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As a teenager Bill Athey was groomed for stardom. He was intended to be
the latest in the long line of Yorkshire greats, following in the
bootsteps of Sutcliffe, Leyland, Hutton and Boycott. All went well early
on, he had a mentor who could explain the rigours of top sport, sharing
century partnerships for Yorkshire 2nd XI with Peter Squires, the
England rugby wing. He had a successful introduction to the England team
in the ODIs of 1980, contributing to a score of 320 against a bowling
attack that included Lillee, Thomson and Pascoe. He had a harder time in
the Centenary Test at Lords, failing to reach double figures.
The
constant political battles of Yorkshire cricket wore Athey down and
after several lean years he moved to Gloucestershire in 1984. Two years
later he returned to the England side with reasonable success against
New Zealand. That winter he was taken with Mike Gatting's side to
Australia, promoted to open and on the first day of the series, at
Brisbane, played probably the most important innings for England in the
back end of the century. On a rain-ruined day he kept out the dangerous
Bruce Reid and blocked his way to 76; an innings which lead to a century
from Ian Botham which set up England's win in the match and the series.
Athey made 96 in Perth, then 123 against Pakistan at Lord's next
summer.
He went to Pakistan and New Zealand under Gatting and played in
the 1987 World Cup, his 58 being England's best score as they lost to
Australia in the final before Calcutta's 100, 000 strong crowd. He lost
his place on the return of Graham Gooch in 1988, reappearing in one Test
against West Indies. (Bob Harragan)
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