Obituaries in 1984

ADDIS, C. F., died at Northampton on August 15, 1983, aged 81. Cherry Addis came of a well-known cricketing family at Finedon, near Wellingborough, and for years played with success in the Kettering league. A solid cricketer, he was and old-fashioned slow left-armer who on his two appearances for Northamptonshire, both against Dublin University, in 1924 and 1926, opened the bowling and in the first made 38 in what proved to be his only innings for the county.

ALEXANDER, FREDERICK RUSSEL, who died at Harrow on May 17, 1984, aged 59, made two appearances for Middlesex as a batsman in 1951 and also played for England in the scratch match that year, arranged when the Lord's Test against South Africa finished early. He was better known as a footballer for Queen's Park Rangers and Charlton Athletic.

BAILEY, WILLIAM HENRY, who died at Geelong on February 27, 1983, played three matches for Victoria as a right-hand bat and medium-paced bowler. In one of these, in 1922, he made 82, his top score, out of Victoria' then world-record total of 1,059 against Tasmania.

BAISS, JAMES A., who died at St Erma, Cornwall, on November 17,1984, aged 75, was a prominent all-round schoolboy cricketer, having three years in the Tonbridge XI and scoring 65 for the Public Schools against the Army in 1927. After making 73 and 33 in the Oxford Freshmen's Match of 1929 he appeared for the University against Kent and the Free Foresters, but he was not to win his Blue. He was on outstanding fielder.

BANERJEE, JITAN N., who died on January 18, 1984, aged 78, was the first Indian cricketer to captain a Bengal team, though it was under T. C. Longfield that he played for them when they won the Ranji Trophy in 1938-39. He was a right-arm medium-paced bowler with good control.

BARRETT, PETER, was killed in a road accident in Hampshire on October 28, 1983, aged 28. As a left-handed opening batsman, he played six times for Hampshire in 1975 and 1976, scoring 138 runs at an average of 12.54. His best score was 26 against Somerset at Bournemouth in 1976 when he and D. R. Turner added 85 for the second wicket. He was a prominent member of the Lymington Cricket Club and scored freely for Hampshire Second XI.

BEAUFORT, THE 10TH DUKE OF, who died at Badminton on February 5, 1984, aged 83, was President of MCC in 1952-53. A member of I Zingari and Free Foresters, and for many years first President and the Patron of Gloucestershire, he entertained many sides on his own ground at Badminton House.

BELL, GEOFFREY FOXTON, MC, died at Haslemere on January 17,1984, aged 87. Three years in the Repton XI and captain in the last, 1915, he played for the Gentlemen of England against Oxford in the first first-class match played after the Great War and made 64. This secured him a place in the Oxford side in their next match, against P. F. Warner's XI, and he scored 34 and 40. After this he was in and out of the side, but 50 against MCC at Lord's got him his Blue. He did nothing as a batsman at Lord's but held a great catch in the deep, running 30 yards to dismiss J. S. F. Morrison. A cousin of S. H. Evershed, the old Derbyshire captain, he made a few unsuccessful appearances for the county between 1914 and 1920. Later he was headmaster successively of Trent College and Highgate.

BESTWICK, ROBERT SAXTON, who died in Jersey on July 3, 1980, aged 80, will be remembered for an incident which one can safely say is unique in first-class cricket. For Derbyshire against Warwickshire at Derby in 1922, for some ten minutes he bowled at one end while his father, the much better known Bill Bestwick, bowled at the other, against W. G. Quaife and his son. B. W. A fast-medium left-armer, R. S. Bestwick played five matches for the county between 1920 and 1922, but met with little success. Later he played league cricket and finally moved to Jersey where, besides being a publican, he coached and umpired at Victoria College.

BLACK MORE, GEORGE PATRICK MAXWELL, who died in hospital on January 29, 1984, aged 75, was in the Blundell's XI as medium-paced bowler in 1925 and 1926 and played twice for Kent in 1948.

BLUNDELL, SIR EDWARD DENIS, GCMG, GCVO, KBE, who died while on holiday in Queensland of September 24, 1984, aged 77, achieved distinction as a sportsman, a lawyer and a diplomat. From Waitaki Boys High School he went to Cambridge, where he won a cricket Blue in 1928 and 1929 and also ran in the Relays against Oxford. Called to the bar in England in 1929, he returned to New Zealand as a barrister of the Supreme Court before becoming, in 1968, his country's High commissioner in London and eventually, in 1972, their Governor-General.

At right-arm medium pace, he took 102 wickets in his two years in the Cambridge side, being their most successful bowler of that time and one of the best amateur bowlers in England. In 1928 he had six for 25 against Leicestershire and six for 51 against Nottinghamshire. His best figures in 1929 were six for 99 against Yorkshire. He twice represented New Zealand against E. R. T. Holmes' MCC side in 1935-36, taking four wickets against them at Wellington, two at Christchurch and dismissing Hardstaff for 0 in each match. Altogether he took 195 wickets at 25.25 apiece in 47 first-class appearances, his best performance being eleven for 130 for Wellington against Otago in 1934-35. His interest in cricket never left him and from 1957 to 1960 he was President of The New Zealand Cricket Council.

BLUNDEN, ARTHUR, who died July 1984, played a few times for Kent in the early 1930s. He took, altogether, seventeen wickets at 33.88 runs apiece but was nothing of a batsman. He later became professional to Wearmouth in the Durham Senior League.

BORWICK, MAJOR PETER MALISE, died at Kelmarsh, Northamptonshire, on December 23, 1983, aged 70. A member of the Harrow XI in 1932, when he took seven wickets against Eton at Lord's he played, later that summer, three matches for Northamptonshire. He was a slow left-arm bowler in the orthodox old-fashioned style, who attacked the middle and off stumps and flighted the ball well. He was also a useful school batsman. Later he was for a time Master of the Pytchley.

