Pat Oakden was a right-arm fast-medium bowler and lower order right-hand batsman. He was born in Kirkby-in-Ashfield on 9 May 1938. Educated at Newark Magnus Grammar School, he played his club cricket for Kirkby Park.
His National Service was in the Royal Navy and he served on HMS Bulwark. During this time he represented the Royal Navy in various matches throughout the world.
Some impressive bowling performances for Notts Seconds and Club & Ground in July and August 1959 gained him a place on the Notts playing staff for 1960. He made his First-Class debut v Lancashire at Trent Bridge on 20 July 1960 when John Cotton was unable to play due to injury. Oakden took one for 21, but then retired with a groin strain; the following summer he played in seven county matches. In the penultimate game against Worcestershire he took four for 86, but the report noted “he would have been a lot more impressive had he been steadier”. The last game of 1961 (against Hampshire) proved to be his final First-Class match.
In 1962 he appeared in two early Second XI games, but broke down against Derbyshire at Derby and this ended his career at Trent Bridge, his contract being terminated at the end of the season.
After this it appears he retired altogether from the cricket field, but took up golf and reached a standard that found him selected for the county – the first post-war example of a player representing Notts in both sports.
He was originally in engineering, but latterly formed a company as consultants to the Licensed Trade.
Pat Oakden died at his home in Kirkby on 20 July 2011 – he had attended the Notts Old Players Reunion only a few days earlier – he requested that he be buried in his Notts CCC blazer.
July 2020
Nottinghamshire First-Class Number: 427