An Introduction raising money for charities in the memories of MIKE DENNESS AND BRIAN LUCKHURST www.dennessluckhurst.org.uk Many of you will recall the great service that Mike and I remember vividly waiting at the bottom of the dressing Brian gave to Kent cricket, especially throughout the room steps at Canterbury Cricket Ground in my shorts and 70’s when Kent won a trophy every year. Time and again long socks for the entrance of the Kent opening batsmen. they provided Kent with a good solid partnership at the Out they would come – Denness & Luckhurst, both proudly beginning of the innings. wearing their Kent caps and looking immaculate. Mike would have his long sleeved shirt folded back to the elbow and It was my pleasure to tour with both Mike and Brian. would be more active with a few warm up strokes on We became great friends, the 1974/5 test series against the way to the middle and Lucky would stride purposefully, Australia being the toughest tour of our careers, when we lost a model of concentration and chewing gum. They were the series 4-1. We were destroyed by Lillee and Thompson. so different in style but complemented each other perfectly However, we won the last test at Melbourne by an innings, and a vital ingredient to Kent’s great triumphs around 1970. which was very sweet for Mike with him scoring 188. Aside from becoming a legendary opening partnership on As for Brian, I will always remember his hundred at the field, they were hugely well liked and respected off it. Melbourne against Australia in 1971. He was 103 at tea I was privileged to have known them both as family friends and as he walked off the ground the physio took hold of and briefly as a player. I am pleased that we will have the him and started to take off his glove. Brian stopped him opportunity to remember them whilst supporting good causes and said quietly “I must leave the glove on during the so dear to their families. Two great guys, two great players. tea interval or otherwise I will never get it back on. When he was out, the glove had to be cut off his hand, Chris Cowdrey which then revealed a horrible broken finger. He was, Former Captain of England and Kent without doubt, the gutsiest cricketer that I ever played with. Derek Underwood Former England and Kent cricketer and a former President of the MCC 3 MIKE DENNESS Who are we The Denness Luckhurst Foundation was created by the children of Mike Denness and Brian Luckhurst to raise money for charities in their memories. Since The Foundation was set up, the support to create, organise and stage our first charity event has been wonderful. It has seen a third cricketing legend’s family join the team, Lord Colin Cowdrey. Why it all began M H Denness – 1939 – 2013 B W Luckhurst – 1939 – 2005 M C Cowdrey - 1932 – 2000 Mike Denness, Brian Luckhurst and Colin Cowdrey were synonymous with Michael Denness was the only native-born Scotsman the great 1970’s English Cricket Teams to have captained England at cricket. He was a fine and all were Presidents of Kent County Cricket Club. Perversely, they all batsman, who possessed of a wide range of strokes, not died prior to concluding their years KENT COUNTY CRICKET CLUB least a beautifully timed cover drive. He also excelled as Presidents. GILLETTE CUP WINNERS 1967 L. E. G. Ames (Manager); J. N. Shepherd; A. Brown; J. N. Graham; as an outfielder. As captain of Kent between 1972 and 1976 D. L. Underwood; A. Ealham; A. Knott; H. A. Crowder What we do (Asst. Secretary); M. H. Denness; S. E. Leary; M. C. Cowdrey (Captain); A. L. Dixon; D. M. Sayer; B. W. Luckhurst. he guided the county to six one-day titles. Our fathers were extremely motivated individuals and great supporters of The Future: hen Mike was seven the family invited to play for Scotland while still charitable causes. We wish to combine Wmoved to Ayr, where, over the a schoolboy. The Daily Telegraph’s those attributes and in their names In memory of our fathers our aim is to next five years, his father planned and E W Swanton, visiting Ayr cricket club raise valuable funding for many very continue this charitable work. Organising built a house next to the cricket ground. for the centennial celebrations in 1959, worthy charities. and creating a successful annual event This proved particularly appropriate heard tell of the prodigy and eased his that will raise much needed funds for because the younger Denness showed an passage to Kent. After a trial in 1961, 2014 will see our first charitable event charities that all of us feel passionate outstanding talent for games and athletics. Denness was taken on the staff the take place on