BRADSHAW, JAMES CECIL, died at Minehead on November 8, 1984, aged 82. Playing occasionally for Leicestershire as an amateur from 1923 to 1925, he did little apart from a good innings of 68 at Gloucester in 1925. In 1926 he joined the professional staff and in 1927, without doing anything exceptional, became a regular member of the side. In 1928, however, he scored 967 runs with an average of 26.13 and scores of 140 against Hampshire and 121 not out against Sussex, when he hit Bowley for four 6s. In 1929, with 1,119 runs at an average of 25.43 and an admirable 105 not out at The Oval, he seemed likely to be for years a valuable member of the side: he had a good style with excellent off-side strokes, and was moreover a splendid fielder anywhere. However in 1930 his average dropped to 12.80 and, though there was partial recovery in 1931, when he made 892 runs and averaged 21.75, he lost his place in 1932 and in 1933 played his last game for the county. Altogether he scored 5,051 runs for them with an average of 18.99 and three centuries. He also represented Leicestershire at hockey. His younger brother, W. H. Bradshaw, played cricket for them on a few occasions.

BRIGGS, JOHN, who died in Rawtenstall on June 1,1984 aged 68, had four matches Lancashire, as a left-arm spinner, in 1939, when he took ten wickets at 39.10 apiece. After the war he had two seasons back at Old Trafford, playing for the Second XI, before moving to league cricket.

BRYANT, FRANK JOSEPH, who died in Perth on March 11, 1984, while watching the Sheffield Shield final, aged 76, was one of three brothers who played for Western Australia, on one occasion in the same match. In 32 first-class matches he scored 1,495 runs (average 26.69), including three centuries, the highest of them 155 for J. Ryder's touring team against Bombay in 1935-36. He became a popular and influential cricket administrator in Perth, welcoming many England sides there, besides managing Western Australia on numerous occasions as well as three Australian teams to New Zealand. A delegate to the Australian Cricket Board, he had much to do with Perth receiving Test status.

BUNCE, WILLIAM NEWMAN, who died at Pill, near Bristol, on May 29, 1981, aged 70, played fourteen matches for Somerset in the mid-1930s. His top score was 46. He was also a right-arm medium-paced bowler. As a professional footballer, he played for both Bristol Rovers and Bristol City.

BURROWS, ARTHUR OWEN, who died in Hobart on January 4, 1984, aged 80, played 31 times for Tasmania between 1923-24 and 1936-37 and was picked for a trial match prior to the selection of the Australian team to England in 1930. An all-rounder who took 77 wickets in first-class cricket and scored 1,504 runs, he once, when playing in Hobart, bowled a ball which sent a bail 83 yards 1ft 9in. So far as in known, this is a record distance.

CARMAN, ARTHUR, who died in New Zealand on November 28, 1982, was an unobtrusive, dedicated and courteous cricket historian, associated from 1948 until his death with the production of the Cricket Almanack of New Zealand. His New Zealand International Cricket, 1894-1974 provided full scoresheets of matches involving New Zealand teams, averages, statistical information and 266 pen portraits of representative players.

CARROLL, SIDNEY JOSEPH, who died at Willoughby, his birthplace, on October 12, 1984, after a long illness, was considered by his contemporaries to be one of the best batsmen never to have played for Australia. He played 36 Sheffield Shield matches for New South Wales, thirteen as captain, and scored 2,466 runs at an average of 43.26, including six hundreds. He was one of the most attractive stroke-makers of his time, forming, with W. Saunders, a fine opening partnership for New South Wales, whom he served as a selector from 1968-72. His top score was 126 against Queensland in 1952-53.

CLARK, RONALD DISSTON, died at East Wittering on February 20, 1983, aged 87. Playing a few matches for Essex as a wicket-keeper at the age of seventeen in 1912, the year after he left Christ's Hospital, he created a favourable impression. The county then (as indeed for many years both before and after) lacked a reliable professional wicket-keeper, and Clark would have been invaluable. Unfortunately, a match or two in 1913 and one in 1919 were all he could manage, and after that he had to confine himself to London club cricket.

COMPTON, LESLIE HARRY, died after a long period of ill health on December 27, 1984, aged 72, at his son's home in Essex. Elder brother of Denis Compton, he was better known as a footballer, a tower of strength to the Arsenal for years at centre-half, who created a record by first gaining an international cap at the age of 38; but he was also a good enough cricketer to play of Middlesex for nineteen years, during ten of which he was a regular member of the side. After a few games in 1938 and 1939, he played more frequently in 1946, without so far having done more than attract attention by his glorious all-round fielding. However, in 1947, when Middlesex won the Championship, he gained a regular place, scoring 806 runs with average of 21.21. Against Derbyshire at Derby he played a marvellous innings of 107, the only century of his career, adding 181 in 93 minutes for the fifth wicket with Brown and playing a notable part in a vital victory. In this season, too, he began to take over the wicket-keeping from Price, whom he succeeded next year as the regular wicket-keeper. He held his position until 1956, after which he handed over to Murray, and he played his last match in 1957.

For several years he had continued to be a valuable bat in the lower half of the order, but he never really fulfilled his promise and latterly was little more than a tailender. A big man and very strong, he was a fine, natural driver but he never became a good judge of length. On the other hand, he developed into a thoroughly reliable wicket-keeper, particularly adept at stumping off the spin bowlers and reading the googly. In all matches for Middlesex he scored 5,781 runs with an Average of 16.85, caught 465 batsmen and stumped 131. Twelve wickets at 47.42 each does not suggest much of a bowler, but there were those who reckoned that, had he concentrated on his bowling, he might have been a valuable medium-pace right-armer, especially when it was necessary to keep runs down. In fact, he was a thorough cricketer. He had a benefit in 1954.

CONNELL, FRANCIS GERARD, who died in Dublin on March 3, 1983, aged 81, was one of the best batsmen produced by the Leinster club; a hard-hitting right-hander, whom only ill health prevented from playing more often for Ireland. His best score for Ireland was 87. After retirement from active cricket he became secretary of the Leinster Cricket Union.

CORNWALL, ALAN EDWARD CRIPPS, died on February 26, 1984, aged 85. A member of the Marlborough XI in 1915 and again in 1916, when he headed the batting averages, he played in one match for Gloucestershire in 1920. For many years he was a master at Marlborough.

