Former England cricketer Ken Shuttleworth passes away

Former England and Lancashire fast bowler Ken Shuttleworth has passed away at the age of 80. Shuttleworth represented England in five Test matches between 1970 and 1971, making his debut in the opening Test of the Ashes-winning tour of Australia in 1970–71, where he claimed five wickets in the second innings at Brisbane.

Standing tall and strongly built, Shuttleworth was a right-arm pacer known for his long run-up, side-on action, and ability to generate genuine pace. Born in St Helens, he joined Lancashire in 1964, providing a sharp edge to the attack in support of the legendary Brian Statham’s metronomic consistency.

"I was bowling as quick as what you see the fast bowlers bowl now. Brian and Ken Higgs were still the two main bowlers with Peter Lever and myself taking turns as the third seamer," Shuttleworth had told The St Helens Star in 2021.

Shuttleworth’s maiden first-class wicket was the prized scalp of Geoff Boycott at the Old Trafford, Manchester. Over the course of his career, he went on to claim 484 wickets at 22.92 for Lancashire, followed by a further 99 wickets for Leicestershire in the latter stages of his playing days. His best bowling figures came in 1968, when he produced a devastating spell of 7 for 41 against Essex at Leyton, finishing that season with 73 first-class wickets. Two years later, he bettered his haul with 74 wickets at an average of just over 21.

Despite his talent, injuries curtailed what could have been a longer international career. Shuttleworth toured Pakistan with the Commonwealth XI in 1967–68 under Richie Benaud’s captaincy, and in June 1970, he represented England in the special match against the Rest of the World at Lord’s.

On the Ashes tour of 1970–71, under Ray Illingworth’s leadership, he featured in the first two drawn Tests. In addition, he made history in his only ODI appearance at the MCG in January 1971, where he took England’s first-ever wicket in the format during the maiden one-day international.

"I just took it as another game. We got stick, which you expect when you're out there, but we were the first team since Douglas Jardine's in 1932 to win the Ashes in Australia,” Shuttleworth had recalled of his Test debut.

As the one-day game flourished in the 1970s, Shuttleworth’s short, incisive spells became a vital component of Lancashire’s success. He played a central role in the county’s hat-trick of Gillette Cup triumphs in 1970, 1971 and 1972, as well as their two Sunday League titles in 1969 and 1970. His standout performance came at Trent Bridge in 1972, when he produced remarkable figures of 5 for 13, a spell that included the prized wicket of Garry Sobers.

Following his move to Leicestershire in 1975, Shuttleworth later brought his professional career to a close in league cricket with Staffordshire. After a stint in business, he returned to the sport as a first-class umpire. In recognition of his contributions, he was inducted into Lancashire’s Hall of Fame in 2021. He is survived by his wife Barbara and daughters Sara and Hannah.