Colin Milburn, a truly gifted batsman, was named a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1967 after a successful start to his Test career against West Indies.
An unfortunate car accident in May 1969 resulted in Colin Milburn losing use of his left eye, thus bringing an end to his Test career. He did make a brief return to first-class cricket in 1973 and finished his career with 13,262 first-class runs at 33.07 and 23 hundreds.
On a mid-September day in 1959 at Sunderland that very fine judge, the late George Duckworth, watched with growing interest an unusually large seventeen-year-old schoolboy score 101 unusually good runs for Durham against the visiting Indians. Duckworth saw to it that the exceptional feat did not pass unrecognised, and one sequel was a paragraph, soberly headed “Colin Milburn”, in Notes by the Editor in the following edition of Wisden.
Milburn, who had been marking each passing birthday by adding a stone in weight, was described as a well-built lad. He was already 17 stones, and created no small surprise when he presented himself for a trial at Northampton.
Equally true was the Editor’s use of the words to describe the prodigy’s methods – “a fine attacking batsman”. Milburn is still large and his outline is some way from the popular conception of an athletic Test cricketer, but what is far more important in these days of stereotyped mediocrity, he remains an attacking batsman. When things go right it can be truthfully said to be violent attack. Twice in 1966 Milburn hit centuries before lunch.
While he was in Australia last winter he reached 100 in seventy-seven minutes for Western Australia against South Australia. It was the fastest first-class hundred seen at Adelaide since 1928/29 when PK Lee attained three figures in seventy minutes.
Milburn is both a scientific hitter and a character. There is little doubt that he inherited his bulk and style from his father Jack, a well-known professional in the Tyneside Senior League.
Forward short leg is his best fielding position, and any doubt of his mobility is answered by the fact that in 1964 he held 43 catches, a record for Northamptonshire.
Milburn is an even-tempered and modest personality. He is not confused or bothered by theory, which is perhaps the basic reason for his continued success. He has not consciously changed his style or technique since his Burnopfield days.
“I just try and hit the ball” is his over-simplified explanation of his technique. “It is my way of playing the game and I want it to stay that way.” Words to shock and offend many a coach, but it is the essential Milburn, a pearl of great price in modern cricket. Few have been blessed with his genius for attack; fewer still with the nerve to go through with it come triumph or failure.