DICKINSON, PATRICK JOHN, who died in hospital in London on Many 28, 1984, aged 64. Will be remembered for his innings in the University Match of 1939, which no less a judge than Sir Pelham Warner described as one of the finest in the history of the match. Set to make 430 in the fourth innings. Cambridge were 155 for five when Dickinson joined A. H. Brodhurst. They put on 84 in under an hour before Brodhurst was out for 45. Two more wickets fell quickly and at 249 for eight the match seemed over, especially as the incoming batsman, J. Webster, had a batting average of under 6. However, he defended staunchly. Dickinson continued playing glorious strokes all round the wicket and the pair had added 95 when he was caught immediately after reaching his hundred. Even then the last wicket added 40, Webster eventually making 60. And Cambridge lost by only 45 runs.

After a brilliant career at King's College School, Wimbledon, where he twice exceeded 1,000 runs in the season, Dickinson at once made his mark at Cambridge. In the Freshmen's match in 1939 he took seven for 42 in the second innings and then, going in first, carried his bat for 60 not out in a total of 92. This secured him a trial in the side and, without doing anything exceptional before the match at Lord's, he kept his place with a number of useful performances, becoming once of the team's opening bowler. Indeed, his medium-paced in-swingers probably did more to secure his Blue than his batting. Late in the summer he had a good trial for Surrey, but accomplished little. He did not return to Cambridge after the war, but played some first-class cricket in India.

DUFFUS, LOUIS, who died in Johannesburg on July 24, 1984, aged 80, was for many years South Africa's most widely respected cricket writer. Born in Melbourne, he was educated in Johannesburg and made occasional first-class appearances for Transvaal, keeping wicket for them in one match in 1923-24 and opening their innings, with E. A. B. Rowan, in 1934-35. Not quite good enough to be selected for the South African team to England in 1929, he nevertheless went on the tour as a journalist. From then until South Africa were excommunicated from Test cricket he hardly missed a Test match, anywhere in the world, in which they played. He covered more than 100 in all, besides writing quite extensively on rugby football and acting as war correspondent. Conscientious, generous and very fair, with a delightful manner and a nice turn of phrase, he became sports editor of the Johannesburg Star in 1947, an appointment which did little to restrict his cricket writings. His books included Cricketers of the Veld (1947), South African Cricket 1927-47, Springbok Glory (1955), Champagne Cricket (the Australians in South Africa, 1966-67) and his autobiography, Play Abandoned (1969). He became something of a medical curiosity when, as a haemophiliac, he underwent a hip operation in Oxford.

FABIAN, AUBREY HOWARD, died on September 26, 1984, aged 75. Captain of Highgate in 1928, when he headed both the batting and the bowling averages with fine figures, he got his Blue at Cambridge in 1929 and played three years at Lord's. A slow-medium bowler who could turn the ball both ways, he was as a rule expensive in first-class cricket, but against a full Yorkshire side at Fenner's in 1930 he took eight for 69. Granted that the wicket helped him, this was a notable performance for an undergraduate. His highest score for Cambridge was 76 against Free Foresters in 1930. He also captained Cambridge at soccer and won several amateur international caps and was one of the finest Eton fives players of his day. At all games he was a determined competitor, and it was typical that in his `Varsity cricket matches, Oxford never got him out: made 86 runs against them in five innings.

FAIRBROTHER, JIM, had just retired as head groundsman at Lord's when he died on October 4, 1984, aged 65. After working as a ground-keeper in Nottingham park, he moved to Trent Bridge as a member of the groundstaff in 1952 and to Lord's in 1968. With a temperament ideally suited to the job, he tackled with disarming patience the problems peculiar to Lord's, not least the slope of seven and a half feet from the Grand Stand to the Tavern boundary, but to do also with such things as bomb scares during Test matches. With his gentle smile and love of his job, he became a popular figure at headquarters, twice winning the award as Groundsman of the Year (1981 and 1982) and rarely taking offence, whatever might be said about his pitches. Written in conjunction with Reginald Moore, his book, Testing the Wicket, was published the month before he died.

FALCK, ERNEST DYSON, who died at Bridport on February 19, 1982, aged 74, played four matches for Somerset in the mid-1930s with a top score of 28.

FONTAINE, FREDERICK ERNEST, who died on October 24, 1982, aged 69, was a right-hand opening batsman who scored 118 for Victoria against Tasmania on first-class début at Hobart in January 1931. He played ten first-class innings in all for the state, scoring 379 runs with an average of 37.90.

GHARAT, R. T., who on February 18, 1984, aged 82, played as a fast-medium bowler before becoming a first-class umpire and secretary of the Bombay Cricket Association.

GUNASEKERA, DR BARNEY, who died in Colombo at the age of 73, was a member of well-known Sri Lankan cricketing family, several of whom played for Ceylon. He captained Combined Colleges against the Maharaj Kumar of Vizianagram's XI in 1930 and took two for 46 against D. R. Jardine's MCC team in 1932-33.

HALL, THOMAS AUCKLAND, who died suddenly on April 21, 1984, aged 53, was a tall fast-medium bowler who did useful work for two counties. Captain of Uppingham in 1948, he played one match for Derbyshire in 1949 and for the next two seasons was a fairly frequent member of the side, taking 36 wickets in 1951 at 23.69. After playing a few matches in 1952, he moved to Somerset for whom in 1953 he took 58 wickets at 32.46. A few matches in 1954 concluded his county career. Besides his bowling, he played two notable innings. In his second match for Derbyshire, against Surrey at The Oval in 1950, he made 52, the highest score in a total of 147, only two others reaching double figures, and for Somerset against Northamptonshire, coming in when the side were 129 behind with two wickets to go, he scored 69 not out and had an unfinished partnership with Gimblett. A fine sportsman, he was a member of the crew of the original Crossbow, which broke the world sailing speed record, and also a splendid golfer.

HARRIS, GEORGE ST VINCENT, 5TH BARON, CBE, MC, who died at his home, Belmont, near Faversham, on October 16, 1984, aged 95, had not, as he himself would have been the first to admit, inherited any of the cricket skill of his famous father. Though he played a good deal of club and country-house cricket in his young days it was more to please his father than from any expectation that he would add to the strength of the side. However, he was throughout his life a great supporter of Kent cricket: he had been twice President of the County Cricket Club, until the last few years he was constant in his attendances at Canterbury Week and he served for years on the Benevolent Board of the Band of Brothers. But above all he was a tremendously keen Old Stager: he had appeared on the stage for them many times and at the time of his death had been their President for 52 years, having succeeded his father in the office in 1932.

