Jack Simmons interviewed by Ahmer Khokhar

Reference

AV/4/17

Date:

2001

Level of description

item

Extent

1 cassette: 2 sides, total time 66 minutes 33 seconds

Part of

Audio Cassettes (AV/4)

Scope and Content

Cassette recording, Jack Simmons interviewed by Ahmer Khokhar. The cassette recording consists of two sides.

Side A: [0:00-3:05] Simmons talks about being coached by Clyde Walcott and the influence Walcott had on his career as well as the influence of his father Bob, and his friendship with Walcott, [3:05-6:30] Simmons talks about playing cricket at school, [6:30-7:42] Simmons talks about making his debut for Lancashire County Cricket Club against Northamptonshire at Blackpool in 1968, [7:42-10:40] Simmons talks about the highlights of his Lancashire career including receiving his county cap in 1971, winning the Sunday League twice (in 1969 and 1970), the Gillette Cup three consecutive times (in 1970-1972) and again in 1975, and winning the Sunday League on the day he retired from first-class cricket in 1989, [10:40-13:31] Simmons talks about not being selected for England and the players who were selected ahead of him, [13:31-16:45] Simmons talks about the best innings he played for Lancashire and batting with David Hughes to win trophies for Lancashire, [16:45-21:30] Simmons talks about the best bowling spells of his career including taking the last Yorkshire wicket to defeat them by an innings at Old Trafford in 1972 and his career best figures of 7-59 playing for Tasmania against Queensland, and managing to get out cricketers like I V A Richards, M C Cowdrey and G Boycott, [21:30-24:10] Simmons talks about the difference between playing for Lancashire and playing in Australia including the difference in Test experience between the Lancashire and Tasmanian teams and helping Tasmania to win the Gillette Cup (Australia) in 1978-1979, [24:10-31:00] Simmons talks about his influence on D C Boon's career having taught him in Tasmanian schools, watching Boon score a century at ten years old, his friendship with Boon and Boon naming his son after Simmons and Boon becoming his last first-class wicket, [31:00-35:10] Simmons talks about coaching in Australia and the changes in philosophy between Australian and English cricket and the financial support given to coaching in Australia, [35:10-41:17] Simmons talks about his physique and whether that affected his career, having to regularly go on a diet, his love of fish and chips and the 'Jack Simmons Special' that his local fish and chip shop sold.

Side B: [0:00-13:45] Simmons talks about the differences in cricket in 2001 from when he played, including the lack of enjoyment from cricketers, less honesty with dismissals and less walking after being caught, his disapproval of sledging, his support of a two division County Championship, the rise of one-day cricket, and the impact of central contracts on county cricket, [13:45-19:20] Simmons talks about Lancashire's failure to win the County Championship outright since 1934 and the lack of Lancashire players selected for England, and Simmons' thoughts on the lack of cricket played in schools as a reason for the latter, [19:20-24:00] Simmons talks about Lancashire's prospects of winning the County Championship for the first time since 1950, and recalls past Lancashire teams, [24:00-25:16] Simmons talks about how he would like history to remember him and his pride at being Chairman of Lancashire.

Associations

Jack Simmons
Ahmer Khokhar
Robert Simmons
Sir Clyde Leopold Walcott
Lancashire County Cricket Club
David Paul Hughes
Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards
Michael Colin Cowdrey
Geoffrey Boycott
Tasmania Cricket Club
David Clarence Boon

Subject

Gillette Cup (Australia), Gillette Cup, Sunday League, diet, central contracts

Institution name

Marylebone Cricket Club

Conditions governing access

Open

Language

English, 6574, , , , , , , , ,

Size

1 cassette: 2 sides, total time 66 minutes 33 seconds

Hierarchy browser

• Audio Cassettes (AV/4)
  
  • Jack Simmons interviewed by Ahmer Khokhar (AV/4/17)