Brian Jackson – Obituary

Derbyshire County Cricket Club is deeply saddened by the news of the death of Brian Jackson, one of the county’s finest post-war cricketers.

Heritage Officer, David Griffin, looks back at the career of the former fast bowler.

Albert Brian Jackson was born at Kettleshulme, Cheshire, within shouting distance of the Derbyshire county border on 21^st August 1933. He played as a professional for Knypersley in the North Staffordshire League in 1959 having previously enjoyed spells with Bollington in the Lancashire and Cheshire League between 1955 and 1958.

He also played cricket in Egypt on National Service with the Royal Air Force.

The quirky nature of qualifying to play county cricket in the late 1950s and early 1960s meant that because he’d played for Cheshire in 1956, 1958, 1959 and 1960 he had to re-establish his residential qualification and therefore didn’t make his first-class debut for Derbyshire until 1963 despite joining the staff in 1961.

He impressed in the Second XI and there were great expectations when he graduated to the first team – a pace bowler with the surname Jackson in a Derbyshire side meant hopes were high – and he literally delivered over the course of 148 first class matches for the county.

Making his debut aged almost 30, over the course of just six seasons with Derbyshire Jackson took 456 first class wickets at an average of 18.86 including five wickets in an innings 17 times and ten in a match on four occasions.

One of the great cricket writers and broadcasters John Arlott described Jackson bowling “ a grudging length” – although many would argue that he was bowling a typical “Derbyshire length” – too short to drive, not short enough to play off the back foot, probably bouncing more than expected, and certainly liable to move off the seam.

Tall and broad-shouldered, he formed a formidable opening partnership with Harold Rhodes and in the summer of 1965, they reached their peak as a pair, Rhodes topping the national averages after taking 119 wickets at 11.04 with Jackson in second place with 120 at 12.42.

A year later Jackson recorded his best innings figures of eight for 18, the 19^th best innings analysis in the club’s history in the match against Warwickshire at Coventry when the home side were dismissed for 38.

Aged only 35, he left Derbyshire to return to league cricket and more matches for Cheshire. A stalwart of Past Players Day, he was often seen at Queen’s Park, Chesterfield and Derby, watching his former county and usually in company with his erstwhile opening partner Rhodes.

Everyone connected with Derbyshire County Cricket Club extends their condolences to Brian’s family and friends.

Brian Jackson – Season-by-season first class record for Derbyshire