Bob White 1936 - 2023 RIP

 

Bob “Knocker” White was born in Fulham on 6th October 1936. He first played cricket at Chiswick Grammar School and then for their old boys’ side, Old Meadonians. He left school at 15 to join the MCC staff at Lord's. Primarily a left-hand bat, he first appeared Middlesex Seconds in 1954. In 1955 and 1956 he was on National Service with the Royal Artillery, mainly in Cyprus, but in 1957 he played regularly for Middlesex Seconds and topped their batting averages in the Minor Counties Championship scoring 660 runs @38.82 in 11 matches.

White made his first-class debut for Middlesex against Notts in the opening match of the 1958 County Championship. Batting at number seven in the Middlesex innings he was caught by Ken Smales off the bowling of Gamini Goonesena for seven. It an exciting contest, Notts were made to follow-on but having made 95 first-time round they scored 340 in their second innings. Middlesex needed 183 to win and slipped to 168-8 but White now down at number nine scored 10 not out to see the home side over the line. White played six championship games that summer scoring 72 runs @14.40. In 1959 he played in 19 first-class matches scoring 666 runs @22.96, but in the following three summers he only appeared in 31 first-class matches.

1963 appeared to be a breakthrough season for him. He appeared in 30 first-class matches for the Seaxes scored 1,355 runs @33.87 and received his county cap. In May he scored his maiden first-class ton an undefeated 107, batting at three, against Kent at Lord’s, despite his efforts Middlesex lost the game by 50 runs. A month later, White was involved in a bizarre match in the return at Tunbridge Wells. On the first day played on Saturday, Kent had made 150 all out and Middlesex were standing on 121-3 at stumps with White on 43 and Ron Hooker on 13. Sunday was a rest day, so Middlesex decided to head back to London on the Saturday night. The traffic was heavier than usual on the Monday morning and only three Middlesex cricketers (White, Sid Russell and the twelfth man) made it back for the 11:30 start. Sid Russell had already been dismissed. With the Middlesex captain Col Drybrough absent umpires Lofty Herman and Dusty Rhodes thought hard, and “officially closed the Middlesex innings” (Wisden). Kent captain Colin Cowdrey allowed Middlesex to field multiple substitutes until the rest of the team gradually arrived. The match was eventually drawn when rain arrived early on the last day with White and Hooker once again at the crease!

The following two seasons saw White struggle to regain his form of 1963 and 29-year-old White joined Notts, on the recommendation of Reg Simpson, for the 1966 season. It is worth noting by this point in White’s career he had bowled 7.3-0-36-0 in 115 first-class appearances. Within five years, he was the Notts’ principal wicket-taker, both in terms of victims and average!

The circumstances which led to his sudden metamorphosis were two-fold, at Middlesex the spin bowling department was already full from Fred Titmus downwards. Bomber Wells had just retired at Notts and some umpires doubted the validity of Notts' main spinner Keith Gillhouley action. So White started to bowl his off-spin with an action very similar to Titmus himself, although White himself said he never consciously modelled his action on the former England player. He proved quite useful grabbing 43 first-class victims @29.16 that first summer including innings figures of 5-35 versus Hampshire at Dean Park, Bournemouth in June. Notts won the contest by seven wickets, but were championship wooden spoonists. White made his Notts first-class debut at Old Trafford on 7th May 1966, batting at five, but his batting was a disappointment, 911 runs @18.97 in 29 first-class appearances. He received his Notts cap during the season.

However, in 1967 Notts decided to sign the Northants leg-spinner Peter Watts who went straight into the First XI at the beginning of the summer, but he failed to worry batsmen. White was forced to be the sides premier spinner, an end of season comment read "White toiled for long periods." He bowled 645.4 first-class overs that season. Spinners need a lot of practice to develop and he certainly got it taking 48 first-class wickets @30.04 that season. His batting was now his second suit and in 26 first-class matches he scored 479 runs @21.77. He did however register his highest first-class score of 116 not out in the last game of the season against Surrey at the Oval. The 7th wicket partnership of 204 he shared with Mike Smedley broke the club record that had stood for 72 years. It was subsequently broken 26 years later by Chris Lewis and Bruce French who added 301 against Durham at Ropery Lane, Chester-le-Street.

