| Personal information | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Anthony George Nicholson | |||
| Born | 25 June 1938 Dewsbury, Yorkshire, England |
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| Died | 4 November 1985 (aged 47) Harrogate, Yorkshire, England |
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| Batting style | Right-handed | |||
| Bowling style | Right-arm medium | |||
| Domestic team information | ||||
| Years | Team | |||
| 1962–1975 | Yorkshire | |||
| First-class debut | 7 July 1962 Yorkshire v Essex |
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| Last First-class | 16 September 1975 Yorkshire v Essex |
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| List A debut | 12 June 1963 Yorkshire v Sussex |
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| Last List A | 31 August 1975 Yorkshire v Nottinghamshire |
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| Career statistics | ||||
| Competition | FC | LA | ||
| Matches | 283 | 120 | ||
| Runs scored | 1,669 | 155 | ||
| Batting average | 11.75 | 6.45 | ||
| 100s/50s | 0/1 | 0/0 | ||
| Top score | 50 | 15* | ||
| Balls bowled | 47,406 | 0 | ||
| Wickets | 879 | 5,862 | ||
| Bowling average | 19.76 | 17.05 | ||
| 5 wickets in innings | 40 | 4 | ||
| 10 wickets in match | 3 | n/a | ||
| Best bowling | 9-76 | 6-27 | ||
| Catches/stumpings | 85/0 | 16/0 | ||
| Source: CricketArchive, 27 September 2007 | ||||
Anthony George "Tony" Nicholson (25 June 1938–4 November 1985) was an English cricketer: a medium-pace bowler who played county cricket for Yorkshire between 1962 and 1975. Of 403 matches at first-class and List A level, only one — a game for MCC against Scotland in 1963 — was not for Yorkshire.
Prior to joining the County club, he was a policeman in Southern Rhodesia.[1]
Nicholson took 879 first-class wickets at an excellent average of 19.75; writing many years later, James Lawton in the Independent said that Nicholson "simply despised batsmen".[2] He claimed 100 wickets in a season twice, in 1966 and 1967. Despite his achievements, he never played for England, although he was selected for the 1964-65 tour of South Africa but had to withdraw injured. [3]
Nicholson's later career was dogged by ill health caused by blood clots in his leg.[4] which contributed to his early death.
Although he never managed international recognition, Nicholson was highly rated by the Yorkshire public.[5] Indeed, the county's Players Association holds a Tony Nicholson Memorial Trophy in his honour.[6] At a time when retirement was greeted with muted thanks by the Committee, Nicholson was paid the warmest possible tribute.[7]