Shackleton memorabilia set for auction
By Connor Steel
HAMPSHIRE CRICKET fans will be given the opportunity to own memorabilia of county hero Derek Shackleton later this month, with his belongings due to be auctioned on January 22 after being found in the back of a wardrobe by family members in late 2021; nearly fourteen years after his death in 2007.
Shackleton is widely considered a cricketing legend for the county, joining in 1948 as an all-rounder following a short spell in football with Burnley as a goalkeeper. He stayed at Hampshire for a total of twenty-two years scoring 9,574 runs including 20 half centuries, but no tons as he moved down the batting order.
But it was his bowling that made him a household name, taking a final total of 2,857 wickets in 647 first class games using pacey deliveries on friendly pitches during the 1940s to 1960s. In these eras Shackleton set a record of taking 100 wickets per year for twenty successive campaigns, featuring 194 five-fours and taking 10 dismissals in a match thirty-eight times.
Shackleton was also key to Hampshire winning their first County Championship in 1961, bowling over nine thousand deliveries that summer as the county made their then-Portsmouth stadium a fortress. It continued great form for the bowler who won Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1959 and took his best innings figures of 9-30 nine months later.
England international cricket also called on either side of his career, making his debut in 1950 versus West Indies and made his last appearance versus the same side in 1963. Overall he has just seven caps for the international side, taking 18 wickets and scoring 113 runs from the lower order, with over a decade separating his limited opportunities.
Shackleton was also the leading first class wicket taker from 1962 to 1965 and remains one of the most economical bowlers in history, conceding an average of only two runs per over throughout his career. He left Hampshire in 1968 and retired after a couple of seasons playing limited overs cricket for Dorset.
After his retirement Shackleton did some work as a pundit and umpire before his death in 2007, which saw events held at the Ageas Bowl to mark his legacy. And now his family want to celebrate his life and career by sharing his memorabilia, which will be on auction with Hansons Auctioneers’ Cricket Auction on January 22 and Shackleton’s son Julian confirmed this news in late December.
He said: “Dad’s collection has been stuck at the bottom of a wardrobe for 10 years. No one has seen it or enjoyed it. I will be 70 next birthday and my sister is 67, we have no one to pass the collection on to and have been wondering what might happen to it”
“I’ve taken some of his things to The Dorset Cricket Society before now and gave some items to Hampshire County Cricket Club to display, but Covid shut the place down and everything got stuck in boxes. We decided the best thing to do was to offer dad’s memorabilia at auction. It gives us an opportunity to celebrate dad’s life and sporting achievements and his memorabilia can be bought and treasured by people who love cricket.”
Hundreds of photos, cricketing attire and mementos are being put forward by the family, with an arguable highlight being the England cricket blazer worn on tour to India and Pakistan in 1951/52. Other items include Derek’s Hampshire CCC sweater, a 1950’s England cricket cap, ties, and a test match cricket stump from the fifth test between England versus West Indies held at the Oval in August 1963. The entire catalogue of products available to buy on January 22 are available to see here.
PICTURED BY HANSONS AUCTIONEERS: Shackleton receives award in one of hundreds of photos available to buy
