The first man to be called ‘Mr.Cricket’, Sir Gubby Allen was a genuine all-rounder whose contribution to cricket could have been more if had taken up the sport fulltime. However, his interests in business and stock exchange prevented that, and being a cricketer turned out to be a timepass for Allen, albeit an addictive one at that. A product of Cambridge University, he represented Middlesex and for a major part of his life, stayed barely a wall away from the iconic Lord’s stadium, even having his own entrance
to the ground. Allen was highly influential in the MCC matters as well as that regarding Middlesex. He might not have been a full-time cricketer but whenever he set foot on the playing field, there was a clear indication of what he could have achieved with the kind of potential he had.

A fast bowler who was also a dependable lower middle order batsman, Allen’s career was fairly long, spanning close to three decades. It was only at the fag end of his career that injuries started to affect him. One of Allen’s notable appearances came during the famous Bodyline series in 1932-33 but the Middlesex man was a strong character who didn’t agree with his skipper’s choice of negative tactics, and yet emerged as the highest wicket-taker for his side in that series. When the Second World War
happened, Allen volunteered himself for service and once again missed out on a lot of cricket. It won’t be wrong to say that his cricketing skills were as significant as his persona which brought great popularity.

Written by Hariprasad Sadanandan