a best of 162, at an average of 28.06. Against the Rest of the World in 1970, Illingworth topped the England averages with 476 runs (52.89) and six half-centuries. Captaincy style The Yorkshireman was 'tough, combative, grudging, shrewd, and an instinctive reader of the game', and an experienced, no-nonsense captain who expected his team to play like professionals. David Gower wrote 'no matter how highly Ray might regard you as a player he would not have you in his team, come hell or high water, unless he was utterly convinced that you could do the job he had allocated to you'. He managed 'difficult' players like Geoff Boycott and John Snow well, and they responded with their best Test form. 'Most of all, because he insisted on his "own side", he was able to get the best out of his players, both mentally and physically. He built up a tremendous team spirit which stood us in good stead on numerous occasions', and they tended to close ranks and treat the opposition, umpires, press and public as the enemy, an attitude that became prevalent amongst Test teams in the 1970s. Illingworth captained England in 31 Test matches, winning 12, losing 5 and drawing 14. Record Player Illingworth played 787 first-class matches over nearly 33 years. County level Illingworth made his first-class debut at 19, was capped in 1955 and became a stalwart of the Yorkshire team thereafter. In 1957, he completed a seasonal "double", with more than 1,000 runs and 100 wickets, a feat he repeated five times over the next seven years. As captain his experience and knowledge of the game were widely believed to have helped Yorkshire to their County Championship victories in 1966, 1967 and 1968. In 1968 he joined Leicestershire after a contract dispute with Yorkshire, and was made captain. Test level Illingworth made his Test début for England in 1958 but struggled on his first tour, in the West Indies in 1959–60, taking just four wickets in five Test matches. After failing to make an impact in four Tests against South Africa he found himself struggling for a place. A good series against India in 1967 established him in the team. The selectors had long regarded Colin Cowdrey as England's natural cricket captain, but he ruptured an Achilles tendon early in the season and Illingworth was his replacement after only a month as county captain. Illingworth