Tom Richmond

RICHMOND, THOMAS LEONARD, who died on December 30, aged 65, was a prominent slow bowler for Nottinghamshire between 1912 and 1928. During his career in first-class cricket he took 1,158 wickets, average 21.24. The number of runs he scored exceeded his total of wickets by no more than 406, so that when he scored 70 in a last wicket partnership of 140 in sixty-five minutes with S. J. Staples against Derbyshire at Worksop in 1922 the general surprise may readily be imagined. The batting skill he displayed in this his highest innings was not repeated and it is as a skilful leg-break bowler who did not allow occasional heavy punishment to upset him that he will be remembered.

In one or two appearances in the county side before the First World War he accomplished little, but afterwards he became one of the best bowlers of his type in the country. He dismissed more than 100 batsmen in each of eight seasons, his best being that of 1922 when his 169 wickets cost him 13.48 runs each and exceeded the Nottinghamshire record of 163 set up by T. Wass in 1907.

Among his most notable performances were: nine wickets for 21 in Hampshire's second innings at Nottingham in 1922; nine for 19 (three for 9 and six for 10) in the match with Leicestershire at Trent Bridge and fourteen for 83 (seven for 30 and seven for 53) -- all in one day -- against Gloucestershire at Cheltenham in 1925; thirteen for 76 v. Leicestershire at Nottingham in 1920; thirteen for 107 v. Essex at Leyton in 1922, and thirteen for 165, including a hat-trick, v. Lancashire at Nottingham in 1926. For Pudsey St. Lawrence in 1920 he disposed of all ten Lowmoor batsmen in an innings for 39 runs. "Tich" Richmond played in one Test match for England, against Australia at Trent Bridge in 1921, taking two wickets for 86 runs.