Eddie Illingworth

Edward Philip Illingworth (27 November 1938 – 7 March 2026) was an Australian cricketer who played five first-class matches for Victoria between 1962 and 1964. A right-arm medium pace bowler, Illingworth was best remembered for being no-balled for throwing in a Sheffield Shield match against South Australia in November 1964 by umpires Col Egar and Jack Ryan. His selection for Victoria was made more controversial by the fact that he had been called at district level for throwing prior to his first-class debut. Away from first-class cricket, Illingworth had a successful career for Fitzroy in Victorian Premier Cricket, where he remains the eighth highest wicket-taker of all time, with 599. He was named the club champion three times, and later served for seven years as a board member of the Victorian Cricket Association.

Early career During his career in local cricket, Illingworth played for Fitzroy in Victorian Premier Cricket. He made his debut in the first-grade team in the 1957–58 season. He was to represent them for 20 years, playing a total of 233 matches. In December 1959, Illingworth was selected for the Victoria Colts, a youth team, to play against the New South Wales Colts. Illingworth scored a pair and opened the bowling, taking 1/51 as New South Wales made 278 in their only innings of a drawn match.

Two years later, in November 1961, Illingworth was selected for Jack Potter's XI in an invitational one-day single innings match against Bill Lawry's XI at Junction Oval. Both sides featured current Test players, including Lawry, Ian Meckiff and Lindsay Kline. Illingworth made 17 as Potter's men were bowled out for 125, before bowling nine wicketless overs for 34 runs as Lawry's side made 9/279, having reached the target with eight wickets intact.

First-class debut Illingworth was selected to make his first-class début for Victoria against Tasmania at Kardinia Park in Geelong in February 1962. His selection had generated controversy since he had twice been no-balled for throwing by two different umpires in Melbourne district cricket in the two seasons prior to his selection. One of the occasions in district cricket, he had been no-balled three times in one over.

Despite this performance, Illingworth was overlooked for further state selection for over two years. He finally returned to the state team in late 1964, during the 1964–65 season. In a trial match at the start of the season against Sunraysia Cricket Association in the regional town of Mildura, Illingworth opened the bowling and took 1/15 from eight overs as Victoria took a 117-run win in the one-day match.

He was then selected to make his Sheffield Shield debut a week later, against Western Australia at the WACA Ground in Perth. Illingworth came in at 6/168 and made 25 before being run out in his team's 208. Bowling first change, he dismissed both openers to leave the hosts at 2/60, before they recovered to take a 183-run lead. Illingworth ended with 2/53. He then scored 14 as Victoria set a target of 180. Illingworth then took 0/20 from ten overs before time ran out with Western Australia on 1/50.

No ball for throwing Illingworth's best performance in a Sheffield Shield match was against South Australia at the Adelaide Oval in the following week of November 1964, which was the same match in which he was called.

Illingworth took 4/92 in South Australia's first innings but was no-balled a total of three times by Egar and Ryan. Illingworth was called on each of the occasions by the umpire standing at square leg. He was called twice by Egar on the second and fourth deliveries of his eleventh over, and once by Ryan on the sixth ball of his fourteenth over. In the same fourteenth over, Illingworth had dismissed former Pakistani Test batsman Duncan Sharpe and Australian Test wicket-keeper Barry Jarman from the first and fourth deliveries respectively. They were forced to follow on, having conceded a 248-run lead in their first innings. Victoria had to try to stave off defeat and they were in trouble when Illingworth came in to bat, partnering captain Bill Lawry after wicket-keeper Ray Jordon was out with the score at 6/193. Illingworth scored his highest first-class score of 47, putting on a partnership of 87 runs with Lawry before he was dismissed with the score at 7/280. Victoria were 8/286 at the end of play, just 38 runs ahead, as the match ended in a draw.

Illingworth's final match was against Queensland in December 1964. He took 0/34 as Queensland batted first and made 270. After scoring seven of his team's 341, he took 1/86 as Queensland declared at 5/332. Chasing 261 for victory, Illingworth made four as his team lost by 40 runs. His best bowling figures in an innings were 8/18 and he took five wickets in an innings 26 times, and ten wickets in a match three times. He was part of two premierships in his career, with Fitzroy winning in 1960–61 and 1966–67. Illingworth was voted the club champion three times, winning the Arthur Liddicut Medal in 1972–73, 1973–74 and 1976–77. He was an honorary life member of the club.

From 1970–71 to 1977–78, Illingworth served as Fitzroy's delegate on the Victorian Cricket Association's board of directors.