Mark Ilott is pictured above during the 4th Test against Australia at Headingley, Leeds in July 1993.
Ilott was the pick of the England bowlers as the Australians wracked up a daunting 653-4 dec,
taking 3-161 in no less than 51 overs.
| |
Date |
Test |
Venue |
Opp. |
1st Inns |
2nd Inns |
Batting |
Ct |
Result |
| |
01/07/93 |
3 |
Nottingham |
Aus |
34-8-108-3 |
18-5-44-1 |
6 & dnb |
0 |
Draw |
| |
22/07/93 |
4 |
Leeds |
Aus |
51-11-161-3 |
dnb |
0* & 4 |
0 |
Lost |
| |
05/08/93 |
5 |
Birmingham |
Aus |
24-4-85-1 |
2-0-14-0 |
3 & 15 |
0 |
Lost |
| |
14/12/95 |
3 |
Durban |
SA |
15-3-48-3 |
dnb |
dnb & dnb |
0 |
Draw |
| |
26/12/95 |
4 |
Port Elizabeth |
SA |
29.4-7-82-1 |
dnb |
0* & dnb |
0 |
Draw |
Summary of all matches
| M |
Runs |
HS |
Ave |
100s |
50s |
W |
BB |
Ave |
5w |
Ct |
| 5 |
28 |
15 |
7.00 |
0 |
0 |
12 |
3-48 |
45.17 |
0 |
0 |
Mark in action for England on 3rd. Juy 1993. Photo George Herringshaw. ©
Mark Ilott, a left arm opening bowler from Essex following in the traditions of John Lever,
came into Graham Gooch's England side in 1993 as part of new youth policy following a
heavy defeat by Australia. Martin McCague, another debutant, shared the new ball with
him and Graham Thorpe and Mark Lathwell also made their first appearances in that match
at Trent Bridge. He took 3-108 and 1-64 in that match, but Australia continued to score heavily.
In the next Test at Headingley, when Australia ran up 653-4 declared, he had three of the four
wickets to fall, at a cost of 161, bowling Michael Slater and Mark Waugh and having David Boon
lbw during his 51 overs. At Edgbaston, bowling in company with Surrey's Martin Bicknell, he had
1-85 and for the next Test all the seam bowlers were dropped. Ilott made a surprise return as
part of the England party to tour South Africa in 1995-96 and appeared in two Tests.
He took 3-48 in Durban and 1-82 in the first innings at Port Elizabeth. In the second innings he
was injured and could not bowl. At one time he was being groomed to play a far larger part in
Test cricket, touring Sri Lanka with England A in 1990-91. In the second 'Test' at the SSC in
Colombo he took 1-80 and 4-42 against Sri Lanka A, including the wickets of Marvan Atapattu
and Ruwan Kalpage. He was the youngest player ever to appear in Minor County cricket for
Hertfordshire, for whom his brother, Nigel, played as a batsman. Mark was on rare occasions
a useful left hand batsman himself and he scored 60 for England A against Warwickshire at
Edgbaston in 1995.
(Bob Harragan)