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Some might say Alan Igglesden was lucky to play for England in 1989. He
was, after all, 11th choice to take the new ball in the last Test of the
Ashes series. For one reason or another Phil DeFreitas, Neil Foster,
Phil Newport, Graham Dilley, Paul Jarvis, Gus Fraser, Devon Malcolm,
Greg Thomas and Steve Watkin had all fallen by the wayside, leaving
Iggles to share the attack with Gladstone Small. Perhaps he showed up
the judgement of the selectors, for his enthusiastic bowling was by no
means disgraced on a fast Oval wicket.
He took 2-91, with Mark Taylor
and Steve Waugh his not insignificant first victims in Test cricket,
and in the second innings had Geoff Marsh lbw for 4, looking more at
home than some who had bowled in earlier Tests. The 1989 appearance was
followed by Iggles Flies South, on the A tour of Zimbabwe in 1989-90,
but the sequel, Iggles Flies West, was delayed until Mike Atherton's
West Indian tour of 1993-94. Igglesden played in a four-prong pace
attack in the first Test (see photo above), but took just one
wicket - Junior Murray and Phil Simmons respectively - in each innings.
At the Bourda Oval in Georgetown, on the wicket that breaks bowler's
hearts, he had just 1-94 and did not play again.
On his A tour in
Zimbabwe he played against their full side just before they gained Test
status. In the first unofficial Test in Harare he took 3-50 and 2-47,
and in the second at Bulawayo had 2-99. His best international
performance came in the third match, back in Harare, when he took 5-33
in the first innings, his victims being Grant Flower, Goodwin, Andy
Pycroft, Eddo Brandes and Kevin Duers. (Bob Harragan)
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