Edward Dowson

DOWSON, MR. EDWARD MAURICE, the former Harrow and Cambridge University captain, died at Ashburton, Devon, on July 22. The son of Mr. Edward Dowson the old Surrey cricketer, he went to Harrow in the autumn of 1894 and next year, at the age of fifteen, created a great surprise when he appeared against Eton at Lord's. Bowling left-arm slow he kept his length perfectly during long spells of work and made the ball do a great deal, and although Harrow had the worst of a drawn match Dowson, who opened their bowling, took five wickets for 90 and three for 105. He stood no more than five feet bowled extremely slow. Given, owing to his stature, the nickname of Toddles he was called this by his friends for the rest of his life. Coming into the match at such an early age, he played no fewer than five times against Eton ( 1895-1899) and was captain in the last two years. In 1898, when Harrow won by nine wickets, he scored 47 and took nine wickets; the following season he scored 87 not out and was mainly responsible for his school gaining the lead. Going up to Cambridge, he took part in all four'Varsity Matches from 1900 to 1903 and led the side to victory in his last year. He proved a valuable all-rounder, especially in 1902 when he took five wickets in each innings and scored 40 and 29. In his last three years at Cambridge, he exceeded a four-figure aggregate, and in 1903 obtained 1,343 runs, average 34.43. Mr. Dowson, had he played regularly in the Surrey team, would, unquestionably, have taken a high place among amateurs, but the cricket field saw little of him after he came down from Cambridge. He assisted Surrey a few times in 1900 and visited America and the West Indies, while during the tour of Lord Hawke's team in Australia and New Zealand of 1902-03 his batting created a very favourable impression. Moreover, besides finishing second to Mr. P. F. Warner in the batting averages, he took forty wickets for 8.20 runs apiece. Representing the Gentlemen at Lord's in 1902 and 1903, he in the second game had the distinction of clean bowling Tom Hayward in each innings. In first-class cricket, E. M. Dowson made eight centuries, his highest being 135 against Sussex at Brighton in 1903, and the same year for Cambridgeagainst Worcestershire he narrowly missed the achievement of a hundred in each innings, his scores being 94 and 122 not out. He was a sound batsman, correct in style and generally to be relied upon at a crisis.