Stan Worthington

Thomas Stanley Worthington, who died in hospital on September 1, aged 68, while on holiday at King"s Lynn, was a fine all-rounder for Derbyshire between 1924 and 1947. He took part in nine Test matches for England, five of them when a member of G. O. Allen"s team in Australia in 1936-37. He distinguished himself at the Oval in 1936 when scoring 128, he and W. R. Hammond (217) adding 266 and setting up a fourth wicket record against India which still stands.

During his career, Stan Worthington, as he was always known, scored as a firm-hitting right-handed batsman, 19,221 runs, average 29.07; hit 31 centuries-two in the same match against Nottinghamshire at Ilkeston in 1938; with bowling of splendid length at above medium pace, took 682 wickets at a cost of 29.22 runs apiece and held 326 catches.

Unlike several Derbyshire players of his time, he did not begin his working life as a miner. At the age of 17 he became an electrician with the Bolsover Colliery Company and achieved much success for their cricket club in the Bassetlaw League. He did not play for the county with any regularity till 1926, but soon proved his value. He hit a glorious 133 against Essex at Chesterfield in 1928, completing his century in 100 minutes, and in that year he reached 1,000 runs for the first of ten seasons.

When his first-class career ended, he played for Northumberland and in Lancashire League cricket and for ten years served as chief coach to Lancashire C.C.C., at Old Trafford.
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack