County Cult Heroes - Warwickshire
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Andy Moles
(1986-98)
The former toolmaker from Birmingham began his county career late but quickly established himself as a favourite with supporters. Moles' liking for good beer and late-night curries was apparent in a roly-poly figure, although he displayed surprising agility in the field and had a safe pair of hands, as well as proving a courageous and consistent opening batsman. By the time an Achilles tendon injury forced his retirement in 1998 he had the highest career batting average - 38.59 - of a Warwickshire player never to have won representative honours. He gave the county outstanding service during a 13-year career in which he secured his fi rst professional contract after giving up his trade and spending two years on the dole so that he was always available to play. Gregarious and entertaining off the pitch, Moles could be stubborn and defensive on it. He made a double-century in nine and a half hours against Surrey at Guildford in 1994, but his 28-minute fi fty against Kent in 1996 was the quickest at Edgbaston since 1914.
John Shilton
(Warwickshire career 1885-95)
Shilton played 132 consecutive matches
for Warwickshire between 1885 and 1895
(the year after they turned first-class), a
sequence fi nally broken when he missed a
game because he was in a debtors' prison.
Financial and drink problems bedevilled
his career: he was landlord at pubs in
Batley, Dudley and Birmingham and his
liking for the produce and generosity as a
host led to diffi culties. Though a popular
and regular visitor to the members' bar
at Edgbaston, sometimes at lunchtime
on match days, his performances did
not appear to suffer. In 147 matches for
Warwickshire, Shilton, a slow left-armer,
took 675 wickets including 8 for 55
in a day against the 1886 Australians,
after which he was carried from the
fi eld by jubilant spectators. Shilton was
a Yorkshireman who used the birth
certificate of a Coventry-born cousin to
ensure he did not have to qualify to play
for Warwickshire. He was only 37 when he
died from kidney and liver failure in 1899.
Tom Pritchard
(1946-55)
Pritchard played first-class cricket for
Wellington before the Second World War
and was spotted playing services matches
in the Middle East by Tom Dollery,
who brought him to Warwickshire. He
became eligible for Championship games
in 1947 and proved a natural entertainer
who lightened post-war austerity. He was
arguably the quickest bowler of his era,
generating pace from a fast arm action
from a surprisingly short run-up. Like
most fast bowlers he fancied himself as
a batsman but his modest career average
- 13.34 - reflects an impulse to hit every
ball for six. A cheerful and popular
member of the 1951 Championshipwinning
squad, he took 36 wickets in
four mid-season matches, including his
third Warwickshire hat-trick, still a
club record. After retirement in 1955 he
returned to New Zealand and was still
riding horses on his daughter's farm
until a couple of years ago.
Anton Ferreira
(1979-86)
Ferreira's career record may be inferior
to those of many of the county's
overseas players but only Allan Donald
of their international superstars can
rival the South African allrounder
for popularity with the supporters. A
bear-like man - hence his nickname
`Yogi' - he made lots of friends and no
enemies during his eight-year stint at
Edgbaston. Modest and friendly, he had people skills that treated gatemen,
supporters, team-mates and opponents
equally. His fi rst season at Edgbaston
was injury-plagued and unimpressive.
But Ferreira developed into a reliable
and hard-working player, scoring quick
middle-order runs and bowling accurate
medium pace. In 1984 he made 777
runs, took 79 wickets and became the
first Warwickshire player to perform the double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets
in the old Sunday League. Ferreira
said a tearful farewell in 1986 with an
impromptu party in the members' bar.
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Dougie Brown
(1990-)
The current darling of the Edgbaston
crowd, Brown has endeared himself
through his wholehearted efforts
since his arrival from Alloa in 1990.
Warwickshire may have had more gifted
allrounders but few have matched his
commitment to fi tness and refusal to
accept defeat. His popularity can also
be attributed to his readiness to share
a drink and chat with those who pay
his wages. He remains an old-fashioned
professional; in an era of isotonic drinks
and fi ve-a-side football at close of play
Brown will head to the Members' Bar for
a couple of lagers no matter how bad a
day his side have had. He played seven
one-day internationals for England in
1997 and 1998 and has since played for
Scotland; with an extra yard of pace
he might have played Tests. But his
aggressive and uncomplicated middleorder
batting, persistent swing bowling
and enthusiastic fi elding have served
Warwickshire well. His career-best 203
against Sussex at Hove in 2000 was the
highest score by a Warwickshire No. 7.
Paul Bolton writes on cricket for the Daily Telegraph