Alec Bedser, and later Fred Trueman, Brian Statham and Frank Tyson providing England's with penetrating pace bowling, Shackleton had no opportunities in Test cricket for over a decade. His county record continued to improve: he took 150 wickets for 20.46 each in 1953, and bettered that in 1955 with 159 and 1958 with 165. In 1955, Shackleton had the outstanding match analysis of 14 for 29 against Somerset at Weston-super-Mare, taking 8–4 in the first innings, and 6–25 in the second. In taking eight wickets for four runs, Shackleton posted the most remarkable bowling figures in county cricket in the 20th century. He was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1959, and recorded his best innings figures, 9 for 30, against Warwickshire at Portsmouth in 1960. His captain, Colin Ingleby-Mackenzie, called on him to bowl with Warwickshire on 196–4, playing for a draw with 45 minutes left to play. As ordered by his captain, he conceded a four to secure the new ball, and then took 6 wickets in 26 deliveries without the batsmen taking another run. He took nine wickets in an innings on three further occasions, and also took five wickets in nine balls against Leicestershire in 1950, but never managed to take a hat-trick. Throughout the 1950s, Shackleton formed a success bowling partnership at Hampshire with fellow seam bowler Victor Cannings. Shackleton's high work rate reached new levels in the following years: he bowled over 9,000 balls in the dry summer of 1961, spearheading Hampshire's drive to their first County Championship win. In 1962 Shackleton became the last bowler to bowl 10,000 balls in a season (and only the third who was not a spinner, after J.T. Hearne and Maurice Tate), taking 172 wickets. His continuing form in 1963 saw Shackleton recalled – surprisingly – to the Test arena for the second Test against the West Indies at Lord's, alongside Trueman. He took three wickets in four balls in his recall match, ending with match figures of 7–165. He was ninth out in England's second innings, chasing six runs to win with two balls left to play. Colin Cowdrey came out to bat with a broken arm, and David Allen defended the last two balls of the match to secure a draw. Shackleton also supported an irresistible Trueman well with the ball in the third Test, but was relatively ineffective in the last two games, and