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Home , Brian Luckhurst, Chris Cowdrey, Dennis Amiss, Derek Underwood, Ian Peebles, John Edrich

An Introduction raising money for charities in the memories of AND

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 , especially throughout the room steps at Cricket Ground in my shorts and 70’s when Kent won a 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, 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 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, which then revealed a horrible broken finger. He was, Former of 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 .

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 Club. Perversely, they all batsman, who possessed of a wide range of strokes, not died prior to concluding their years 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 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 all-rounder, he was XI led by , 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, , 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 . 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 , former Captain of Australia. MacGregor, , 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 was already well established frequently took over the captaincy in as a threat. , 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 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 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 and to the season of 1973. He led Kent to 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 . 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, and 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 , England captained in the 1974-5 Ashes series, said managed to draw the next three Tests, Denness was a good player and captain.

6 The Denness Luckhurst Foundation www.dennessluckhurst.org.uk 7 MIKE DENNESS BRIAN LUCKHURST

“It was a tough time for Mike but he led Denness had imposed penalties on four from the front, and carried himself with Indian players reported to him by the grace,” Edwards said. umpires for over-aggressive appealing, a charge which few in world cricket He had played in 28 Tests, in which he would have considered unjust. He had had scored 1,667 runs (including four also laid another suspended ban upon centuries) at an average of 39.69. As the Indian captain, , for captain in 19 Tests, he had won six, lost failing properly to control his team. five and drawn eight. These actions sufficed to create indignation At Kent, Denness’s remarkable achievements among Indian supporters. Denness, as captain in one-day competitions continued however, then caused extreme outrage in 1976 when the county won the Benson by daring to apply another suspended ban and Hedges Cup (thanks in part to a superb to , the idol of India, from the skipper in the semi-final for tampering with the ball. Subsequently against ) and the John Player League. In the late summer of 1953 two fourteen-year-old boys Denness attempted to mitigate the charge The county, however, slipped that year to by explaining that Tendulkar had not took the last bus from Sittingbourne to London 14th place in the championship. asked the umpires to supervise the removal and slept outside The Oval to make certain of seeing To everyone’s surprise he was dismissed of mud from the ball. This explanation of the series between England and as captain at the end of the summer and did nothing to still the storm. Denness accepted terms to play for Essex, for was disgracefully slandered as a racist, the Australians. Seventeen years later one of these whom he played until 1980. He was an and India refused to play in the next cricket-mad boys, Brian Luckhurst, returned to The important member of the side which won Test match if he officiated. Although the Oval as one of England’s opening batsmen against both the and the International Cricket Council stood by Benson and Hedges Cup in 1979. Denness, the South African and Indian The Rest of the World. Boards independently arranged for the In all, Denness played in 501 first-class third Test to be played with matches and scored 17,047 runs (including as referee. The ICC responded by refusing rian Luckhurst was for some time Luckhurst described himself as “a worker 33 centuries) at an average of 33.48. to accord the game official status. Bsimply an excellent opening batsman of the ball” rather than a supremely gifted His highest score was 195, for Essex for Kent; at the age of 31, however, strokeplayer; all the same, he liked to against Leicestershire (captained by Denness’s passion for the game then saw he suddenly blossomed into a highly dominate the bowling and possessed a ) in 1977. him share his wealth of experience through successful Test cricketer. fierce square-cut. His greatest quality was other channels. He became an ECB pitch always his determination, which was never Eventually Denness would return to His chance at international level came in inspector, thoroughly enjoying working more in evidence than on England’s tour Kent as a committee member, an 1970, when a series of unofficial matches with the unsung heroes – the groundsmen. of Australia in 1970-71, when, under Ray acknowledgement by the county that an between England and the Rest of the This was Denness at his happiest with the Illingworth’s captaincy, he played a vital injustice had been done. World was arranged in place of the cancelled game he loved, at grass roots level. role in regaining . The game, however, had one more misfortune tour by South Africa. After making 67 in He was inducted into The Scottish Sports to inflict upon Denness. From 1996 he the second innings of the opening game at After innings of 74 and 20 on Hall of Fame in 2002 and The Scottish served as an occasional Test match referee; Lord’s, Luckhurst carried England to an his Test debut at Brisbane, Luckhurst Cricket Hall of Fame in 2011. and in November 2001 he was viciously eight- victory at with overcame an injured thumb to score 131 attacked for his actions in a Test between He was awarded an OBE in The Queen’s a painstaking 113 not out in seven hours. at Perth, which in later years he considered

South Africa and India at . New Year Honours list in 2013.

