Obituaries in 1970

ANDREAE, CHARLES MONTAGU, who died in hospital on June 22, aged 63, was in the Harrow XI for four years from 1923 to 1926. Originally included as a spin bowler, he showed such advance in batting that in his last season he headed the averages with 54.00. His father, C. A. Andreae, played for Harrow in 1891.

ANDREWS, THOMAS J. E., who died in a Sydney hospital on January 28, aged 79, played in 16 Test matches for Australia between 1921 and 1926. Noted for the eminently straight bat he employed, he was a skilful and attractive batsman for New South Wales and for his country. With the 1921 Australians in England, he played in all five Test matches, scoring 94 at The Oval, and on the whole tour he made 1,358 runs, average 33.95. He did not fare so well during the visit to South Africa the following winter, nor against England in Australia in 1924; but in 1926 in England, while meeting with small success on the big occasions, he reached an aggregate of 1,234 runs, average 38.56, with 164 in three hours ten minutes from the Middlesex bowling his highest innings. Tommy Andrews took part in 46 Sheffield Shield games for New South Wales, scoring 3,072 runs (highest innings 247 not out) for an average of 42.08.

BAILEY, LESLIE NORMAN, who collapsed and died at the wheel of his car on July 20, aged 66, was for 25 years cricket and boxing correspondent for the London Star. He had just retired from his duties as chief sports sub-editor with the Daily Telegraph, whose staff he joined in 1961. Bill Bailey reported cricket for the Star both in England and on tours abroad by M.C.C. teams.

BARTON, HAROLD GEORGE MITFORD, who died on July 3, aged 87, did not get into the XI when at Sherborne, but he played in eight matches for Hampshire between 1910 and 1912. He also turned out for Buckinghamshire.

BATTCOCK, OLIVER GORDON, who died in Guy's Hospital, London, on September 26, ten days after his 67th birthday, was reputed to have taken around 6,000 wickets in club and minor county games, with bowling of medium pace, during a cricketing career spanning 50 years. Good length and late out-swing played a big part in his success. He assisted Buckinghamshire from 1923 to 1952, being captain in the last three seasons, and in Challenge Match of 1938 he dismissed twelve Lancashire batsmen for 65 runs, Buckinghamshire winning in a single innings. He captained Datchet for 25 years, taking over 2,000 wickets for them, and for a number of years led Incogniti on tours abroad. He was also a useful left-handed batsman. As Oliver Gordon, he gained distinction as an actor and producer.

BENKA, HERBERT FRANK, who died in hospital on April 22, aged 60, played for Middlesex between 1933 and 1937. His highest innings was 48 not out against Surrey at Lord's in 1934.

BIDDLE, SIR REGINALD, who died in his native Jersey on September 11, aged 82, was President of Hampshire in 1968 and 1969. Though he played little cricket, he was intensely interested in the game and he had served on the County Committee since 1930.

BROWNE, CANON FRANCIS BERNARD ROSS, who died on November 11, aged 70, enjoyed considerable success as a fast-medium right-arm bowler for Eastbourne College, Cambridge University and Sussex. For the school XI in 1916, he headed the bowling figures each season, taking 52 wickets for 8.71 runs each in 1917. He got his Blue as a Senior at Cambridge in 1922 when he finished top of the University bowling averages with 50 wickets for 12.80 runs each. In the big match at Lord's, he helped in victory for the Light Blues in an innings with 100 runs to spare by dismissing four Oxford batsmen for 53 runs, and against Warwickshire at Fenner's he took six wickets for 27 runs each in the second innings. His outstanding performance during a career with Sussex extending from 1919 to 1932 was a match analysis of 10 wickets for 79 against a powerful Yorkshire batting array at Bradford in 1925. It was a pity that he could not devote more time to county cricket. In all first-class cricket he took 252 wickets for 20.66 runs apiece and brought off 35 catches.

His action was extraordinary and was once described by Wisden as a weird delivery that defies description. In the act of bowling, he appeared to cross his legs and deliver the ball off the wrong foot. This earned him the soubriquet of Tishy--the name of a race-horse of the time who once crossed his legs in running, and was immortalised by Tom Webster, the cartoonist.

