Doug Insole
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Douglas John Insole | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born |
18 April 1926 Clapton, London, England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting style | Right-hand bat | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling style | Right-arm medium | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National side | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Test debut | 20 July 1950 v West Indies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 30 May 1957 v West Indies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source: Cricinfo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Douglas John Insole CBE (born 18 April 1926)[1] is a former English cricketer, who played for Cambridge University, Essex and in nine Test matches for England, five of them on the 1956-57 tour of South Africa, where he was vice-captain to Peter May. After retiring from playing, he was prominent in cricket administration, and served as chairman of the England selectors and as President of the MCC.
Life and career
Insole was born in Clapton, London. He was cricket captain of Cambridge University whilst a history student at St Catharine's College and went on to captain Essex for many years. He scored 20,113 first-class runs for Essex, the ninth highest aggregate for the club. He played as a wicket-keeper, batsmen, and as a bowler. He was one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1956. He was President of the MCC for the twelve months, beginning on 1 October 2006. For his many services to cricket, Insole was appointed a CBE in 1979.
Insole was chairman of selectors for England in the 1960s, and in 1968, he presided over non-selection for a tour to South Africa of Basil D'Oliveira - which many said was politically based, as D'Oliveira was a 'coloured' South African, and as such not welcome in the country.
Also during Insole's time Geoffrey Boycott was dropped, in 1967 after having scored 246 not out. Boycott admitted to still feeling aggrieved about this over 40 years later, while commenting on the third Test between New Zealand and England at Napier on 24 March 2008 and again during the Test Match Special commentary of England against the West Indies at Edgbaston on 7 June 2012, where he said that Insole "should have spelt his name with an A!"[2] Again on 9 August 2014 during the 4th Test against India at Old Trafford, Insole's name was mentioned and Boycott was off on his tirade and reiterated his thoughts on how Insole's name should be spelt and was quickly silenced by Jonathan Agnew.[3]
Insole was a first team footballer for the amateur Corinthian-Casuals F.C., and played in the 1956 FA Amateur Cup final, before they lost to Bishop Auckland in a replay.[1]