Full name Albert John Watkins Name Allan Watkins National side England | Batting style Left-hand bat Role Cricket Player | |
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Born 21 April 1922 ( 1922-04-21 ) Usk, Monmouthshire, Wales Died August 3, 2011, Kidderminster, United Kingdom | ||
Bowling style Left-arm medium-fast | ||
Allan Watkins (21 April 1922 – 3 August 2011), born Albert John Watkins, was a Welsh cricketer, who played for England in fifteen Tests from 1948 to 1952. He toured India and Pakistan in 1951–52 with the MCC, and also participated in the 1955–56 'A' Tour to Pakistan. In 1953–54, he played with the Commonwealth team in India and Pakistan, returning home early through injury.
Life and career
Born in Usk, Monmouthshire, Watkins made his debut for Glamorgan just three weeks after his seventeenth birthday in 1939, as World War II loomed. He was an all-rounder, being a left-handed batsman, a medium to fast left-arm bowler and a brilliant close fielder, particularly at backward short leg.
He was the first Glamorgan cricketer to score a century in Tests for England, and played for the county until 1961, when he was 39 years old.
He was voted 'Indian Cricket Cricketer of the Year' in 1951–52, after a successful series there with the MCC. During that tour, Watkins battled his way to a nine-hour-long, unbeaten 137, in Delhi, his best Test score. Oddly, Watkins' better performances were overseas, as his five home Tests did not provide a single innings above fifty.
Watkins went on to successfully coach school cricket, most notably at Oundle School and Framlingham College.
He also played football for Cardiff City and Plymouth Argyle. He died in Kidderminster, Worcestershire on 3 August 2011, following a short illness.