BRYAN, RONALD THURSTON, who died on July 27, aged 71, was one of three left-handed brothers who played as amateurs for Kent. His appearances for the county were generally limited to his annual holiday, but in 1937 he was granted three months' leave to share the captaincy with B. H. Valentine in succession to A. P. F. Chapman. Bryan made many runs in club cricket for Lloyds Bank and Beckenham and was chosen for representative Club Cricket Conference teams.

BULLER, JOHN SYDNEY. This obituary will be found in the Feature section earlier in the Almanack.

BUXTON, MAJOR ANTHONY, who died on August 9, aged 88, was a member of the Harrow teams victorious over Eton in 1900 and 1901. In the latter year he bore a major part in the success by dismissing with his leg-breaks six batsmen for 38 runs in the Eton second innings.

CHAPLIN, HERBERT PERCY, who died on March 6, aged 87, played as an amateur batsman for Sussex between 1905 and 1914, being captain for the last five seasons. He did not find a place in the XI while at Harrow, but he obtained 6,230 runs for the county, average 24.41, hitting six centuries. His highest innings was 213 not out off the Nottinghamshire bowling at Hove in 1914, when, with 1,158 runs, average 33.08, he enjoyed his most successful season.

CLARK, MISS JEAN, who died in a London hospital on November 25, aged 34, following a road accident, took part in the Adelaide Test match for the English Women's touring team to Australia and New Zealand in 1968-69 and also toured Jamaica. She played for Kent and had been picked to go with the England team to the West Indies, 1970-71.

COULTHURST, JOSIAH, who died on January 6, aged 76, was one of the few amateur bowlers to take 100 wickets in a season in Lancashire League cricket. His 101 victims for 9.78 runs each in 1919 for East Lancashire remains a club record. A fast bowler, he made a number of appearances for Lancashire 2nd XI, but played only once, in 1919, for the first team.

CROMPTON, FRANK, who died suddenly on July 14, aged 76, was a highly respected and popular figure in Minor Counties' cricket circles for many years. He had been honorary secretary of the Minor Counties' Cricket Association since 1944 and was one of only nine men to be elected a life member of the Committee. Over 40 years ago he became honorary secretary to the Bedfordshire County Club and he held the post till 1969. He was assistant Clerk of the Peace for Bedfordshire.

CUMBERLEGE, BARRY STEPHENSON, who died on September 22, aged 79, was in the Durham School XI before going up to Cambridge, where he got his Blue in 1913. He played for Durham and Northumberland, and for Kent in 1923 and 1924 he scored 288 runs in nine innings, his highest score being 76 against Essex at Leyton. His chief claim to fame was as a Rugby footballer. In the XV at School, he got his Blue as a Freshman in 1910 and held his place at scrum-half for the next three years, the last as captain. After the First World War he became full-back for Blackheath and in that position he appeared for England in eight International matches between 1920 and 1922. He was later a noted referee.

DAY, SYDNEY ERNEST, who died on July 7, aged 86, played from 1922 to 1925 for Kent, of which county he was President in 1954. He was a brother of S. H. and A. P. Day. Educated at Malvern, he did not find a place in the XI. A capital Association footballer, he played at outside-right for Old Malvernians and the Corinthians.

DORNING, NOEL, who died on September 20, aged 58, played for Cornwall from 1936 to 1960. He hit 3,430 runs, average 24.67, in Minor Counties' Championship matches, including three centuries, the highest of which was 116 against Devon at Exeter in 1949. He captained the county in 1948 and again from 1953 to 1960, when he retired, and he was chairman of the committee from 1965 till his death. For a number of years, he was also chairman of the selection committee.

EDWARDS, FRANK, who died suddenly on July 10, aged 85, rendered splendid service to Buckinghamshire as a professional left-arm bowler and useful batsman between 1921 and 1945. He helped them to carry off the Minor Counties' Championship on five occasions. Altogether he took 1,082 wickets for the county at a cost of 10.91 runs each--104 of them in 10 matches in 1923 at an average of 9.99. Originally a bowler above medium pace, he turned to spin with such success that, as Sir Pelham Warner wrote in 1924, he was regarded by many as the best slow left-hander in the country. Chosen for Players against Gentlemen at The Oval on one occasion, he represented the Minor Counties against Australia, South Africa and the West Indies, and at Lord's in 1933 he took eight West Indies wickets for 98 runs. For Slough, he three times dismissed all ten batsmen in an innings--the last being when, at the age of 63, his analysis against the Royal Navy at Devonport was 10 wickets for 15 runs in 16 overs. While professional for Haslingden in the Lancashire League from 1925 to 1929, in each of four seasons he obtained over 100 wickets. From 1906 to 1911 he was on the Surrey staff, his services, and those of several other players, being dispensed with when Surrey encountered financial problems. Edwards was a popular coach at Eton, Uppingham and for 16 years at Millfield.