Monday, 8th September. about supporting. At Ayr Academy he proved a brilliant next year. A Charity Golf Event at the London fly-half; indeed one of his team-mates, Golf Club – hosts of the Volvo World In 1963 he made more than 1,000 runs, Ian McLauchlan, who became captain of Match Play. Each family has chosen a the first of 14 times that he would Scotland in 1974, declared that Denness charity to support this year and given our accomplish this feat; and in 1964 would have been a fellow international fathers previous work with The Lord’s he established a profitable opening if he had persisted with rugby. Taverners, it seemed appropriate that partnership with Brian Luckhurst. they are also a beneficiary. Each one Cricket, however, was his first love. Ably Soon he was attracting notice beyond as valuable to as the other and that our coached at the Ayr ground by Charlie Kent, being chosen for an International The Denness Luckhurst Foundation is a not for profit father’s would be proud to have their organisation which is in the process of being registered with the Oakes, the Sussex all-rounder, he was XI led by Micky Stewart, which in names associated with. Charity Commission as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. 4 The Denness Luckhurst Foundation www.dennessluckhurst.org.uk 5 MIKE DENNESS 1967-68 visited Africa, Pakistan, India, and then square the series with a narrow Ceylon, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand victory in the final match in Trinidad. “We, the 74 Australians, and Hong Kong. Mike led the England team in Australia thought Mike was In 1969 Denness was selected for the last in 1974-75. From the start of the tour a good player and Test of the summer, against New Zealand things went wrong, not least when the at the Oval. He thus became the fifth captain was struck down by a virus as soon a fine gentleman.” Scottish-born cricketer (after Gregor as he landed in Australia. He had scarcely Ian Chappell, former Captain of Australia. MacGregor, Ian Peebles, David Larter recovered when he was flung into a Test and Eric Russell) to play for England. series against perhaps the most vicious Things went well for Denness in the Australian attack in the history of the game. summer of 1970 in Kent, where he Dennis Lillee was already well established frequently took over the captaincy in as a threat. Jeff Thomson, with his slingy Colin Cowdrey’s absence. Although action and penchant for hitting batsmen the county were bottom of the table at with some of the fastest bowling ever seen the beginning of July, they then embarked (or not seen), appeared as a most painful on an extraordinary run that saw them surprise. The Australians, mindful of the win the championship. humiliation inflicted upon them by John In 1972, when Denness became full-time Snow in 1970-71, gloried in their revenge. captain, Kent won the John Player League “Ashes to Ashes,” went the chant. “If and came second in the championship. Thommo don’t get you, Lillee must.” In consequence he was appointed vice-cap- In fairness to Denness, it must be asked tain for the tour which Tony Lewis led in whether any team could have coped 1972-73 to India and Pakistan. with such a fearsome attack. During Back in England he made a brilliant start the first Test both Dennis Amiss and to the season of 1973. He led Kent to John Edrich sustained fractures in their victory in both the John Player League hands, so that an SOS had to be sent to and the Benson and Hedges Cup. At the bring the 41-year-old Colin Cowdrey end of August, it was announced that out to Australia as a replacement. Denness would be leading England’s Whilst this series had been a poor one forthcoming tour of the West Indies. for England, their luck changed in the last This represented a formidable challenge, test match and they took full advantage, with players such as Garry Sobers, Rohan bowling out Australia for 152 and the Kanhai, Clive Lloyd and Roy Fredericks scoring 529, with Denness scoring 188, among the opposition. After England lost the highest-ever score by an England the first Test Denness found himself the captain in Australia. It was a triumph of subject of increasingly vituperative criti- resilience, as the Australians were beaten cism. Yet the West Indies pace attack was by an innings and four runs. not then as formidable as it would later CA Chairman Wally Edwards, who become. Thanks to splendid batting by played against the England team Denness Dennis Amiss and Tony Greig, England captained in the 1974-5 Ashes series, said managed to draw the next three Tests, Denness was a good player and captain.