I enjoyed several conversations with him during the time I was putting together my second book, In Their Own Words, Derbyshire Cricketers in Conversation. From an early stage he was someone I wanted involved, because his career was so fascinating. He didn't play for the county until he was 30, then took 456 wickets in just six seasons, at an average of a shade over 18 runs each.
He was a magnificent bowler and his surname did him no harm, especially in the early days, when the less discerning thought he was 'Les's lad', while the even less discerning thought Les was still going strong...
He found it amusing and during the course of our chats there were plenty of laughs. I won't go over the ground that was covered during them, because you can read it for yourself in the book, but he was as pleasant company as he was awkward to face from 22 yards. I was thrilled when he agreed to come along to the launch of the book and he, together with Peter Eyre, David Milner, John Eyre, Edwin Smith and Wayne Madsen were in attendance to answer the many questions from a delighted audience.
He was struggling then, on crutches with bad knees. He hadn't decided at that point whether he could handle the surgery, but was persuaded to and gained a second lease of life. He spent considerable time as a volunteer driver for the NHS, ferrying people to hospital appointments and was very good company for all of them.
I never saw him bowl, but the figures speak for themselves and his partnership with Harold Rhodes in the 1960s was the stuff of nightmares for opposition batters. Especially in 1965, when the two of them headed the national averages, Rhodes taking 119 wickets at eleven, Jackson 120 at twelve. It was heady stuff, reminiscent of the previous decade when his namesake and Cliff Gladwin carried all before them.
The experience he had gained as a professional in the Staffordshire League with Knypersley stood him in good stead, telling me that he knew he could handle the pressure after seeing his name on billboards outside the grounds there. 'Norton (featuring Garfield Sobers) v Knypersley (featuring Brian Jackson)' was a particular favourite.
He will be sorely missed by many in the High Peak, where he made his home, as well as by the many friends and team mates over the years.
Derbyshire has lost one of the very best in Brian. An outstanding cricketer and equally fine man.
Rest in Peace.
I never saw him play, but I remember Dad always pointed him out when he saw him walking around the ground at Derby.
ReplyDeleteThe first time he did so, I shamefully asked if he meant Les Jackson. No, he said, we had two, and they were both bloody good bowlers!
RIP Brian
Count myself fortunate to have seen him play on a number of occasions. The 1965 season when Harold Rhodes and Brian finished first and second in the National averages was something special. Also had the pleasure of meeting him at Queens Park in recent years and he mentioned an amusing story from his playing days. On a hot day at Hove they were offered a drinks interval while in the field, Brian asked for a pint of bitter but Derek Morgan wasn’t having that but in the end he got half a pint!
ReplyDeleteA lovely man and excellent bowler for Derbyshire especially when you consider his first class career didn’t start till he was thirty.
Rest in peace.
i am proud to say i saw both Jackson s play , i was very young when i saw Les in the early 60 s and Brian later and as a member i too saw him walking round the ground , especially at Chesterfield , he always had time for a word , Who knows if he had started playing sooner , he might have been close to the England team tho he had another setback , he didnt play for a fashionable county
ReplyDeleteMALBAR