HILL, JOHN WILLIAM, Who died on January 17, 1984, aged 73, played fourteen times for Ireland between 1946 and 1951, taking 32 wickets at 22.15 apiece. Keenly competitive, he was an accurate off-spinner and useful batsman whose best work was done for the Clontarf club in Dublin. For them he took over 600 wickets. He was still playing in the summer of 1983.

HUMPHRIES, GERALD HARVEY, who died on February 3, 1983, and 74 played one match for Worcestershire in 1932 and another in 1934. In the second, against Glamorgan at Cardiff, he scored 31 going in first. He had captained the Kidderminster side before the war and again in 1946, when they headed the Birmingham League, and had also served on the Worcestershire committee. He was one of three brothers who played for Worcestershire.

HUNT, WILLIAM ALFRED, who died in Sydney on December 31, 1983, at the age of 75, played once for Australia, against South Africa at Adelaide in 1931-32, when Bradman scored 299 not out and Hunt, as a slow left-arm bowler, took nought for 39 in sixteen overs, made 0 in his only innings and held a catch. His Sheffield Shield cricket, between 1929 and 1932, was played for New South Wales: in seventeen matches he took 62 wickets (22.37), scored 301 runs (15.05) and took eleven catches. He played Lancashire League cricket for Rushton and took over 500 wickets for Balmain in club cricket in Sydney.

IKIN, JOHN THOMAS (JACK), who died at home at Bignall End on September 15, 1984, aged 66, played in eighteen Test for England between 1946 and 1955, scoring 606 runs with an average of 20.89 and taking three wickets at 118 runs each. These figures naturally suggest the question, why was he picked so often and so long? The answer is that, though at the time England had such bats as Hutton, Washbrook, Compton and Edrich and, at the end of the period, May and Cowdrey, there was not the depth of batting there had been before the war: two or three reliable players ere wanted to support the stars and crises were frequent. One gets the impression that the selectors, at a loss to fill the gap, constantly fell back on Ikin.

He was essentially a sound player, though in his young days stronger on the off than on the leg. He was determined and could be trusted not to throw his wicket away stupidly. He was left-handed, he was adaptable and equally happy to open or to go in six or seven. Above all he was a superb field, whether at short leg or in the slips. Though he never made a big score for England, he often played bravely when runs were wanted. At Sydney in 1946-47 his 60, made in three hours, was the second-highest innings in a total of 255, while at Melbourne in a desperate situation he made 48 and helped Yardley to put on 113 in two hours. In 1951 against South Africa at Trent Bridge his 33 was top score in the second innings, at Lord's he made 51 and at Old Trafford, where he faced bravely a fierce battering form McCarthy, his 22 and 38, made as Hutton's opening partner, were important contributions in a low-scoring match. In 1952 he made 53 against India at The Oval. In 1955, after a three-year absence, he was recalled as one of five left-handers to counter Goddard's leg-theory, but the experiment was not a success.

Born at Stoke-on-Trent, he played for Staffordshire in 1934 at the age of sixteen gained a regular place in the side in 1936 and in 1938, when he headed the batting, was picked for the Minor Counties against Oxford University. In 1939 he appeared in four matches for Lancashire and took his first wicket in first-class cricket, that of the great George Headley. Playing regularly for Lancashire in 1946, he was picked for England before he had got his county cap and that winter went with MCC to Australia, where he played in all the Tests. In 1947-48 he was a member of G. O. Allen's side to the West Indies, but was a failure. His only other tour was with a Commonwealth team to India in 1950-51. Here he had the most prolific season of his career, heading the averages in the unofficial Tests with 625 runs and average of 89.28. An injury forced him to refuse the MCC tour to India the following winter. For Lancashire he did splendid work as a batsman and was also useful as a leg-break and googly bowler. Against Somerset at Taunton in 1949 he did the hat-trick. His highest score was 192 against Oxford University at Oxford in 1951. Latterly he missed a good deal of cricket through ill health and injury and it was this that caused him to retire at the end of 1957.

However, his career was far from over. He rejoined Staffordshire and continued to play for them until 1968, scoring heavily and captaining them from 1957 to 1967. In 1965-66 he was assistant manager on the MCC tour to Australia and New Zealand, and after retiring from active cricket he did much coaching in the North and Midlands. Gentle, generous and friendly, he perhaps lacked the toughness to make quite the most of a considerable natural talent. In all first-class cricket he scored 17,968 runs with an average of 36.81 and took 339 wickets at 30.27. In eleven seasons he reached his 1,000 runs and he made 27 centuries.

KIDD, ERIC LESLIE, died on July 2, 1984, aged 94. Four years in the Wellington XI, he got his Blue at Cambridge as a freshman and played four years against Oxford, being captain in the third, 1912, when he had much to do with leading his side to a three-wicket victory after they had tied on the first innings. He himself scrod 46 and 45 and took in the match eight for 143. The impression he made as an outstanding'Varsity captain was confirmed when later in the season he captained Middlesex in the absence of Sir Pelham Warner. In the next year, 1913, he headed the Cambridge batting averages with exceptional figures, scoring 866 runs with an average of 72.16, including three hundreds. In both 1912 and 1913 he represented the Gentlemen at Lord's, in 1912 with conspicuous success. He took four for 97, his victims being Hobbs, Hayes, Mead and Tiger Smith, and then played a valuable innings of 37. Meanwhile he had, since 1910, been playing for Middlesex in the vacations, his outstanding feat being to score 150 not out in two and a half hours against Hampshire at Lord's in 1911. Unfortunately, as with many fine amateurs, his regular first-class cricket ended when he came down, though he continued to play a few matches for Middlesex most years till 1928, coming over from Dublin, where he worked, to do so. As a batsman he had a strong defence and opposing bowler saw little of his stumps: at he same time he could hit powerfully and was far from being a slow scorer. He bowled slow leg-breaks with a high action, at his best with great accuracy, and was a superb field, especially in the gully. Neither in batting nor fielding did he appear to be handicapped by always playing in spectacles. In all first-class cricket he scored 5,113 runs with an average of 24.94 and made six centuries: he also took 186 wickets at 24.63. His highest score was 167 for Cambridge against Sussex at Fenner's in 1912. It was against Sussex at Fenner's too, that he achieved his best bowling performance, taking eight for 49 in the second innings in 1911.

