My Favourite
Peter Cobb was at Lord’s in 1963 to see late-blooming recognition for Hampshire’s great seamer Derek Shackleton
Derek Shackleton
Derek Shackleton bowling for Hampshire in 1965, when he led the country with 133 Championship wickets
Peter Cobb
Is in the Circle of Wine Writers. His family have been connected with Cockburn’s Port for more than 150 years. He worked for the company in London, then in Bristol after it was acquired by Harveys. He played cricket extensively for Wine Trade CC, and for Oporto CC after moving to Portugal in 1980
One morning during Easter 1949, the Hampshire captain, Desmond Eagar, was in the nets at the County Ground, Southampton, giving a batting demonstration. I was one of a number of 10-year-olds, watching intently, and looking forward to summer and possible selection for the school colts.
Eagar had rustled up a selection of young pros to provide the ammunition with which to show off his array of elegant strokes. He was a flamboyant batsman, his style if enhanced by his penchant for batting in a Harlequin cap. On this occasion he flicked a medium-paced delivery off middle stump high into the netting around square leg. “Possibly six, could be four, might be out,” said Eagar to the assembled throng. The bowler was patently unimpressed. His first ball thereafter beat the captain’s outside edge as he played defensively forward, his second beat him on the inside, and the third hit the top of off. The bowler was Derek Shackleton.