Derek Scott - An Appreciation by Edward Liddle

---

Player:

D Scott

---

DateLine: 25th July 2015

 

Derek Scott will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the most important and remarkable figures in Irish Cricket history. This will not, however, be because of his playing ability. Though he was probably a rather better batsman than most people, including himself, gave him credit for, he never made a fifty in senior cricket in Leinster cricket for his club Railway Union, but did once make 94 for the wandering side Leprechauns against Sandford Park School in Dublin, though truth to tell, Sandford, now a force in schools cricket, were not so good in the sixties when Derek's innings was played. He was, however, justly proud of having captained Railway Union to the Leinster Senior League title in 1960 and to the final of the Senior Cup the following year.

 

His strengths were as an administrator, historian and researcher. In these capacities, he made a contribution to Irish cricket which will always be seen as invaluable. He became Assistant Secretary of the Irish Cricket Union ( now Cricket Ireland) in 1954, and nineteen years later replaced the great off spinner Jimmy Boucher as Secretary. Irish cricket owes a debt to Jimmy but as a player rather than an administrator. Derek did not let the grass grow under his feet and was determined to see Irish cricket develop. By campaigning hard at Lord's, where he became a well respected figure, he secured Ireland membership of the Cricket Council, then the TCCB and finally Associate status in the ICC. Thus he gained Ireland's admission to the Gilette Cup in 1983 and did the groundwork for participation in the World Cup. He also improves levels of coaching throughout the country and regularly by visiting all the provincial unions during the "Troubles" ensured that there was no prospect of an schism. "There is, " he once said to this writer, " no Border in Irish cricket and never will be, thank God."

 

When he became ICU Assistant Secretary in 1954, the Union's records of Ireland's matches only dated back to 1933. He set out to remedy this by single-handedly researching the details of every match played by Ireland dating back to 1855. He transcribed all the scores by hand into vast leather bound volumes, while similar tomes contained match reports written in his distinctive long hand. He also compiled match by match records for every player. All this work he continued until recent years. Fortunately it has been continued. He performed the same service for the Leinster Senior League, which began in1919 and the Senior Cup which started in 1933. As might be expected his knowledge of Irish cricket was encyclopaedic but he did not stop there. He also commanded an extraordinarily high knowledge of Test and first class cricket throughout the world. He predated the internet and when he was around there was no need to resort to it in later years. His expertise was recognised and appreciated by Wisden and The Cricketer. He contributed on Irish cricket to the magazine for some 20 years from 1956 and was the Almanack's longest serving correspondent, producing an article annually from 1958 to 2008.

 

His interest in cricket, he said, had begun as a ten year old in 1939, a cousin taking him to some of Railway Union's matches. He also watched cricket in Phoenix Park while walking with his mother and first listened to a cricket commentary during the Final Test England v West Indies in 1939. "Walter Keeton was out first ball" and saw Scotland heavily defeat Ireland at the historic College Park ground. He was later to become, as a teenager, one of the founder members of The Cricket Society and joined the Association of Cricket Statisticians in 1973. His cricket watching in his early days included not only seeing Bradman bowled by Hollies at The Oval in 1948, but also The Don's farewell hundred at Lord's against the Gentlemen of England shortly afterwards.

 

He possessed a vast library in his house in suburban Dublin, complete sets of Wisden, Scores & Biographies and the Lawrence Handbooks, being but some of his treasures. All of these, together with his records, were available to researchers and other enquirers, all of whom could be assured of a welcome from Derek and his wife Anne.

 

I first met him when I was 16 and plagued him with countless written requests and some personal visits for many years thereafter. Never was he anything but friendly and helpful. Unfortunately he and Anne had both been far from well in recent years years, Derek's wonderful memory having completely failed him. Anne, who survives him, is in a similar condition.

 

(Article: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author only.
Copyright © 2015 Edward Liddle)