Alan Townsend (26 August 1921 – 27 January 2014) was an English cricketer who played for Warwickshire from 1948 to 1960.

Alan Townsend
Personal information
Full name
Alan Townsend
Born(1921-08-26)26 August 1921
Stockton-on-Tees, Co. Durham, England
Died27 January 2014(2014-01-27) (aged 92)
Solihull, Warwickshire, England
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm medium, right-arm off-spin
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1948–1960Warwickshire
Career statistics
Competition FC
Matches 342
Runs scored 12,054
Batting average 24.95
100s/50s 6/59
Top score 154
Balls bowled 21,486
Wickets 325
Bowling average 28.84
5 wickets in innings 7
10 wickets in match 1
Best bowling 7/84
Catches/stumpings 412/0
Source: Cricket Archive, 20 June 2014

Townsend was a constant member of the Warwickshire team for 13 seasons, batting in the middle order, bowling medium pace and off-spin, and fielding in the slips. His most successful season with the bat and in the field was 1953, when in 30 matches he scored 1227 runs at an average of 29.92 and took 46 catches.[1] Of his performances that year Wisden remarked that he "at last justified expectations with the bat and he brought exciting moments to many games by his extraordinary catches in the slips".[2]

His highest score was 154 in the first match of the 1957 County Championship, made in just under five hours, against Worcestershire.[3] His best innings bowling figures were 7 for 84 against Essex in 1949, a match that Essex nevertheless won by an innings.[4] His best match bowling figures were 10 for 95 (6 for 67 and 4 for 28) against Cambridge University in 1957.[5]

Townsend was awarded a benefit match in 1960,[6] but he retired later that year after a season of moderate form.

References

edit
edit