FRENCH, LIEUT.-COLONEL THE HON. EDWARD GERALD FLEMING, who died on Sept 17, aged 86, got a place in the XI at Wellington and played for Devon from 1924 to 1927. A left-handed batsman, he scored 126 against Surrey 2nd XI at The Oval on the occasion of his first appearance for the county and he played a number of useful innings afterwards without attaining the same heights. A member of I Zingari for over 60 years, he for a long time managed and captained M.C.C. teams. He was the author of The Corner Stone of English Cricket and It's Not Cricket.

HALSEY, CAPTAIN SIR THOMAS EDGAR, BT., who died on August 30, aged 71, was in the Eton XI in 1915 and 1916, taking part in one-day matches against Harrow and Winchester. While a lieutenant in the Royal Navy, he went up to Cambridge in 1920, but though he did well in trials and hit 86 not out and 17 not out for the University against a powerful P. F. Warner's XI, did not gain a Blue in a summer when the Light Blues fielded against Oxford one of their strongest teams of all time. Wisden then wrote of him that in ordinary years, he would have had no difficulty in getting a place in the XI. He often played for the Navy and also assisted Hertfordshire.

HENDERSON, MATTHEW, who died on June 17, aged 74, was a member of the first New Zealand team who, under the captaincy of T. C. Lowry, toured England in 1927. A fast left-arm bowler, he took 33 wickets for 24.21 runs each in the first-class fixtures. He played in one Test match, at Christchurch against A. H. H. Gilligan's England side of 1929-30. In representative games for Wellington between 1927 and 1932, he took 70 wickets and in Wellington senior championship cricket dismissed 333 batsmen at an average cost of 21.90.

HERBERT, DR. FREDERICK IRONSIDES, who died suddenly on February 20, aged 55, played as a left-arm fast bowler for Durham from 1937 to 1948. An injury received during the Second World War reduced his effectiveness.

HIGGINS, JOHN BERNARD, who died in a Malvern nursing-home on January 3, aged 84, played as an amateur for Worcestershire between 1920 and 1930, scoring 3,832 runs, average 19.85, and holding 54 catches. He was in the XI at King Edward's School, Birmingham. Not till late in his career did he reach his best form for the county, his most successful year being 1928, when he obtained 1,041 runs, including 101 against Yorkshire at Worcester, for an average of 30.61. The highest of his three centuries was 123 in a total 227 off the Glamorgan bowling at Kidderminster in 1927.

HILDER, ALAN LAKE, who died on May 2, aged 68, headed the batting averages in 1920 when in the Lancing XI. He enjoyed the distinction of hitting a century on his first appearance for Kent, for whom he played occasionally between 1924 and 1929, but he never afterwards approached that form. The big occasion was against Essex at Gravesend, where he scored 103 not out and he and C. Wright added 157 together--a record for the eighth Kent wicket which still stands.

HULL, SURGEON REAR ADMIRAL HERBERT RICHARD BARNES, who died suddenly on May 31, aged 84, represented the Royal Navy at cricket between the two World Wars. He also played for the Navy and Devon at hockey. Honorary surgeon to King George VI in 1946, he was made C.B. in 1947.

IRANI, ZAL RUSTOM, who died in Madras on September 17, aged 63, served first as Treasurer and then as President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

IRELAND, JOHN FREDERICK, who died on October 21, aged 82, was one of only five men to perform the hat-trick in the University match. Oddly enough, he bowled very little when in the Marlborough XI from 1905 to 1907, being much more prominent as a batsman specially skilled in strokes off the back foot and a free scorer able to show restraint when necessary. In 1905 he hit 277 in a house match and, as captain, he headed the school averages with 712 runs, highest innings 177, average 64.72, in his last year, being described by Wisden as an exceptionally fine bat.