KINNERSLEY, KENNETH CHARLES, who died in hospital at Bristol on June 30, 1984, was four years in the Clifton XI and captain in 1932, when he made 702 runs, with an average of over 50, and took 26 wickets. Later in the season he played three matches for Somerset and his slow-medium spinners created a good impression, especially when he dismissed three of the first five Indian batsmen for 40. He was unable to play much for the county after that, but reappeared for a few matches in 1937 and 1938 without much success.

LAMPARD, ALBERT WALLIS, who died in Victoria on January 11, 1984, aged 98, was the last survivor of the Australian Imperial Forces (AIF) team of 1919-20, He also played for Victoria from 1908 to 1922, his first match for them being Victor Trumper's last. As a member of the AIF side, which toured England, South Africa and Australia after the Great War, he scored 112 against Surrey at The Oval, and took nine for 42 against Lancashire, twelve for 100 against Western Province and seven for 99 against Victoria. He also toured South Africa with Vernon Ranford's Australian side in 1920-21. After starting as a wicket-keeper, he turned to leg-spin bowling and was a good, forceful batsman. In 63 first-class matches, between 1908 and 1921, he scored 2,597 runs (30.91), including three hundreds, took 134 wickets (26.06), held 30 catches and stumped four batsmen.

LITOWCYZK, ADAM, died near Malmesbury on August 30, 1983, aged 32. A right-arm medium-paced bowler, he represented Wiltshire in 1976 and 1977, taking 22 wickets at 23.91. He was also a first-class rugger player.

LONEY, ESCOTT FRITH, died at Toronto on June 19, 1982, aged 78, after a long illness. A useful bat and a left-arm medium-paced bowler, he played for Derbyshire from 1925 to 1927 and did enough to show that he might, given the opportunity, have established himself in the side. Though his highest score was only 39 not out against Warwickshire at Birmingham in 1927, he had a batting average of 17.03 in 25 appearances for the county and his four for 27 against Somerset at Derby in the same year did much to secure them a victory. Migrating to Canada in 1932, he later captained Ontario.

LOVELL HEWITT, WILLIAM, who died on October 5, 1984, aged 82, played a prominent part in Wiltshire cricket between the wars. Starting in 1920, when he had just left Bruton, where he was in the XI for five years, he continued to represent the county until 1939, captaining them towards the end of his time. In all he made 3,085 runs for them with an average of 21.27 and took 71 wickets at 34.08. His highest score was 92 against Surrey II at The Oval in 1938.

McGAW, LT-COL. ALFRED JOSEPH THOBURN, who died in hospital in Jersey on February 8, 1984, aged 83, was not in the XI at charterhouse, but later attracted attention by scoring many runs in Army cricket in India; particularly by an innings of 300 (said to have taken only three hours) for the Rifle Brigade against the 60th Rifles at Rawalpindi in 1925-26. Later he played for the Army and appeared twice for Sussex in 1928. A tall man he had an immaculate style as a bat and was a fine fieldsman, with a lovely, accurate wrist-flick to the top of the stumps. He was also a leg-spinner, who bowled fewer loose balls than most of his type. Some will remember the delightful weeks of country-house cricket organised by his father on his beautiful ground at St Leonard's Forest, Horsham.

McQUICKEN, ARCHIBALD LYNN, who died in Belfast on October 16, 1983, aged 50, after being knocked down by a motor bicycle, was a diminutive right-hand bat and leg-break bowler who played for Ireland between 1961 and 1963 and was a mainstay of the Muckamore Club. His best performance was to make 60 against MCC at Lord's in 1962, when he reached his 50 with the firs six of career, He also played association football for Northern Ireland in amateur internationals.

MADDISON, NEVILLE AUBREY, died at Louth on April 6, 1983, between 1950 and 1956 he did much useful work for Lincolnshire as a bat. Far his most notable innings, and his only century, was 154 against Bedfordshire at Grimsby in 1952, when he and J. R. C. Todd put on 243, which is still the county's record partnership for the second wicket.

MARKS, ALEXANDER EDWARD, who died on July 28, 1983, aged 72, played 33 times for New South Wales between 1928 and 1937 as a left-handed batsman, scoring 1,837 runs at an average of 36.01. When still only eighteen he played in Test trial, scoring 83 and 14; but the Australian side went to England in 1930 without him. Of his three hundreds, the highest was 201 against Queensland at Sydney in 1935-36. His sons, Neil and Lyn, both also played for New South Wales.

MERMAGEN, PATRICK HASSELL FREDERICK, died on December 20, 1984, aged 73. Four years in the Sherborne XI and captain in the last two, he had in his final season the splendid record of 863 runs with an average of 66.38 and 40 wickets at 13.80, heading both tables. After representing the Public Schools at Lord's in 1930, he played for Somerset in their last eight matches but with somewhat disappointing results. His fast-medium bowling was hardly used and his ten innings produced only 114 runs; though in the last match, against Hampshire at Taunton, he scored 35 and helped R. C. Robertson-Glasgow add 81 for the eighth wicket. This was, however, the last match of his first-class career, Going up to Cambridge, he failed to make his mark at Fenner's and never received a trial for the University. For many years a master at Radley, he later became Headmaster of Ipswich School.

MEYER, JAN ADRIAN, who collapsed and died in Harare on August 28, 1984, a few days after his 24th birthday, went straight from school to first-class cricket in 1979-80, playing as a right-hand bat for Zimbabwe-Rhodesia B in their last few matches in the SAB Castle Bowl. His highest score of 69 was made on his début, against Eastern Province B at Port Elizabeth.

MILFORD, DAVID SUMNER, died at Marlborough on June 24, 1984, aged 79, after playing lawn tennis. For Rugby in 1924, besides playing an innings of 157, he took 57 wickets at 13.54 and represented the Public Schools against the Army. He did not get a Blue at Oxford, but was a member of the MCC side to Denmark in 1925 and later, going as a master to Marlborough, played for some years with considerable success for Wiltshire. A wildly unorthodox bat, he disregarded most of the accepted principles and relied on his exceptional quickness of eye and footwork. A slow left-armer, he usually in his last year at school bowled round the wicket, with his natural break, but in later life preferred to bowl chinamen and googlies over the wicket. He will be chiefly remembered, however, as one of the greatest of all rackets players, the only amateur for 75 years to be world champion. Moreover he had 25 international hockey caps for England and had represented Oxford at lawn tennis.