48 The Denness Luckhurst Foundation www.dennessluckhurst.org.uk 9 his best performance for England. He The breakthrough came in 1962, when went on to make another century at a late call went out to the 2nd XI to Melbourne, despite having sustained provide two players for the county’s match a fracture in his left little finger in the against Somerset at Gravesend. Colin opening overs. He finished the series Page, in charge of the young hopefuls, with 455 runs to his name, at an average of sent Luckhurst as one of the replacements, 56.87. omitting to mention that he had scored a pair in his last match. Luckhurst made his championship debut in 1958, as an all-rounder. But when he re- In the best story-book manner, Kent turned from National Service in the Royal were heading for defeat when Luckhurst, Artillery he found that, having grown coming in at number eight, saved the taller, he had lost the ability to flight the match with Peter Richardson, the England ball. “I’m going to get sacked,” he told his opener. He scored 71 not out, and went fellow professional John Dye. “I can’t bowl on that summer to make more than 1,000 like I used to. I’m going to have to bat.” runs. “Luckhurst, a dedicated youngster, looked a splendid prospect,” Wisden noted. He set about realising this ambition with typical grit. “Having a net with him,” Dye The promise was fulfilled. The next season remembered, “was like having a proper he scored 1,501 runs, and after Richardson game.” In the middle, though, results did retired at the end of 1965 he was promoted not come quickly, and in 1961 he could to the top of the order. He developed hardly score a run. a fruitful opening partnership, with Mike Denness, notable for a well-judged opportunism in running between the .

He scored 71 not out, and went on that summer to make more than 1,000 runs. “Luck- hurst, a dedicated youngster, looked a splendid prospect,” Wisden noted.

10 The Denness Luckhurst Foundation www.dennessluckhurst.org.uk 11 BRIAN LUCKHURST PLAYING STATISTICS Luckhurst proved particularly effective His long service to the club was recognised in one-day cricket, of which Kent were in 2004 by his election as President. leading early exponents, winning the Though he was already suffering from Mike Denness Gillette Cup in 1967 and 1974. He scored cancer, he remained a battler to the end. 5,485 runs in this form of the game, at Batting and averages In his 21 Test matches Luckhurst scored the impressively high average of 40.62. 1,298 runs at an average of 36.05. In all Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave BF SR 100 50 4s 6s Ct St He retired as a Kent player in 1976, his 389 first-class matches he amassed Tests 28 45 3 1667 188 39.69 4 7 192 2 28 0 shortly after having his right index finger 22,303 runs (including 48 centuries) at ODIs 12 11 2 264 66 29.33 417 63.30 0 1 17 2 1 0 broken by Sarfraz Narwaz in a match 38.12. Fourteen times he surpassed 1,000 First-class 501 838 65 25886 195 33.48 33 152 410 0 against Northamptonshire. runs in a season. His highest score was List A 232 219 21 5393 118* 27.23 6 28 94 0 215 against Derbyshire in 1973. “Lucky”, as he was universally known at Canterbury, remained a greatly loved He also saved many runs through his athletic member of the Kent cricketing scene. fielding, and took 391 catches. Just Bowling averages He was captain of the 2nd XI, club coach, occasionally he would revert to his Mat Inns Balls Runs Wkts BBI BBM Ave Econ SR 4w 5w 10 and then manager of the Ames apprentice role as left-arm spinner, Sports Centre. In 1985 he even turned out finishing his career with 64 wickets at Tests 28 ------once more for the first team when they 42.67 each. He even claimed a notable ODIs 12 ------were a man short against the Australians. Test victim, of India. First-class 501 84 62 2 1/7 31.00 4.42 42.0 0 0 List A 232 ------

Brian Luckhurst

Batting and fielding averages

Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave BF SR 100 50 4s 6s Ct St

Tests 21 41 5 1298 131 36.05 3633 35.72 4 5 136 1 14 0 ODIs 3 3 0 15 14 5.00 69 21.73 0 0 1 0 0 0 First-class 389 662 77 22303 215 38.12 48 115 391 0 List A 153 151 16 5485 142 40.62 7 39 62 0