He got his Blue as a Freshman at Cambridge in 1908 and, though rarely called upon in attack in that or the following two seasons, he took with bowling of medium pace five Oxford wickets for 25 runs--including the hat-trick--in the first innings and three for 73 in the second when captain in 1911. Despite this, he was on the losing side, Oxford getting home by 74 runs. Ireland also represented Cambridge at golf and hockey.

ISHERWOOD, LT.-COLONEL LIONEL CHARLES RAMSBOTTOM, who died on September 30, aged 79, did not gain a place in the XI while at Eton, but he played occasional matches for Hampshire between 1919 and 1923 and from 1925 to 1927 assisted Sussex.

JASWANT SINGH WARRAH, who died suddenly on August 22, was for many years a prominent figure in Kenya cricket circles. He captained Kenya Asians against Europeans and held the record for the number of catches taken by a wicket-keeper in his country. He was also a capable batsman.

KING, BENJAMIN PHILIP, who died following a heart attack on March 31, aged 54, was a Yorkshire-born player who in 1946 hit 122 for Lancashire at Old Trafford against his native county. At his best an aggressive batsman, Phil King played for Worcestershire from 1935 till the outbreak of the Second World War, enjoying the distinction of hitting a century before lunch off the Hampshire bowling at Worcester in 1938, when he scored 1,177 runs, average 22.63. After the War he again offered his services to Worcestershire on the condition that he received no payment till after he scored 1,000 runs. After that, he required £1 per run. The offer was declined and King joined Lancashire, for whom in 1946 he again hit 100 before lunch, this time against Gloucestershire at Gloucester. He gave up first-class cricket after 1947 and became cricket and Rugby League football columnist for the People. He was preparing for his third tour of Australia with a Great Britain Rugby League team at the time of his death.

LIDDELL, ALAN G., who died on February 17, aged 62, played as a professional for Northamptonshire between 1927 and 1934. A batsman strong in defence and adept at driving and hitting to leg, he did not altogether fulfil early expectations. His most successful season was that of 1933 when, in scoring 626 runs, average 20.19, he hit centuries against Worcestershire and Nottinghamshire. He played his highest innings, 120, against Essex at Northampton in 1930.

LOWE, WING-COMMANDER JOHN CLAUDE MALCOLM, who died on July 27, aged 82, was in the Uppingham XI for three years from 1904 to 1906, being captain in the last season. A fast-medium bowler who was able to make the ball swerve appreciably, he gained his Blue as a Freshman at Oxford and also took part in the University matches of the next two seasons; but loss of form cost him his place in 1910. He was also a hockey Blue and a good golfer. He played for Warwickshire in 1907.

LYGON, THE HON. RICHARD EDWARD, who died suddenly at the Wanderers cricket ground, Johannesburg, on February 24, aged 53, was chairman of the Worcestershire C.C.C. Committee and a Vice-President. He was one of a party of cricket enthusiasts from England visiting South Africa to watch the Test Series between South Africa and Australia. Educated at Westminster, he was a brother of Earl Beauchamp.

MACMILLAN, EWART GLADSTONE, who died in Sydney on November 26, aged 72, served as chairman of the Australian Cricket Board of Control during an administrative career in the game dating from 1930. From 1966 he was President of the New South Wales Cricket Association.

MARSHALL, EDWIN ALFRED, who died on January 28, aged 63, was President of Nottinghamshire in 1964 and 1965, and for many years before that a member of the county committee. He collapsed and died at the annual meeting while making a plea for support for the Club. He was a pace bowler for Notts Amateurs and when appearing for the county against the Australians at Trent Bridge in 1938 he enjoyed the distinction of dismissing Sir Don Bradman. He bore a leading part in the signing by Nottinghamshire of the celebrated West Indies all-rounder, Garfield Sobers. He was chairman of the Nottinghamshire County Cricket Supporters' Association, of which he was a founder member, for fifteen years, and had been a City councillor.

MEDLICOTT, WALTER SANDFIELD, who died on June 24, aged 90, was in the Harrow XI in 1897 and 1898. He hit 87 in the first innings at Lord's, where Eton, having followed on 163 behind, were beaten by nine wickets. He gained his Blue at Oxford in 1902 and for a number of years assisted Wiltshire.