MITCHELL, FRANK ROLLASON, died at Myton Hamlet, Warwickshire, on April 2, 1984, aged 61. Born at Goulbrun, NSW, he had a good trial for Warwickshire in 1946 as a medium-paced opening bowler, but his wickets were expensive and he failed to make the grade. After a few matches in 1947 and 1948 he dropped out of first-class cricket, but was still playing local club cricket as lately as 1983. He was better known as a wing-half at soccer for Birmingham, Chelsea and Watford.

MOLLIN, STEPHEN JAMES, was killed in a car crash near Bourne, Lincolnshire, on January 10, 1984, aged 21. A right-arm fast bowler, he had played for Lincolnshire in the two previous seasons and was regarded as likely to be one of the county's opening bowlers for years to come.

MORRIS, LEONARD JOHN, who died at Dorridge, near Birmingham, on March 9, 1984, aged 85, was a left-hand bat and right-arm medium-paced change bowler who played a few matches for Warwickshire in 1925 and 1926. He had one considerable success. Against Glamorgan at Swansea in 1926 he was top scorer in the first innings with 53, only one other batsman, J. H. Parsons, with whom he put on 89, reaching double figures. In the second innings he scored 76 and put on 132 in 70 minutes for the seventh wicket with F. R. Santall. He had also represented Brazil against Argentina. Altogether for Warwickshire he scored 262 runs with an average of 23.82.

NICHOLLS, CHARLES OMAR, who died on January 14, 1983, aged 81 was a very tail all-rounder who gained a test trial in 1928-29 after making 100 for New South Wales against Victoria and taking nine wickets in a match against South Australia.

PALMER, GERALD EUSTACE HOWELL, who died at Newbury on February 7, 1984, aged 79, was two years in the Winchester XI as wicket-keeper, and in the second, 1923, when he was captain, played a valuable innings of 73 not out against Eton. Later he played for Berkshire.

PARKER, JOHN PALMER, who died suddenly on August 9, 1984, deserves a place in cricket history as perhaps the only inexperienced and unknown batsman to get the better of Tich Freeman at his best. When he came in for Hampshire at Canterbury in 1926 in the second innings, he had been playing county cricket for two months only and his average for eleven innings was 20.70. Hampshire, going in on the second afternoon 268 behind, had lost six for 57 on a perfect pitch by four o'clock. True, Mead was still there, but there was little to come and the match seemed likely to end soon after tea. In face, when stumps were drawn, the score was 251 for six, Parker was 119 and Mead 84. Next morning the two settled down as if there had been no break and added another 77 before Parker was caught off a skyer at cover for 154. They had put on 278 in under three hours. Livesey, one of the heroes of Hampshire's historic win over Warwickshire in 1922, helped in a partnership of 86 and it was 3.45 pm when the innings closed. Mead was 175 not out and Kent had just two hours in which to make 172. Thanks to a splendid partnership between Woolley and Chapman they got them in an hour and a half. Parker's technique was simple. Starlight balls he played with a straight bat: at almost anything else he took a full-blooded swing. Had his leg-side method been a little better, he would have scored even more: at balls outside his legs he often swished one-handed. When his luck was in he deserved every bit of it. The Kent fielding that day became distinctly ragged and Freeman tried to bowel defensively, a role for which he was ill suited. Unfortunately Parker was never able to play enough to do justice to his possibilities. He continued to appear spasmodically until 1933, towards the end sometimes captaining the side. His total record from 44 matches was 1,094 runs with an average of 18.54. In 1927 he was a member of Lord Tennyson's team to Jamaica.

PARKS, HENRY WILLIAM, who died at Taunton on May 7, 1984, aged 77, was younger brother of Jim Parks and thus a member of a notable cricket family. If one were asked what was meant by a good county player, he might well serve as an illustration. For twenty years he was a valuable member of the Sussex side; six of those years were lost to the war, but he made 1,000 runs fourteen times, scored 42 hundreds and his total aggregate for the county was 21,721 with an average of 33. Moreover, until the years overtook him, he was a fast and safe outfield. Yet he never represented England nor the Players at Lord's, and it may be assumed that his selection was never seriously considered. The adjectives most frequently applied to him were consistent and reliable. He did not for the most part make enormous scores or do sensational performances and it is probable that after 50 years few spectators have a vivid memory of any innings they saw him play. Yet there is no disputing the evidence of the figures. Probably his finest feat was to score 114 not out and 105 not out against Essex at Leyton in 1933, thus saving a match which, in face of a total of 560 for nine, Sussex could easily have lost. His highest score was also against Essex, 200 not out at Chelmsford in 1931, in the course of which he put on 239 for the wicket with Duleepsinhji in 160 minutes.

His career began with a few matches in 1926. In 1927 he had a good trail and showed distinct promise; in 1928 he made his first century and reached his 1,000 runs. After a bad setback in 1929, when he lost his place, he again scored 1,000 runs in 1930 and continued to do so every season up to his retirement. Until the war he was a middle-order batsman, but after it he became John Langridge's opening partner and in that capacity enjoyed two of his best seasons, heading the averages in 1946 and in 1947 scoring for the only time over 2,000 runs. He again reached 1,000 in 1948 and shared a benefit with John Langridge, but he was now getting slow in the field and his contract was not renewed. In 1949 and 1950 he stood as a first-class umpire and later coached for many years at Taunton School. A strongly built man, he was an attractive bat and a good driver, at his best on a fast pitch.

PEARSON, WILFRID, died at Yapton, Sussex, in March 1984, aged 75. A member of the Sedbergh XI as a fast bowler, he made one appearance for Lincolnshire in 1926, his last at school. He also represented the county at rugger and lawn tennis and stood unsuccessfully as a Conservative for Grimsby in 1959. A prisoner of the Japanese during the war, he owed his survival to the atom bomb, which exploded a week before he was due to be executed.

