Warren Hegg

A consistent performer behind the stumps in a long career with Lancashire, with the ability to score useful lower-order runs, Warren Hegg was 30 before he achieved full international recognition. Selected to tour West Indies with England A in 1990-91, illness prevented him taking part, and a loss of confidence kept him from further international honours until an A tour to Australia in 1996-97. Chosen at last in the full England squad to tour Australia two years later, Hegg expected to carry out the tour as understudy to the captain, Alec Stewart. However, England's dismal performance in the Ashes series, and a growing perception that Stewart was being overburdened, prompted a re-think after the third Test. To free up the captain to open the batting, Hegg made his Test debut at Melbourne on Boxing Day. He held on to his place for the final Test at Sydney, but although he kept tidily he failed to make much impression with the bat. After Stewart reverted to all three roles in the World Cup the following summer, Hegg was overlooked at the start of the series against New Zealand, when the selectors instead chose the young Nottinghamshire keeper Chris Read. By the end of the summer Stewart had reverted to the role of wicket-keeper batsman, which he held for another two years. Stewart's unavailability for the 2001 tour of India prompted the selectors to consider Hegg again. After another admirable season with Lancashire in 2001 (in which he had averaged over 40 with the bat) he was included in the squad along with the young Essex wicketkeeper James Foster. However it was Foster who played throughout the two Test series in India and New Zealand. To Hegg's disappointment, the selectors reverted to Stewart when Foster had the misfortune to break an arm in the nets at the start of the domestic season. Hegg holds a notable record of 11 catches in a first-class match, set in 1989. His batting, like his keeping, is consistent and has steadily improved. Hegg was appointed captain of Lancashire in 2002. After finishing third and second in Division One of the County Championship in his first two years in charge, Lancashire were hotly-tipped to be champions, but when they were relegated after a season of internal unrest, he resigned. Although he was relatively injury-free throughout his career, an injury to his hand caused him to retire in September 2005, a matter of a couple of weeks before the end of the season.
Martin Williamson (September 2005)