MURDOCH-COZENS, LT.-COLONEL ALAN JAMES, who died on July 23, aged 76, was in the XI, as A. J. Murdoch while at Brighton College. He played seven innings for Sussex in 1919, scoring 124 runs, average 17.71. He was one of 27 amateur players who appeared for the county in that season.

NEAME, LAURENCE BEALE, who died on December 19, aged 62, was in the Haileybury XI in 1927 when his school gained their first victory over Cheltenham at Lord's for 14 years. He headed the batting averages and was classed in Wisden by the late H. S. Altham as one of the best schoolboy batsmen of the year. Though he did not get a Blue for cricket, he won the quarter mile for the University in 1930. In 1932 and 1933 he turned out for Kent Second XI.

NORNABLE, CHARLES ERNEST, who died in hospital on April 21, took five wickets for 72 runs for Derbyshire against Sussex at Derby in 1909, but was prevented by business claims from making further appearances for the county.

PALMER, REGINALD HOWARD REED, who died on February 15, aged 71, was in the Eton XI in 1916, playing in unofficial one-day matches with Harrow and Winchester. He afterwards appeared on occasion for Berkshire.

PRYCE-JENKIN, FRANCIS JOSEPH, who died in hospital on December 28, was in the Winchester XI captained by D. R. Jardine in 1919, but did not get a Blue at Oxford. He afterwards played for Free Foresters and the Butterflies.

PULLAN, CECIL DOUGLAS AYRTON, who died on June 24, aged 59, was in the Malvern XI for three years from 1927. He headed the batting averages in 1928 with 61.60 his highest innings being 147 not out against Repton. Plug Pullan played for Worcestershire in 1935 and 1938.

RHYS, HUBERT RALPH JOHN, who died in hospital on March 18, aged 72, enjoyed the distinction of hitting a century--149--for Free Foresters against Cambridge University at Fenner's in 1929 when making his first-class debut. In the XI at Shrewsbury in 1914 and 1915, he was captain in the second year and in 1929 and 1930 he played as an amateur in a few matches for Glamorgan.

ROME, DAVID AUDLEY MOBERLEY, who died as the result of a fall at The Oval on May 20, aged 60, appeared occasionally for Middlesex between 1931 and 1933. A son of Brigadier-General C. S. Rome, who captained Harrow in 1893, he was in the XI of that school from 1926 to 1929, being captain in the last year when he scored 74 and 27 not out against Eton, 90 against Winchester and headed the batting averages with 69.25. Going up to Cambridge, he did not gain a Blue. He later played for Surrey 2nd XI, Harrow Wanderers, I Zingari and the Free Foresters. For many years till his death, he was a member of the Surrey County Committee.

ROUGHT-ROUGHT, DESMOND CHARLES, who died on January 7 following a motor-car crash in which his wife was killed outright, aged 57, was one of three brothers--the others were R. C. and B. W.--who rendered fine all-round service to Norfolk in the 1930's. Playing from 1931 to 1938, Desmond enjoyed six years of Minor Counties' cricketing experience before gaining his Blue at Cambridge in 1937. His best season for the county as a hard-hitting batsman was that of 1934, when he made 381 runs, average 34.63, and as a fast-medium bowler he headed the averages in the following season with 42 wickets for 14.16 runs each.

SALE, RICHARD, who died on September 7, aged 81, was in the Repton XI from 1906 to 1908 and gained his Blue at Oxford in 1910. Between 1908 and 1912, he assisted Derbyshire. He was for many years a master at Shrewsbury, where he did much for the school cricket. His son, Richard, a member of the Repton XI in 1937 and 1938, was an Oxford Blue in 1946 and also appeared for Derbyshire.

SARAVANAMUTTU, MANICASOOTHY, who died in Penang on December 12, aged 75, was captain of football and cricket when at St. Thomas's College, and gained prominence in Ceylon sporting circles. In 1921 he captained Indian Gymkhana against M. C. C. at Lord's and took part in much club cricket. Returning to Ceylon, be became Sports Editor of the Ceylon Observer and later joined the Straits Echo in Penang, where he enjoyed much success as an all-round cricketer. He was Ceylon High Commissioner in Singapore and Malaya, Ceylon Minister in Indonesia and Honorary Consul for Ceylon in Bangkok.

