Stuart Pollock

Stuart Pollock was regarded by some as the best batsman in Ireland immediately after World War Two, a naturally aggressive player whose attacking intent led others to claim he was too prone to giving away his wicket. He made his debut as a 19-year-old on the eve of the war - he had been 12th man against the Australians the previous year - but had to wait seven years for his next first-class outing, and thereafter he showed what he could do without doing as often as he should have. An opener who slid into the middle order as his career extended, he only made one hundred for his country and generally reserved his best performances for games against Scotland - he averaged 32.20 against them, almost double that against other opponents. He went on to become president of the ICU in 1980. Pollock, whose father also captained Ireland, was also a more than useful hockey, rugby and squash player.
Martin Williamson