QUAIFE, BERNARD WILLIAM, died at Bridport on November 28, 1984, aged 85. A son of the famous Willie Quaife, he played for Warwickshire in 48 matches between 1920 and 1926, almost all of them with his father. Only George Gunn and his son can have played more often together in the Championship. In 1922, when they were batting against Derbyshire, the unique spectacle was witnessed of the Bestwicks, father and son, bowling to the Quaifes. However, Bernard Quaife met with only modest success for Warwickshire and except in 1923, when he made 99 not out against Northamptonshire at Edgbaston, he could never keep a regular place in the side. So he moved to Worcestershire, for whom he did yeoman service for ten seasons during which they were gradually working their way up from the bottom of the table. Twice he scored 1,000 runs. Usually he got some 900 by solid and consistent rather than brilliant batting and he made three hundreds, the highest being 136 not out against Glamorgan at Worcester in 1928. Moreover, when in 1929 the side lacked a wicket-keeper, he took over the job, although he had had no previous experience in the position in first-class cricket. Such made wicket-keepers are rarely a success, but he was an exception. Improving year by year, he was always adequate and at his best he could keep very well indeed. He continued to play, always as an amateur, until 1937 when, in the absence of the captain, the Hon. C. J. Lyttelton, through illness, he captained the side for most of the season. By now Buller had taken over the wicket-keeping, a number of young batsmen had appeared and he retired. In the course of his career he increased his repertory of strokes and, while always primarily a sound bat, who was particularly valuable when the ball was turning, he had strokes all round the wicket and was especially good at the leg-glance. When not required to keep wicket, he was a fine outfield. In all first-class cricket he scored 9,594 runs with an average of 20.03.

RAIKES, THOMAS BARKLEY, died on March 2, 1984, at Rickinghall Superior, Norfolk, aged 81. Three years in the Winchester XI and captain in 1921, he headed the bowling averages in 1920 with 50 wickets at 12.41 and again in 1921 (when he was also second in the batting averages) with 60 at 16.07. Going up to Oxford, he took five for 5 in the first innings of the Freshmen's match and had bowled 57 balls before a run was scored off him. He was immediately drafted into the'Varsity side and although an unfair number of catches was dropped off him he finished the season with 40 wickets at an average of 20.72. He bowled particularly well at Lord's, where his analysis of 44-19-65-3 in a Cambridge total of 403 for four declared represented better work than many more spectacular feats.

At this point it seemed that he might well take his place among the leading bowlers of the day. Strongly built, he could bowl accurately for long periods at a brisk medium, with plenty of swerve and spin and some subtle variations of pace. The off-break with which he bowled in this'Varsity match that fine batsman C. E. Fiddian-Green is said to have pitched almost outside the mown area of the wicket. Unfortunately this promise was never fulfilled. He found the pleasure of life at Oxford too alluring, rapidly put on weight and was never again really fit enough for a first-class bowler. In 1923 he was dreadfully expensive and kept his place only on reputation and lack of competition. In 1924 he did rather better and took nine for 38 in the second innings against the Army, but in 1925 he finally lost his place in a side which was desperately short of class bowling. Besides playing for Oxford he had for some years been a member of the Norfolk side, but on going down he went abroad and played no more serious cricket. He will be remembered as a bowler of great possibilities which he lacked the dedication to develop.

RANGNEKAR, KHANDU MONESHWAR, who died in Bombay on October 11, 1984, aged 67, was an attractive left-handed batsman who scored 2,548 runs for Maharashtra, Bombay and Holkar in the Ranji Trophy with an average of only just under 50. The largest of his first-class hundreds were 217 for Holkar against Hyderabad in 1950 and 202 for Bombay against Maharashtra in 1940. Chosen for India's tour of Australia in 1947-48, he played in three Test matches but had a disappointing tour. He had hit 102 and 17 not out on his first-class début, for Maharashtra against Western India, at Poona in 1939-40, and in all first-class matches, from 1939 until 1964, he made 4,602 runs, average 41.45, including fifteen centuries, and took 21 wickets at medium pace. A vice-president of the Indian Board of Control, he also became President of the Bombay Cricket Association.

REA, THE HON. FINDLAY, who died on August 23, 1984, aged 76, was still active as director of those competitions organised by The Cricketer magazine, that is the Colts Trophy (for schools), the Cricketer Cup (for old boys of public schools) and the Whitbread National Village Championship, in which, collectively, more than 25,000 players take part. As such he became a well-known figure at all these levels, his kindness, enthusiasm and attention to detail being very much a part of that scene. An Old Westminster, he was their President-elect.

SHAW, GEORGE BERNARD, who died in a car accident in South Australia in August 1984, aged 52, took 26 wickets for Glamorgan between 1951 and 1955 with his off-spinners at 27.15 apiece. He was not a batsman.

SHORTER, RICHARD NICHOLAS, who died in hospital in Ireland on January 20, 1984, aged 77, had a number of trials for Essex between 1927 and 1929, but met with limited success. A medium-paced bowler, he had been in the Repton XI in 1923 and later took many wickets in club cricket.

SHORTING WILFRID LIONEL, died at Hastings late in 1982, aged 78. He played occasionally for Worcestershire as a batsman between 1922 and 1926, but his highest score was only 27.

SPINKS, EDWIN FREDERICK, who died in Orsett Hospital, Essex, on October 19, 1982, played in two matches for Essex as a professional in 1926. An opening bowler, he played in club cricket for Colchester and East Essex.

STANDING, MICHAEL FREDERICK CECIL, CBE, who died on December 1, 1984, aged 74, was the first commentator from the BBC staff to report cricket. Obviously in the 50 year since then, apart from mechanical improvements, broadcasting technique has profited from experience, but even so he will be remembered as a very good commentator with pleasant delivery and a good working knowledge of his subject: he was himself a keen and regular club cricketer, a useful opening bowler, who played a good deal for the Free Foresters and the Butterflies. For cricket broadcasting he did a splendid pioneering job.

STINCHCOMBE, FREDERICK WILLIAM, died at Worksop on September 19, 1984, aged 54. A right-hand bat, but a left-arm bowler, he played a few times for Nottinghamshire in 1950 and 1951. His four wickets cost him 134.75 runs each, but in 1951 he scored 48 against Kent at Trent Bridge. He was engaged in the Bassetlaw League.

