Nigel Howard      

Full name Nigel David Howard

Born May 18, 1925, Gee Cross, Hyde, Cheshire

Died May 31, 1979, Douglas, Isle of Man (aged 54 years 13 days)

Major teams England, Lancashire

Batting style Right-hand bat

Wisden obituary
Nigel David Howard, died suddenly in the Isle of Man, where he had lived since his retirement from business three years earlier, on May 31, aged 54. He headed the Rossall batting averages in 1941 and 1942 and, making his first appearance for Lancashire in 1946 obtained a regular place in 1948 when he made the highest score of his career, 145 v Derbyshire at Old Trafford. In 1949 he took over the captaincy, which he retained until he retired from first-class cricket after the season of 1953 in order to devote himself to the family textile business. He was the youngest player ever to captain Lancashire. However, greatly helped by Washbrook, his senior professional, he led the county to the top of the table in 1950, captaining the Gentlemen at Lord's in 1951 and taking the MCC side to India and Pakistan at the end of that year. Unluckily he missed the latter part of this tour through illness. An attractive bat with a good range of strokes, especially when runs were wanted quickly, he did much valuable work for his county. His best seasons were 1948, when he scored 944 runs with an average of 36.30, and 1950, when his aggregate was 1,124 and his average 36.68. Later he served on the Lancashire committee and was for a time chairman of the cricket committee. He also represented Cheshire at hockey and golf. He came of cricketing stock; both his father, for some years secretary at Old Trafford, and his younger brother played for Lancashire.
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack

Former Lancashire and England captain Nigel Howard died in the Isle of Man on May 31, at the age of 54. He became Lancashire's youngest captain when he took over from Ken Cranston in 1947, and on the 1951-52 MCC tour of India he led England in the first four Tests, the last, at Kanpur, being won after three drawn matches. A stylish batsman, he made 5526 runs for the county, with a highest score of 145 against Derbyshire at Old Trafford in 1948. In 1950 he led Lancashire to a shared Championship with Surrey. Educated at Rossall, he went on to become a representative hockey player as well as a county golfer. He retired at 28 to concentrate on his family textile business, but served for several years on the committee. His father was Major Rupert Howard, secretary of Lancashire for 16 years and manager of the 1936-37 and 1946-47 MCC teams in Australia and New Zealand.
Wisden Cricket Monthly

Nov 22, 2005

Nigel Howard

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