SEN, PROBIR, who died in Calcutta on January 27, aged 43, kept wicket for India in 14 Test matches between 1947 and 1952, taking part in two tours abroad--in Australia in 1947-48 and England in 1952. He made his first-class debut when 17 in 1943 for Bengal, whom he later captained, and also played for Calcutta University. Before retiring in 1958, he helped in the dismissal of 125 men and as a right-handed batsman hit 2,461 runs in first-class cricket, average 23.66. His highest innings was 168 against Bihar at Jamshedpur in 1950-51, he and J. Mitter putting on 231 for the ninth Bengal wicket. He had also represented East Bengal at Association football and hockey.

SHIRLEY, WILLIAM ROBERT DE LA COUR, who died on April 25, aged 69, was in the Eton XI from 1917 to 1919, taking part in the one-day games with Harrow and Winchester in the first two years and in the big match at Lord's in the last. He got his Blue at Cambridge in 1924, when he helped T. C. Lowry's team to beat Oxford by nine wickets. A useful batsman and bowler, he played for Hampshire from 1922 to 1925. His highest innings for the county was 90 from the Glamorgan bowling at Southampton in 1922. That season he played in the extraordinary match at Edgbaston where Hampshire, dismissed for 15 in the first innings and compelled to follow on 203 behind, hit up 521 and in the end triumphed over Warwickshire by 155 runs.

SMITHSON, GERALD A., who died suddenly on September 6, aged 43, played for Yorkshire in 1946 and 1947, his highest innings for the county being 169 against Leicestershire at Leicester in the second year. Conscripted as a Bevin Boy in the mines after the war, he received special permission, after his case had been debated in the House of Commons, to tour the West Indies with the M.C.C. team of 1947--48, taking part in two Test matches. His picture appeared in Wisden 1948, page 38. In 1951 he joined Leicestershire, with whom he remained for six seasons, of which his best was that of 1952 when, by attractive left-hand batting and the aid of two centuries, he hit 1,264 runs, average 28.08. He afterwards served as coach, first at Caterham School and then at Abingdon School, and between 1957 and 1962 he also assisted Hertfordshire.

SMOKER, GEORGE, who died on September 7, aged 85, played for Hampshire early in the century as a professional fast-medium bowler. His best performance for the county was in 1907, when he disposed of seven South African batsmen for 35 runs. Next year he became professional to New Brighton, who made him a life member in 1961; in 1910 he achieved the feat unique in the Liverpool area of scoring 1,085 runs and taking 109 wickets for fewer than nine runs apiece. After gaining a cap for Cheshire, he saw service with Colne and Birkenhead Park and as coach to Birkenhead School and Wallasey C.C.

SPARKS, CYRIL JOHN, who died on June 9, aged 70, served Cheshire cricket for 40 years. He was honorary treasurer to the County from 1930 to 1958 and their President since 1968. He was also a vice-president of Lancashire C.C.C.

SPILLER, WILLIAM JOHN, who died on June 9, aged 83, gained the distinction as an amateur of hitting the first century for Glamorgan after they acquired first-class status in 1921--104 against Northamptonshire at Northampton. He played in a few matches for the county in the two following seasons. Better known as a centre three-quarter for Cardiff, he earned ten Rugby International caps for Wales between 1910 and 1912, helping his country to carry off the Triple Crown and the International Championship in the 1910--11 season.

STEPHENS, FRANK G., who died on August 9, aged 81, played for Warwickshire between 1907 and 1912 and was, with his twin brother, the late George W. Stephens, a member of the team who carried off the Championship for the first time in the county's history in 1911. Both brothers played for Rossall and for Moseley and each served on the Warwickshire Committee.

TEMPLE, JOHN FENBY, who died suddenly on December 13, aged 62, played occasionally for Yorkshire Second XI in 1931 and 1932. He did much fine work as a bowler for Scarborough C.C.

WANDURAGALA, MERVYN, who died in London on April 29, aged 41, was Deputy Tea Commissioner of Ceylon. Son of Ernest Wanduragala, a famous Ceylon schoolboy cricketer, he won both a Cricket Lion and the Ryde Gold Medal when at Trinity College, Kandy. He toured South India with Ceylon University and when playing in England for the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, was chosen for the Combined Services. In 1956, he hit forty-eight 4's and one 6 in scoring 306 in 249 minutes for Mackwoods against Volkarts--the first treble hundred ever scored in Ceylon.

