| Personal information | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Albert John Watkins | |||
| Born | 21 April 1922 Usk, Monmouthshire, Wales |
|||
| Died | 3 August 2011 (aged 89) Kidderminster, Worcestershire, England |
|||
| Batting style | Left-hand bat | |||
| Bowling style | Left-arm medium-fast | |||
| International information | ||||
| National side | England | |||
| Career statistics | ||||
| Competition | Tests | First-class | ||
| Matches | 15 | 484 | ||
| Runs scored | 810 | 20,361 | ||
| Batting average | 40.50 | 30.57 | ||
| 100s/50s | 2/4 | 32/108 | ||
| Top score | 137* | 170* | ||
| Balls bowled | 1,364 | 51,469 | ||
| Wickets | 11 | 833 | ||
| Bowling average | 50.36 | 24.48 | ||
| 5 wickets in innings | – | 25 | ||
| 10 wickets in match | – | – | ||
| Best bowling | 3/20 | 7/28 | ||
| Catches/stumpings | 17/– | 464/– | ||
| Source: [1], | ||||
Allan Watkins (born Albert John Watkins (21 April 1922 – 3 August 2011) was a Welsh cricketer, who played for England in fifteen Tests from 1948 to 1952. He toured India and Pakistan in 1951-2 with the MCC, and also participated in the 1955-6 'A' Tour to Pakistan. In 1953-4, he played with the Commonwealth team in India and Pakistan, returning home early through injury.
Born in Usk, Monmouthshire,[1] Watkins made his debut for Glamorgan just three weeks after his seventeenth birthday in 1939, as World War II loomed. He was an all-rounder, being a left-handed batsman, a medium to fast left-arm bowler and a brilliant close fielder, particularly at backward short leg.[1]
He was the first Glamorgan cricketer to score a century in Tests for England, and played for the county until 1961, when he was 39 years old.
He was voted 'Indian Cricket Cricketer of the Year' in 1951-2, after a successful series there with the MCC. During that tour, Watkins battled his way to a nine hour long, unbeaten 137, in Delhi, his best Test score. Oddly, Watkins' better performances were overseas, as his five home Tests did not provide a single innings above fifty.[1]
Watkins went on to successfully coach school cricket, most notably at Oundle School and Framlingham College.
He also played football for Cardiff City and Plymouth Argyle.[2] He died in Kidderminster, Worcestershire on 3 August 2011, following a short illness.[3]