By Charles Randall

19 December 2011

Mark Chilton, who announced his retirement in September after Lancashire had landed their first championship title since 1952, mentioned an interesting umpiring incident while speaking at the recent Fylde Coast Cricket Society dinner in Blackpool. He learnt during the season that substitutes cannot be captains.

On the last day of Lancashire's campaign, when they went to the top with an eight-wicket win over Somerset at Taunton, the captain Glen Chapple had to leave the field injured. Chilton came on as 12th man and, having already led the side during the summer in Chapple's absence, began giving instructions, but was quickly told to desist by Peter Willey, the umpire.

Willey bluntly told Chilton that it was against the rules to act as captain as substitute. "I tried to convince Peter that I was only moving the fielders, but he wasn’t wearing it," Chilton said, and Steven Croft had to take over. The season ended in triumph for Chilton in his benefit year and for Peter Moores, the former Sussex coach. Though the title was shared in 1952, Lancashire had not been outright champions for 77 years.