| Player: | FC Hayes |
An elegant, stylish batsman who promised much when he announced his arrival in the England team with a fine century against the West Indies, Frank Hayes was unable to overcome the nerves that beset him on major occasions. He played 8 more Tests but apart from his debut century amassed only 138 runs from his other 16 innings Unfortunate to play all his 9 Tests against a powerful West Indies side, he remained at county level a player of obvious class. He came to prominence on debut with Lancashire, making 94 and 99 in his first two matches, and impressed in the 1973 Test trial, resulting in his debut at the Oval. He toured the West Indies in 1973/74, and was recalled to the Test side to face the West Indies in 1976. A strong back-foot player, he also drove well, and could score rapidly. In 1977 he hit the luckless Malcolm Nash (who had conceded Sobers 6 sixes) for 646666 from a single over. He captained Lancashire from 1978 to 1980.
(Article: Copyright © 2003 Dave Liverman)
