Albert Lightfoot

Albert Lightfoot (born 8 January 1936, in Woore, Shropshire, England) was a cricketer for Northamptonshire. He joined Northamptonshire in 1953, and was awarded his county cap in 1961. He also made First-Class appearances for the Combined Services (in 1955), TN Pearce's XI (1962), a 'Players' team (1962 also), and AER Gilligan's XI (1963). He played 294 First-class matches and also played in 31 One-Day matches from 1963 up until his retirement, a format he never quite adapted to with bat or ball. Lightfoot bowled for the last time in 1968, before retiring altogether in 1970.

Northamptonshire's very own Shropshire lad gave valuable service for nearly twenty years, before extending his stay at the County Ground as head groundsman between 1973 and 1978. When Lightfoot was signed in 1953, it was principally as a medium-fast bowler, but he soon emerged as a talented left-handed batsmen, with his breakthrough being a maiden century against Surrey at The Oval in 1958, when he helped Raman Subba Row add a record-breaking 376 for the sixth wicket.

However, many Northamptonshire fans who witnessed his career will be quicker to mention the one run that he didn't make rather than the 12,000 that he did. Against Richie Benaud's 1961 Australians, Northamptonshire mounted a spirited challenge after being left to score 198 for victory in two and a half hours, and Lightfoot's gallant half-century helped reduce the target to four runs off the final over. With one ball to go, the scores were level. Alan Davidson bowled to Malcolm Scott who missed, but set off for a bye to acting wicketkeeper Bobby Simpson; Lightfoot, inexplicably, stayed put at the non-striker's end, Scott was run out, and Australia escaped with a draw.