David Wilde – A Tribute

Derbyshire County Cricket Club is deeply saddened by the news of the death, aged 75, of David Wilde, a member of the county staff between 1970 and 1972.

Heritage Officer David Griffin looks back at the cricketing life of David Wilde.

David Wilde was born in Glossop in 1950 and was a strongly-built left-arm fast-medium bowler.

He came to Derbyshire’s attention in the late 1960s and impressed with the Derbyshire County Juniors side taking 25 wickets at an average of 11.13.

The Derbyshire County Juniors side was very strong at the time; Wilde’s colleagues included future Derbyshire cricketers Harry Cartwright, Alan Hill, Keith Stevenson and Colin Tunnicliffe.

He was also selected to play in the Juniors match between the North and South taking five for 62 at Headingley in 1969.

His debut for the county came in a John Player League game against Somerset at Ironmould Lane, Bristol in 1970 in which Derbyshire, batting first, could only muster 91 with Wilde nought not out.

Opening the bowling with Fred Rumsey, Wilde took two for 34 off eight overs although the home side won easily by seven wickets.

His first class debut came almost one year later against the same county, this time at Derby. Derbyshire’s opening attack was Alan Ward and Mike Hendrick  but Wilde, coming on as first change, took three for 76 from 20.5 overs in a drawn game.

His best first class performance was against Essex at the Ind Coope Ground, Burton-on-Trent in July 1972 when, in the absence of Ward, he opened the bowling with Hendrick and took three for 54 and three for 27.

His best List A figures were against Gloucestershire at Derby, also in July 1972, when he took three for 31 and out bowled his more celebrated colleagues, Hendrick and – playing his final one day game – Fred Trueman.

His last match for the county was against Somerset at Taunton in the Sunday League at the end of the 1972 season when he bowled tidily in taking one for 19 off eight overs.

His county career ended at that point; such were the stocks of pace bowlers within the Derbyshire squad at the time.

He took 23 first class wickets for Derbyshire and 10 in one day games.

Everyone connected with Derbyshire County Cricket Club would like to extend their condolence to David’s family and friends.