William "Billy" Herbert Hobbs Sutcliffe (10 October 1926 – 16 September 1998) was an English amateur first-class cricketer,[1] and the son of Herbert Sutcliffe; his middle name was in honour of Jack Hobbs.
Sutcliffe was born in Pudsey, near Leeds, Yorkshire, England. Playing as a right-handed batsman and occasional medium and leg break bowler, he made his debut for Yorkshire County Cricket Club in 1948, and retired from the first-class game in 1959.[1] In 210 first-class matches, he scored 7,530 runs, with a career best score of 181 against Kent, at an average of 26.42. He scored six centuries in all, including 171 not out against Worcestershire and 161 not out against Glamorgan, and took ninety catches and fifteen wickets at 22.26. Bob Appleyard recalled that Sutcliffe batted with a 2 pounds 6 ounces bat, which had to be specially made as it was considered very heavy in its day.
Sutcliffe captained Yorkshire as an amateur for two years in 1956 and 1957. Sutcliffe led a recovering Yorkshire to third in the County Championship in his final season in charge. Brian Close called him "a super lad who made himself into a county cricketer because it was expected of him, and because he believed in Yorkshire cricket and its right to pre-eminence. He was happier having a pint and a natter than he was in cracking the whip on the field". The Yorkshire and England spin bowler and MCC coach Don Wilson said "It was unfair to suggest he was only in the job because of his name. He was a great league player and had proved himself a knowledgeable captain for Leeds. It was the senior players who were at the root of this malediction".
He died in September 1998 in Collingham, Yorkshire.