Edwin ('Ted') Tyler

TYLER, EDWIN JAMES, born at Kidderminster, October 13, 1866; died at Taunton, January 21. Tyler will always be remembered for the share he had in securing Somerset's promotion to first-class rank in 1891, and his effective bowling in the seasons that immediately followed, when Somerset, with S. M. J. Woods and Lionel Palairet at their best, had such a strong and attractive team. In his own style Tyler was a remarkable left-handed bowler. So slow was his pace that unless he had had a good head and great command of length first-rate batsmen would have hit him all over the field. As it was he made even the best batsmen respect him, and on occasions he did great things. Though never ranking with Rhodes and Blythe he had a highly successful career. On the question of his delivery there is no need to say very much. It was fortunate for him that he came out at a time when great laxity prevailed with regard to throwing. He was too slow to hurt anybody, and so his action, though often talked about, passed muster for many years. Had he appeared after the captains of the first-class counties had taken the matter of unfair bowling into their own hands, things might not have gone so pleasantly for him. One may say this without doing him any injustice. Many offenders, ten times worse than Tyler, were allowed to pursue their evil courses quite unchecked till the hour of reform arrived. Tyler played much of his early cricket for the Kidderminster Club, and for two years--1885 and 1886--he was in the Worcestershire eleven, bowling with marked success in 1885. Then came his connection with Somerset and his fame as a slow bowler. Personally Tyler was very popular, his genial nature gaining him friends wherever he went.