Bowling averages

Mat Inns Balls Runs Wkts BBI BBM Ave Econ SR 4w 5w 10

Tests 21 4 57 32 1 1/9 1/9 32.00 3.36 57.0 0 0 0 ODIs 3 ------First-class 389 5643 2744 64 4/32 42.87 2.91 88.1 0 0 List A 153 266 183 8 3/22 3/22 22.87 4.12 33.2 0 0 0

12 The Denness Luckhurst Foundation www.dennessluckhurst.org.uk 13 Saint Francis Hospice - doing more than you think

We receive 1,500 new patient referrals each year from the boroughs of Redbridge, Havering, The Lord’s Taverners is a thriving club, the official charity Barking & Dagenham and Brentwood

for recreational cricket and the UK’s leading youth cricket We provide family support to patients’ families, including children, for as long as they need us and disability sports charity. and deliver 2,000 bereavement counselling sessions each year

We envisage a future where all young The Lord’s Taverners gives disadvantaged We’re a registered charity (number 275913) and directly employ 200 front line staff to care for people, irrespective of background and and disabled young people a sporting local people of any, or no religion or faith, with a life-limiting illness

ability, have the everyday opportunity to chance by: Every year we need to raise more than £6.5 million in voluntary donations and we provide all play cricket and other competitive sports of our services to our patients and families for free • Encouraging participation in youth and enjoy physical activities to the benefit cricket, particularly in disadvantaged of their self-esteem, health, education and areas future socio-economic potential. – Management and support of inner Our charitable mission is to enhance the city and other youth cricket prospects of disadvantaged and disabled competitions and programmes young people using cricket and other forms of sport and recreation to engage – Funding to re-establish cricket in with them. Our strongest sporting rela- state schools tionships are with the cricketing family, – Grants towards non-turf pitches to but we also work with a wide range of increase the opportunities for young other sports including rugby, football, people to play tennis and basketball. – Donating hundreds of cricket The Lord’s Taverners benefits hugely equipment bags to clubs and school from the fundraising activities of The teams across the UK Lady Taverners, Young Lord’s Taverners our Regions and 5,000 high net worth • Supporting sporting and recreational members, many of whom are drawn from activities for youngsters with the world of sport and entertainment. special needs – Donating specially adapted minibuses and sports wheelchairs, giving young people vital transportation and access to sport and recreation

– Creating new pathways for participation, development and competition in sport – Providing grants for play, sports To get involved, or find out and sensory equipment www.lordstaverners.org more visit www.sfh.org.uk Registered Charity Number 306054 or call 01708 723593

14 The Denness Luckhurst Foundation Registered Charity No. 275913 www.dennessluckhurst.org.uk 15 “For hundreds of thousands of suffering people, the words ‘Mercy Ships’ promise a brighter future; a cure from physical deformities and ailments, an escape from poverty, a sense of dignity and self worth.”

It’s a simple idea, a floating hospital, crewed The Africa Mercy hospital ship has 5 operating by extraordinary volunteers from around 40 theatres, Xray facilities, CT scanner, a pharmacy, nations, ranging from surgeons, dentists and laboratory and intensive care unit, and beds for nurses to engineers, administrators and cooks. around 80 patients. The charity operates the world’s largest NGO For more than 35 years, Mercy Ships fleet of hospital ship, the Africa Mercy, which relies floating hospitals has been the hope on the entirely on voluntary donations, and volunteers horizon for millions of people in the poorest who serve on board from as little as two weeks. countries in the world. Mercy Ships has made Around 450 volunteers are on board at any one over 575 port visits and today, continues to time with some crew having served for more provide free, specialist health care and sustainable than 20 years. community development to men, women and children broken down through poverty In additional to the time and talent each volunteer and disease. dedicates to Mercy Ships, they also have to pay their own air fares to the ship and pay crew fees to cover the cost of their time on board. This model enables Mercy Ships to use a greater percentage of donations to directly help patients. The volunteer medical teams provide a range of free services including eye, orthopaedic, dental and maxillo-facial surgeries, as well as surgeries to heal women injured in childbirth. www.mercyships.org.uk Registered Charity Numbers 1053055 (England & ), SCO39743 (Scotland)

For further information on how you can support the Denness Luckhurst Foundation at future events please email us at [email protected]

Follow us on: Denness Luckhurst Foundation @LuckyHootsman www.dennessluckhurst.org.uk

The Denness Luckhurst Foundation is a not for profit organisation which is in the process of being registered with the Charity Commission as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation

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