In 1970 White took 70 first-class wickets @27.34 being easily the county's leading wicket-taker and only the veteran Halfyard sent down more overs. White was combining some crafty flight with subtle spin and this paid dividends. In 1971 he took 10-51 in the match at Ilkeston when only 13 Derbyshire wickets fell, rain ending the match early. His first innings analysis of 7-41 were his best figures in first-class cricket. His 1971 haul of 81 first-class wickets @28.24 was never beaten but he did take at least 43 first-class wickets in each season up to 1977.

His spin was not so effective in 1972 (43 wickets @32.37), but he did score 801 runs @27.62 and having the satisfaction of scoring an unbeaten 114 whilst the opening batting against Middlesex at Lord’s. 1973 followed much the same pattern. White was awarded a benefit in 1974 (£11,000) and headed the Notts first-class bowling table in 1974 in terms of average (24.16) and victims (79), though his batting declined (563 runs @16.08) and more often than not he went in at number seven. Harry Latchman, the Middlesex leg-spinner, was signed by Notts to add variety to the spin department but his effectiveness over his three seasons (1974 to 1976) was mixed.

White’s efficacy with the ball declined (48 wickets @35.79 in 1975, 62 wickets @36.06 in 1976, 55 wickets @31.29 in 1977). White had only missed three championship games out of a total of 170 between 1970 and 1977. In 1978, Indian slow left-armer Dilip Doshi was Notts’ premier spin option so White’s first-class appearances were reduced to 17 games. Notts signed Warwickshire off-spinner Eddie Hemmings and slow left-armer Mike Bore from Yorkshire for the 1979 season so White became manager and captain of the Second XI. In 1979 he did not appear in a single first-team fixture. In 1980, aged 43, he was brought back to bowl on a spinners wicket versus Derbyshire at Central Avenue, Worksop. With Eddie Hemmings his spin partner, White had an incredible game with match figures of 10-57. taking 6-24 in the second innings with Derbyshire shot out for 54 and Notts winning by 89 runs. Canny skipper Clive Rice decided to also play White in the return fixture at Ilkeston on 27th to 29th August but rain ruined the fixture with White only getting 13 overs in the match. His final first-class victim was Colin Tunnicliffe caught by Pete Hacker. In his two games that summer his return was 11 wickets @7.72. Some finale to his playing career that had stretched over four decades.

In List A cricket, White’s best score was 86 not out versus Surrey in a John Player game at Guildford in 1973. Opening the batting, White batted throughout the innings with Notts winning by six wickets. He thrice took four wickets in an innings in limited over cricket with best figures of 4-15 versus Somerset in a 4-wicket win at Bath in the Sunday League in 1975.

White retired from Trent Bridge in 1982 and had a sideline in selling fireworks. He joined the First-Class umpires' list in 1983 and stood for 19 seasons before having to leave the list in 2001 in reaching the age of 65. In total he stood in 314 first-class matches and 323 List A games, his entire working life had been immersed by cricket.

He was very active his retirement watching Forest at the City Ground and playing bowls, croquet and bridge. He lived with his wife Janice in East Bridgford. A regular attendee of Notts Past Players Day and the PCA day at Cheltenham College he was also a member of the Nottingham Cricket Lovers’ Society. Bob White died on 8th November 2023, aged 87.

His career record for Notts is given below.

 

BATTING	M	I		NO		RUNS		HS		AV’GE		CT	ST	100		50
First-Class	298	448		80		8259		116*		22.44		142	-	3		32
List A	165	115		38		1351		86*		17.54		44	-	-		2
BOWLING	OVERS		M		RUNS		W		AV’GE		ARPO		BPW		BB		5wI
First-Class	7941.3		2220		21102		693		30.45		2.65		68.75		7-41		28
List A	988.5		101		3736		136		27.47		3.77		43.62		4-15		-

 

His overall career record is as follows

 

BATTING	M	I		NO		RUNS		HS		AV’GE		CT	ST	100		50
First-Class	413	642		105		12452		116*		23.18		191	-	5		50
List A	169	119		38		1379		86*		17.02		44	-	-		2
BOWLING	OVERS		M		RUNS		W		AV’GE		ARPO		BPW		BB		5wI
First-Class	7949		2220		21138		693		30.50		2.65		68.82		7-41		28
List A	988.5		101		3736		136		27.47		3.77		43.62		4-15		-

 

MAG