PROFILE

Donald Brennan played for Yorkshire from 1947 to 1953 as wicket-keeper. A very highly gloveman he was preferred to a fit Godfrey Evans in 1951 for the last two Test matches against South Africa. Evans had lost a bit of form, but Brennan, whose batting was significantly the poorer of the two, was exceedingly nimble behind the stumps.

In his first Test he stayed in three-quarters of an hour for 16, helping Bailey, who was playing a fighting innings, to put on 32, but the runs were less important than the time and, had Brennan been out quickly, England's position would have been precarious. The only other reference to the batting of someone who never passed fifty is that he once added 106 with Brian Sellars for the 10th wicket against Worcestershire.

Apart from these matches the quality and runs that Godfrey Evans provided England restricted Brennan to the MCC tour of India in 1951-52.

He was particularly expert at standing up to the spinners: in the Yorkshire sides at that time he had plenty of opportunities with Wardle, Appleyard and Leadbeater, and he seldom missed a chance of stumping. In his first-class career he caught 316 batsmen and stumped 115.

Originally in the XI at Downside, he graduated to the county side through the Bradford League. His career was delayed by the Second World War. He was often vice-captain to Yardley.

The claims of the family textile business had forced him to retire early, he did valuable work representing Bradford on the Yorkshire committee. He was a fiercely outspoken critic of the Boycott group. Illness prevented him standing for re-election in 1984 and he died on January 9, 1985, aged 64.

JMB October 2010