Northamptonshire honour Alan Hodgson

Northamptonshire honour Alan Hodgson Northamptonshire have inaugurated a new award in memory of their former fast bowler Alan Hodgson. ‘Hodge’, who died last October, aged 64, had an almost unique involvement in cricket in the county. He played for Northamptonshire from 1970 and 1979 and returned to Wantage Road as a coach of young cricketers, captain/manager of the Northamptonshire Colts side and manager of the Lynn Wilson Indoor Centre. He also played for Overstone Park and Old Northamptonians in local league cricket, captaining ONs to the County League title, and was the first vice-chairman of the Northamptonshire Cricket League following the amalgamation of the four existing leagues in 2003. Hodgson also proved an invaluable source of information for James Graham-Brown, the former Kent and Derbyshire all-rounder, who wrote a play – ‘When The Eye Has Gone’ – on the sad decline of Colin Milburn. The play, which was supported by the PCA, won rave reviews when it toured county grounds last November and that was due, in no small part, to the anecdotes provided by Hodgson. Milburn and Hodgson, fellow North Easterners, were close friends and flat-mates during their time in Northampton. Hodgson died just three weeks before he was due to attend the play’s premiere at Wantage Road. To recognise Hodgson’s contribution to cricket and with the blessing of his partner Linda, the Alan Hodgson Award will be presented annually – starting this year – for ‘contribution to cricket in Northamptonshire’ in its widest sense. A judging panel will decide the winner, with the announcement made at the county’s Former Players’ Day – an occasion very close to Hodgson’s heart, and which he helped to organise for many years. The winner will be invited to receive the award at the County Ground on that day. This year’s Former Players’ Day will be on Sunday August 6 – the opening day of Northamptonshire’s Specsavers County Championship match against Gloucestershire – and it is hoped many of Alan’s friends and former team-mates will be able to attend and share the occasion.