Class of '96 have made Birkenshaw so proud (18 Sep 1996)

18 September 1996

Class of `96 have made Birkenshaw so proud

By Charles Randall

JACK BIRKENSHAW insists he would get more satisfaction from a Leicestershire championship title this weekend, as coach, than he did as a player in 1975, the last time the county became champions.

Leicestershire need 11 points - a draw with full bonus points - against Middlesex at Grace Road in their final match, starting tomorrow, to make certain of the title.

If they succeed, a probably sparse crowd at Leicester will see something unprecedented, because Ray Illingworth`s 1975 side were playing away at Chesterfield when they secured the county`s first and only championship.

How different things were then. Leicestershire fielded four spin bowlers through the season and during the Chesterfield climax Chris Balderstone, a century-

maker, was permitted to disappear to play football for Doncaster Rovers against Brentford.

One aspect, though, is strikingly similar - Grace Road was, and still is, a harsh, unforgiving place for opponents to visit. The ambience, which used to be famously bleak, and the practice facilities have improved to the highest level, but on the pitch the cricket has remained uncompromising, as shown by Leicestershire`s "bonding" - the huddle the players form at the fall of each opposition wicket.

Birkenshaw remembers the `Illy` years well, but he is prouder of the current team. "I`ve brought a lot of this side together, you see," he explained yesterday with that quiet, undemonstrative Yorkshire accent.

Illingworth and Birkenshaw were England off-spinners, backed by left-armers John Steele and Balderstone, while Graham McKenzie, the Australian import, and Ken Higgs were former international seam bowlers.

This summer James Whitaker can claim a better, more varied seam attack, even if the class of `75 were supreme in spin.

In 1975, David Gower`s debut year, runs flowed from Balderstone, who was capped by England the following year, and Brian Davison, a Rhodesian with bristling aggression.

Birkenshaw said: "We had good team spirit, but we`ve got something which is a bit different with Whitaker`s lot. You go out on a Saturday night, or a Wednesday night, and you might well see them all together. They are a team, on and off the field. There`s a great friendship bond between the majority of them.

"Jimmy gives a great deal. He`s a very unselfish character. I`m not saying Illy was selfish but . . . Illy was a really astute professional captain with a good side. Jimmy`s side have developed a lot this season and much has been due to him."

Illingworth and company would not have contemplated a huddle, or energy circle, at the fall of each wicket. "The circle might talk about anything," said Birkenshaw, "but the main thing is that it is different, another point of focus."

He recalled: "Sides used to hate coming to Grace Road. They always came and had a hard time because Illy was always at `em and Higgsy was giving `em stick. Even the umpires were a bit apprehensive coming to Grace Road, because they knew there would be a seriously tough game."

Birkenshaw is completing his fifth season as coach. "Winning the title this weekend would be better for me, really, than being oneeleventh of a winning team."