Yorkshire postwar cricket XI

Sam Barnard, Assistant Sports Editor | Updated September 24, 2016

See our Yorkshire postwar cricket XI after they missed out on the County Championship hat-trick

Yorkshire may have missed out on a hat-trick of successive Cricket County Championship Division One titles with Middlesex winning the 2016 edition, but the White Rose still provides the England team with a plethora of stars.

Following the conclusion of the 2016 domestic season, half a dozen Yorkshire players will go on England’s Tour of Bangladesh, on which the visitors are odds-on at 4/9 to win the One Day International Series.

Boasting some of the greatest ever cricketers in the game, with the vast majority of them being born in ‘God’s own county’, Coral cricket writers have picked out a best-ever postwar starting XI (plus one oversees star).

Geoffrey Boycott

Nicknamed the ‘Greatest Living Yorkshireman’ or simply ‘Sir Geoff’, Boycott was known as a cult figure to fans due his stubbornness both on and off the pitch. His outspoken personality often caused friction with his peers for club and country, but was a legend with the bat for England and Yorkshire.

During his illustrious career, he hit over 8000 runs for England at an average of 47.72 (getting 22 hundreds), while for his beloved Yorkshire he twice averaged over 100 in a season, and has over 150 first class centuries to his name. Love him or hate him, Test Match Special pundit Sir Geoff is a true legend.

Watch this quality classic cricket action of Boycott smashing 191 against Australia…

Sir Len Hutton

Another of the finest openers the country has see, Pudsey-born Hutton represented Yorkshire and England both before and after World War 2. Amongst many achievements, he holds the record for the highest ever Test score for his country (364) and averaged an outstanding 56.67 from his 79 matches.

Michael Vaughan (c)

Like Boycott and Hutton, Vaughan skippered England, and was highly successful as he guided them to the memorable Ashes win in 2005. Lancashire-born Vaughan very nearly didn’t represent Yorkshire as, at the time of his emergence, the county had an unwritten rule that only players born within the border could represent them.

Here is Vaughan hitting a hundred at Old Trafford in the 2005 Ashes…

Joe Root

While it might be a bit premature to add current White Rose and England batsman Root to this team of already-retired legends of the game, he is arguably the best batsman his country can currently call upon. For that reason, we’ve included him in the Yorkshire postwar cricket XI.

In his 46 Tests prior to England’s Tour of Bangladesh, he has already achieved more than most have throughout a career, having scored over 4,000 runs and hit 10 centuries including a best total of 254.

Watch Root Aussie bashing in the first 2015 Ashes Test at Cardiff…

Darren Lehmann

The only oversees player in this team and arguably the best to have turned out for the famous cricketing county. Talented Australian batsman and occasional spinner Lehmann spent nine years with Yorkshire, scoring over 14,000 runs at an average of 68.76 (highest ever at the club), and once hit 339, which is just two short of the record.

He is now currently seen as the enemy to England fans, due to taking up the position as Australia head coach, but will always be fondly remembered and respected in Yorkshire. Lehmann’s son Jake played for the White Rose county this past season too!

Brian Close

All-rounder Close is the youngest man to ever play for England, and is also a former captain for them, having never lost in his seven Test matches in charge. He spent over 20 years at Yorkshire and, like Boycott, was not without his controversies.

Jimmy Binks (wk)

Although widely thought as one of the best ever English wicketkeeper, Binks, who played for Yorkshire from 1955-1969, only played in two Tests. He was around for one of the county’s most successful periods, as he won seven Championships, and was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year in his final season.

Ray Illingworth

Another past England captain, all-rounder Illingworth was not one to hold back with his words either. The former off-spinning all-rounder is one of just nine players in history to take over 2000 wickets and 20,000 runs in first class cricket.

Darren Gough

Fast bowler and new Coral ambassador Gough is a modern great and one of the best of his generation with the ball, as he gained 229 wickets at an average of 28.39 from his 58 Tests with England. He was not bad with the bat either.

Watch hat-trick hero Gough in the 1999 Ashes…

Fred Trueman

Fiery Fred was yet another big personality and, like many on this list, had his fair share of falling outs too. Trueman is one of the greats of the game, and is one of the best ever fast bowlers. He took an incredible 307 wickets at an average of just 21.57 in his 67 Tests for England.

Watch Trueman terrorising batsmen…

Bob Appleyard

The late Appleyard was never renowned for his batting skills, but was prolific with the ball during his career during his injury-hit career. Still, in his 708 first class matches, he took 708 wickets at an astonishing average of 15.48, and was one of the best bowlers of the 50s. His versatility meant he was equally skilful at spin and fast-medium swinger deliveries.

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