Ken Higgs

Ken Higgs's Lancashire team-mates were baffled that he played in only 15 Tests. Not only did he take his wickets at lower cost than any of his new-ball rivals, but at a superior economy rate (2.15 runs per over) than even Brian Statham, whose accuracy was a byword in the game. Maybe his quality was understated. Higgs was dour and undemonstrative, and though well-liked and respected by his peers, he was unimpressed by figures of authority. Opposing batsmen knew how good he was, however: Higgs wasn't fast, but he was one of those who, by bowling a fuller length than most seamers of his pace, hit the splice persistently and jarred the hands. The ratio between specialist batsmen and tailenders among his 71 England victims was astounding. In his best series, against West Indies in 1966, he dismissed Conrad Hunte and Rohan Kanhai four times each, Basil Butcher three times, Joey Carew twice, and Garry Sobers, Peter Lashley, Seymour Nurse, David Holford and Easton McMorris once apiece in a bag of 24. What wouldn't England have given for him in the 1990s. He was good enough to make a surprise county comeback for Leicestershire in 1986, and take five wickets in an innings in his 50th year.
John Thicknesse