Beaumont Cranfield

BEAUMONT CRANFIELD, the Somerset left-handed slow bowler, died at Bristol on January 20th of pneumonia, the result of a chill contracted while watching a football match four days before. He was born at Bath, on August 25th, 1874, and first appeared for his county in 1897. At one time it seemed likely that he would develop into a very fine player, but although he rendered his county excellent service he never quite took the position which had been expected. There was a distinct falling-off in 1905 and he was never again particularly effective. At his best he had good command over the ball and considerable spin, and when the ball was new was able to impart a pronounced curve to it: at times the curve was so great that he would place almost all his fieldsmen on the leg-side. Among his best feats with the ball may be mentioned his fourteen wickets for 126 runs against Lancashire at Manchester in 1902, and his thirteen for 102 against Gloucestershire on the Gloucester ground in the following season. He was a member of the ground-staff at Lord's from 1899 to 1906, and in his great year of 1902 was chosen for the first of the matches played between M.C.C. and Ground and the Australians: later in the same season he was picked for the Gentlemen v. Players match at Scarborough. Had Cranfield belonged to a stronger bowling side he would no doubt have done better.