six Ashes Tests. Though he took only seven wickets, he hit a defiant though ultimately fruitless 61 at Perth after Jeff Thomson had ripped through the upper order. That winter also saw Titmus play his only two One Day Internationals, both against New Zealand. Both games were ruined by rain, but in the second at Wellington he took 3–53 from his seven eight-ball overs, his only ODI wickets.Having coached in South Africa on several occasions earlier in his career, in the 1975/76 winter Titmus played for Orange Free State in that country's Currie Cup competition, and took 42 wickets at 16.30. His career was beginning to wind down, however, and 1976 was his final full year in England. After the end of that season he went to coach at Surrey, playing for that county against Kent in 1978, but it was an unhappy time.[2] He reappeared spasmodically for Middlesex in 1979, 1980 and 1982. His very last appearance came by accident: attending the Middlesex v Surrey match in 1982 as a spectator, he was prevailed upon to play by Middlesex captain Mike Brearley, and the gamble paid off: Titmus took 3–43 on a pitch taking spin, and Middlesex won by 58 runs.
He created a Middlesex appearance record of 642, and took 2,361 wickets, another county record, in addition to racking up in excess of 20,000 runs.[2]
Press, publications and media
Titmus published his first autobiography Talk of the Double in 1964.[4] It was typical of the anodyne cricket autobiographies of the period and revealed that he was born in Somers Town and that his family moved to Kentish Town in 1939. In his second autobiography, My Life in Cricket published in 2005, he was rather more forthright in his views of former playing colleagues, and depicted five decades of his playing career with passion.[5]He also served as an England test selector from 1994 to 1996.
In 1985, the British rock band, Half Man Half Biscuit, paid homage to Titmus with their song, "Fuckin' 'Ell It's Fred Titmus".
Final years
Fred Titmus died on 23 March 2011, aged 78, after a long illness. He was married twice, firstly to Jean, and he was survived by his second wife, Stephanie. He left three children Dawn, Mark and Tandy and two grandchildren Charlotte and Ellie.Teams
International
English county
South African province
Other first-class
- Combined Services
- DH Robins' XI
- India Prime Minister's XI
- International Cavaliers
- International XI
- MCC
- Players
- South of England
- TN Pearce's XI
Career highlights
Tests
- Test debut: v South Africa, Lord's, 1955
- Last Test: v Australia, Adelaide, 1974/75
One-day internationals
- ODI debut: v New Zealand, Dunedin, 1974/75
- Last ODI: v New Zealand, Wellington, 1974/75
- Highest score: 11 v New Zealand, Dunedin 1974/75
- Best bowling: 3–53 vs New Zealand, Wellington 1974/75
First-class
- First-class debut: Middlesex v Somerset, Bath, 1949
- Last first-class match: Middlesex v Surrey, Lord's, 1982
- Highest score: 137* for MCC v South Australia, Adelaide, 1962/63
- Best bowling: 9–52 for Middlesex v Cambridge University, Fenner's, 1962
List A limited overs
- List A debut: Middlesex v Gloucestershire, Bristol, 1963
- Last List A match: Middlesex v Essex, Lord's, 1976
