Fred Titmus - Later Career

Later Career

1974/75 saw Titmus make a surprise return to the England team, as he played in four of the six Ashes Tests. Though he took only seven wickets, he hit a defiant though ultimately fruitless 61 at Perth after Jeff Thomson had ripped through the upper order. That winter also saw Titmus play his only two One Day Internationals, both against New Zealand. Both games were ruined by rain, but in the second at Wellington he took 3–53 from his seven eight-ball overs, his only ODI wickets.

Having coached in South Africa on several occasions earlier in his career, in the 1975/76 winter Titmus played for Orange Free State in that country's Currie Cup competition, and took 42 wickets at 16.30. His career was beginning to wind down, however, and 1976 was his final full year in England. After the end of that season he went to coach at Surrey, playing for that county against Kent in 1978, but it was an unhappy time. He reappeared spasmodically for Middlesex in 1979, 1980 and 1982. His very last appearance came by accident: attending the Middlesex v Surrey match in 1982 as a spectator, he was prevailed upon to play by Middlesex captain Mike Brearley, and the gamble paid off: Titmus took 3–43 on a pitch taking spin, and Middlesex won by 58 runs.

He created a Middlesex appearance record of 642, and took 2,361 wickets, another county record, in addition to racking up in excess of 20,000 runs.