Daryl Mitchell (English cricketer)

Daryl Keith Henry Mitchell (born 25 November 1983) is an English former first-class cricketer. Primarily a right-handed batsman who often opened the innings, Mitchell also bowled right-arm medium pace. He played for Worcestershire. He was appointed vice-captain for the 2010 season, and made captain when Vikram Solanki resigned in mid-August.

Career[edit]

Debut[edit]

After having appeared fairly regularly in the Worcestershire second team since 2002, Mitchell made his first-class debut for the county in May 2005 against Loughborough UCCE at Kidderminster. He made only five and 12 as Worcestershire slumped to an eight-wicket defeat, but after a few weeks out of the side Mitchell returned to the first team, and in mid-June he scored 63 against Leicestershire.

Mitchell's first full season was in the Twenty20 Cup saw a failure with the bat – an aggregate of just nine runs in four innings – balanced by five wickets in 13 overs with the ball, including 2–26 against Somerset.

2006–2008[edit]

After a successful winter playing in Australia, Mitchell began the 2006 season as a first choice opener in the absence of overseas player Phil Jaques and scored his first half-century of the season against Somerset.

2009[edit]

Mitchell endured a tricky 2009 season, struggling to make the impression at the top of the order he did the season before with Stephen Moore. However, Mitchell produced a strong batting performance in the penultimate Championship game of the season against Somerset at Taunton. He struck 298, his maiden first-class double century and the fifth highest individual score by a Worcestershire batsman, which included 54 boundaries and one six. He also became the first cricketer in history to be dismissed for that score.^[1]

During an end-of-season 20-over benefit match, Mitchell further demonstrated his versatility by keeping wicket, taking two stumpings.^[2]

2010-2021[edit]

Mitchell was appointed vice-captain to Vikram Solanki for the start of the season, replacing the departed Gareth Batty.^[3] He struck a rich vein of form that season, scoring four centuries and 1,000 runs by mid-August. Three of his centuries came in consecutive innings, two against Gloucestershire at Cheltenham, where he led Worcestershire to an improbable victory having been 202 behind on first innings,^[4] and another, a fine 165, against Glamorgan.^[5] Following defeat in this last match, Solanki resigned as captain, and Mitchell was immediately appointed his successor.^[6]

He announced his intention to retire at the end of the 2021 season.^[7]

Career best performances[edit]

Updated 28 September 2017

Professional Cricketers' Association[edit]

Mitchell was elected as the representative for Worcestershire on the Professional Cricketers' Association committee in 2009. He became the PCA chairman in February 2017, and was elected for a final two-year term in February 2019, having to guide the Association through the problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

After Cricket[edit]

Following his retirement at the end of the 2021 cricket season, Mitchell switched sports to football and signed for Hellenic Football League side Moreton Rangers.^{[8] [9]}

Notes[edit]

External links[edit]

• Daryl Mitchell at ESPNcricinfo
• Daryl Mitchell at CricketArchive (subscription required)