Allan Watkins

Not to be confused with Alan Watkins or Henry Watkins Allen.

Allan Watkins

Personal information
Full name	Albert John Watkins
Born	(1922-04-21)21 April 1922 Usk, Monmouthshire, Wales
Died	Kidderminster, Worcestershire, England
Batting style	Left-hand bat
Bowling style	Left-arm medium-fast
International information
National side	England
Career statistics
Competition Tests First-class Matches 15 484 Runs scored 810 20,361 Batting average 40.50 30.57 100s/50s 2/4 32/108 Top score 137* 170* Balls bowled 1,364 51,469 Wickets 11 833 Bowling average 50.36 24.48 5 wickets in innings – 25 10 wickets in match – – Best bowling 3/20 7/28 Catches/stumpings 17/– 464/–
Source: [1]

Allan Watkins (21 April 1922 – 3 August 2011), born Albert John Watkins, was a Welsh cricketer, who played for England in fifteen Tests from 1948 to 1952. He toured India and Pakistan in 1951–52 with the MCC, and also participated in the 1955–56 'A' Tour to Pakistan. In 1953–54, he played with the Commonwealth team in India and Pakistan, returning home early through injury.

Life and career

Born in Usk, Monmouthshire, Watkins made his debut for Glamorgan just three weeks after his seventeenth birthday in 1939, as World War II loomed. He was an all-rounder, being a left-handed batsman, a medium to fast left-arm bowler and a brilliant close fielder, particularly at backward short leg.

He was the first Glamorgan cricketer to score a century in Tests for England, and played for the county until 1961, when he was 39 years old.

He was voted 'Indian Cricket Cricketer of the Year' in 1951–52, after a successful series there with the MCC. During that tour, Watkins battled his way to a nine-hour-long, unbeaten 137, in Delhi, his best Test score. Oddly, Watkins' better performances were overseas, as his five home Tests did not provide a single innings above fifty.

Watkins went on to successfully coach school cricket, most notably at Oundle School and Framlingham College.

He also played football for Cardiff City and Plymouth Argyle. He died in Kidderminster, Worcestershire on 3 August 2011, following a short illness.