WENSLEY, ALBERT FREDERICK, who died on June 17, aged 72, rendered excellent service to Sussex as a professional all-rounder from 1922 to 1936. In that time he took with medium-pace bowling 1,135 wickets for 26.42 runs each and hit 10,735 runs, average 20.40. He achieved the cricketers' double in 1929 when scoring 1,057 runs and dismissing 113 batsmen. In each of four other years he took 100 wickets and against Middlesex at Lord's in 1935 he performed the hat-trick. The best bowling analysis of his career was nine Otago wickets for 36 runs at Auckland in 1929-30. In 1925 at Hove, he and M. W. Tate bowed unchanged through both Glamorgan innings. How economical Bert Wensley's bowling could be was illustrated by his figures against Derbyshire at Chesterfield in 1928: 32 overs, 20 maidens, 21 runs, 0 wicket.

In that season he made the highest of his five centuries, 140 against Glamorgan at Eastbourne. Three times he completed 1,000 runs in a summer for the county. Strong in driving and pulling, he hit 120 in 110 minutes against Derbyshire's at Horsham in 1930, when he and H. W. Parks, in putting on 178 for the ninth wicket, established a Sussex record which still stands. A very reliable fieldsman near the wicket, he twice held five catches in an innings and in the second innings of Warwickshire at Edgbaston in 1932 he had a hand in the dismissal of nine of the ten batsmen, returning bowling figures of six wickets for 73 runs.

Wensley's benefit match at Hove in 1936 came near to causing a cessation of fixtures with Nottinghamshire. With five minutes of the extra half hour remaining, Sussex went in to get nine runs to win. They scored seven from the first over. Then slight rain began and, after appealing to the umpires, G. F. H. Heane, the Nottinghamshire captain, led his players from the field, the game being left drawn.

On September 5 of that same year, 1936, Wensley and W. H. Ashdown played a match against XI of the Isle of Oxney before 2,000 spectators. They put out the eleven for 153 runs in 24.4 overs and then Ashdown and Wensley made 186 before Wensley was out for 96 leaving Ashdown 83 not out made in 36.4 overs. It commemorated the centenary of the match played by E. G. Wenman and Richard Mills of Benenden, Kent, who defeated eleven chosen players of the Isle of Oxney at Wittersham on September 4, 5, 1834.

WHITE, MONTAGUE ERIC, who died on June 21, aged 62, played occasionally as a professional fast bowler for Worcestershire from 1931 to 1934. He took 66 wickets for the county at an average cost of 31.60. He later served as professional to Birkenhead Park C.C.

WILKINSON, CYRIL THEODORE ANSTRUTHER, who died on December 16, aged 86, was in the Blundell's School XI before he played for Surrey between 1909 and 1920. He captained the county when they won the Championship in 1914 and again in the first two seasons following the First World War, in which he saw military service. Wisden said of him in 1914: He proved himself a real leader, keeping the side under firm control and managing the bowling with sound judgment. He scored in all first-class matches 1,173 runs, average 25.32, his highest innings being 135 in less than two hours against Middlesex at The Oval and, as an occasional bowler, took 23 wickets for 31.47 runs each. A great club cricketer, he turned out every August in the Sidmouth XI for whom, in 1953 at the age of 69, he hit 50 and took all ten wickets against the Nondescripts. As a hockey player, he represented England, whom he captained, and appeared for Great Britain in the 1920 Olympic Games. He was Registrar of the Probate and Divorce Registry from 1936 to 1959.

WORKMAN, JAMES ALLEN, died suddenly on his way home from work in a London bus on December 23, aged 53. A most popular figure in London club cricket circles, Jim Workman, born in Australia, served with the Royal Australian Air Force in England and played in four of the five Victory Tests in 1945. He was a solid opening batsman and his top score in those matches, 63 at Sheffield, took him three and three-quarter hours. He came back to England after the war, coached the B.B.C. cricketers and ran the Australia House cricket team besides coaching regularly at week-ends at Alf Gover's school in Wandsworth. He was a member of M.C.C. and Surrey.