Keith Nuthall

It is with sadness that the Club reports the death Of Keith Nuthall, one of the Clubs oldest members.

JK Nuthall Ormskirk IstXI 1950-1965

When Liverpool Competition cricket formally restarted after the war in 1949 Keith Nuthall was one of a number of promising young players at Brook Lane. He was a right hand batsman and off break bowler and aged 20 when he made his debut versus New Brighton in 1950. Following his innings of a single run and a short wicketless spell of bowling in this match, he had some spectacular success in his second appearance a week later against Northern at Brook Lane.

Here he dismissed the great John Winter for 35 and also Jack Heaton for 8, two of Northern’s finest players of this era. Keith took 2 for 28. A few days later he captured 3 for 31 at Preston where the home side was dismissed for 129. When Ormskirk’s Ashcroft and Taylor added 82 for the second Ormskirk wicket it looked certain that Ormskirk would register a win. But no, there was a calamitous batting failure and Ormskirk lost their last eight wickets for 27 runs and the match by 10 runs.

Nonetheless Keith had made his mark in the Ormskirk team and he continued to play regularly in 1950 and 1951. His top score of 48 was made at Trafalgar Road in Ormskirk’s 149-6 which secured a draw in reply to Southport’s 217-4 declared. Although he played his last game for the first team in 1965 he turned out many times for the second team and Sunday elevens. He was renowned for his immaculate appearance as a cricketer and his batting technique and bowling action closely followed those laid down in the coaching books. He continued to visit Brook Lane on Saturday afternoons until recently and maintained his interest in the Ormskirk teams. He was the club’s Hon Treasurer from 1976 to 1981, a position that suited him, and he was a very popular figure at Brook Lane.

In total he made 62 appearances for the first team, scored 331 runs, captured 34 wickets and held 16 catches.

MG Tittershill

Funeral details will be posted here once known. Keith is shown below, in the centre of the back row.