Harry Pougher facts for kids

Harry Pougher (born February 1, 1941 – died July 19, 2014) was a well-known English cricketer. He was a right-handed batsman and bowled right-arm off break (a type of bowling where the ball spins away from a right-handed batsman). Harry was born in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire. He had a long and successful career, playing for his county and coaching many young players.

Harry Pougher's Cricket Career

Harry Pougher started playing cricket for Lincolnshire in 1959. This was in the Minor Counties Championship, which is a competition for county teams that are not in the top professional league. He played for Lincolnshire for a very long time, until 1988. During this time, he played in 123 Minor Counties Championship matches and 10 MCCA Knockout Trophy matches.

List A Matches

Harry also played in a few "List A" cricket matches. These are important one-day matches. His first List A game was in 1967 against Hampshire in the 1967 Gillette Cup. He played three more List A matches, with his last one in 1988. In these four matches, he scored 112 runs. His highest score was 54 runs, which he made in his very first List A match against Hampshire.

Playing for Lincolnshire

Throughout his career, Harry Pougher played 145 matches for Lincolnshire. He scored a total of 5,532 runs, which is a huge achievement! Only three other players have scored more runs for Lincolnshire than him. He also became the captain of the county team, showing his leadership skills.

Club Cricket Life

Besides playing for his county, Harry was also a respected club cricketer. He started playing in the Yorkshire Council league for Appleby Frodingham in the 1950s and 60s. In 1967, he moved to Lincoln to become a head of PE (Physical Education) at a secondary school. He then joined Ruston Bucyrus in the Lincolnshire League in 1968.

In 1985, Harry joined Lindum Cricket Club. He quickly became their captain and then, in 1990, he was elected as the club's chairman. He also led the Lincolnshire Cricket Association for a time.

Harry Pougher: A Talented Coach

Harry Pougher was not just a great player; he was also a very talented coach. He helped many young cricketers improve their skills. He coached youngsters at his club and for the county. He also worked at special coaching centers.

Coaching Future England Stars

Two famous cricketers, Mike Atherton and Mark Ramprakash, were coached by Harry Pougher when they were just 13 years old. Both of them later went on to play for the England national team! This shows how good Harry was at spotting and developing talent. In 2011, Harry received a lifetime achievement award from the Lincolnshire Sports Foundation. Mike Atherton was among those who praised Harry's contributions.

Kwik Cricket Pioneer

Harry Pougher understood how important "Kwik Cricket" was for getting young children interested in the game. Kwik Cricket is a simpler, faster version of cricket designed for kids. Harry became the organizer for Kwik Cricket in his county. He even convinced the Lincoln Youth League to start the very first Kwik Cricket league in the entire country!

Harry Pougher's Impact at Lindum Cricket Club

When Harry Pougher joined Lindum Cricket Club in 1985, they only had three junior teams. Thanks to his hard work and dedication, by the 2014 season, the club had grown to have ten junior teams! This shows how much he helped the club develop young talent.

In 2011, all his efforts paid off when the club's Under 15 team won the National U15 Championship. This was a huge success for Lindum Cricket Club. In the same year, Harry stepped down as chairman and was elected as the club's President. He also became the President of the Lincolnshire Premier League.

Later Life and Legacy

In 2010, Harry Pougher was diagnosed with Multiple Systems Atrophy. This is a very rare illness that has no cure. It meant he had to use a wheelchair, which was very difficult for someone who had been so active his whole life. Harry Pougher passed away on July 19, 2014. He left behind a great legacy in cricket, especially for the young players he inspired and coached.