1963 English cricket season
| Cricket formats | Test, first-class, List A, minor counties |
|---|---|
| Tourist(s) | West Indies |
| County Championship | |
| Champions | Yorkshire |
| Most runs | Brian Bolus (2,190) |
| Most wickets | Derek Shackleton (146) |
| Knockout Cup | |
| Champions | Sussex |
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← 1962
1964 →
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The 1963 English cricket season marked the beginning of limited overs cricket at List A level with the inauguration of the knockout competition that was originally called the Gillette Cup. It also included a memorable Test series against West Indies. Off the field, the year saw the publication of the hundredth edition of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, as well as the deaths of two cricketing knights, Sir Jack Hobbs and Sir Pelham Warner.
Yorkshire won their second consecutive County Championship title.
There was a memorable series between England and West Indies. The tourists won 3-1 with one match drawn. The Lord's Test had one of the most exciting finishes ever and all four results were possible with two balls to be bowled: it ended as a draw with England's last pair five runs behind. Colin Cowdrey had had to come out at number 11 with a broken arm, but did not have to face a ball.
As a result of the great success of this series, England's future home Test programme was revised so that West Indies could return in 1966, much earlier than originally planned. This was done by introducing "twin tours", in which two countries would each play three Tests against England in the course of a season.
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