TAYLER, HERBERT WILLIAM, died at Dawlish on April 17, 1984, aged 96. An Old Wellingburian, he played twice for Gloucestershire in 1914 in the Cheltenham Festival, and thanks to an innings of 43 not out against Sussex he headed their batting averages for the season. After the war he played a few times for Glamorgan, his last appearance being in 1927. His highest score for them was 44 against Nottinghamshire at Swansea in 1926, on which occasion he and Mercer added 56 in fifteen minutes for the ninth wicket.

TAYLOR, REGINALD MARSHALL, DFC, who died in Johannesburg in January 1984, aged 74, played regularly for Essex between 1931 and 1939. A forcing right-hand batsman with plenty of strokes, and a slow left-arm bowler, he was also a good slip fielder. On his day his chinamen and googlies were effective; when it was not his day the hook shot, which he played compulsively, was often his undoing. Returning to Essex in 1946, after war service with Bomber Command, he shared with D. R. Wilcox in a stand of 263 for Essex's eighth wicket against Warwickshire, turning an impending follow-on into an innings victory. Wilcox made 134 and Taylor 142. Soon afterwards he emigrated to South Africa, where he became captain of the Wanderers Club in Johannesburg. In all first-class matches he scored 6,755 runs (average 20.60) and took 92 wickets (average 31.88). Of his five hundreds the highest was 193 against Sussex at Colchester in 1938. At Taunton in 1946 he took seven for 99 in Somerset's first innings, his best analysis.

TOMLINSON, WILLIAM JAMES VINCENT, who died at Elsing, Norfolk, on May 16, 1984, aged 82, had a fine all-round record as captain of Felsted in 1920, heading both the batting and bowling averages, and being given a good trial for Derbyshire in August took five for 53 against Sussex at Hove in his first match, thereby raising hopes which he never quite fulfilled. In the next two seasons he frequently made useful scores for the county, notably 64 and 44 against Worcestershire at Worcester in 1922, but his bowling was disappointing. Nor did he make much mark at Cambridge. However, in 1923, nine for 68 in the Seniors' match secured him a good trial and seven for 34 in the two innings against Sussex at Hove, coupled with an innings of 51, won him his Blue. A match or two for Derbyshire that year and the next concluded his first-class career. He was a medium-paced right-arm bowler with an easy action and a hard-hitting batsman. He became a well-known prep school master.

WALCOTT, LESLIE ARTHUR, was the oldest surviving West Indian Test player until his death in Barbados on February 28, 1984, at the age of 90. His one appearance for West Indies was against England at Bridgetown in 1929-30, when in a high-scoring match he scored 24 ( run out) and 16 not out and took one wicket ( George Gunn's) for 32 runs in eight overs. A right-hand batsman and off-spin bowler, he played for Barbados in the inter-colonial tournament from 1925 until 1936, his highest score being 73 not out for the island against the 1929-30 MCC team. Until 1981 he was a regular visitor to the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown. He was unrelated to Clyde Walcott, the great West Indian batsman.

WARBURTON, LESLIE, who died at Gloucester on February 11, 1984, aged 73, had the very rare distinction of being called up out of league cricket, in 1936, to play in a Test trial, between North and South, at Lord's. However, to quote Wisden, his bowling caused little trouble, and going in at No. 7, between Hardstaff and Verity, he failed to score. He was born at Haslingden and was a member of the town's Lancashire League side at sixteen. Two years later he scored the first of the many centuries he was to make for league clubs in the North, and at nineteen he made his first-class début for Lancashire against Surrey at The Oval, scoring 74 in his first innings. But he preferred the safe career of a bank clerk to that of a full-time cricketer. For more than twenty years he acted as professional for various league clubs in Lancashire and Yorkshire. For Littleborough in the Central Lancashire League he scored 1,000 runs and took 100 wickets in a season. Altogether he made six appearances for Lancashire, all as an amateur.

WHITINGTON, RICHARD SMALLPIECE, who died in Sydney on March 13, 1984, aged 71, was a Sheffield Shield cricketer for South Australia before becoming a prolific producer of cricket books. In England he may be best remembered as Captain R. S. Whitington, a member of A. L. Hassett's Australian team that met England in the Victory Tests of 1945, his opening partner being Flight Sergeant J. A. Workman. Whitington, often troubled by hay fever, displayed a beautiful square cut and hooked well, wrote Wisden. He was not, however, a naturally attacking batsman. When Hassett's same team played a series of matches in India, on their way home to Australia, Whitington scored 155 in the Representative match in Calcutta. For South Australia he made three Sheffield Shield hundreds and scored 1,728 runs at 30.86. Of his twenty cricket books, several were written in conjunction with K. R. Miller, with whom he had played in the Victory Tests. He also wrote biographies of W. J. O'Reilly, Ray Lindall, Lindsay Hassett, Victor Richardson and Miller himself, and he assembled the distinguished Illustrated History of Australian Cricket. Poker-faced and peripatetic, he was as likely to turn up at a Test match in Johannesburg as in Melbourne, and he was internationally read as a journalist as well as in his many books.

WILLIAMS, COL. LEOLINE, DSO, OBE, died on February 29, 1984, aged 83. Never in the XI at Winchester, he played for Sussex from 1919 to 1930, but only in 1926 and in 1930, when he was second in their batting averages, could he find time for more than an occasional game. Meanwhile in 1922 he had appeared under a birth qualification for Gloucestershire. In county cricket his highest score was 106 not out for Sussex against Essex at Southend in 1926, but he also made two centuries for the Army, both against the RAF at The Oval; 107 in 1930 and 103 in 1931. An attractive bat, who could also keep wicket adequately if required, in all first-class cricket he score 1,440 runs with an average of 22.86. His brother, P. V. Williams, also played four Sussex and the Army.

WILLIAMS, ROBERT JAMES, who died of a heart attack in Durban on May 14, 1984, aged 72, was a notable all-round sportsman who had a Springbok rugby trial besides touring England in 1935 as second wicket-keeper with H. F. Wade's successful South African side. Although he never played in a Test-match, he was a fairly regular member of the Natal side between 1930 and 1950, catching 76 batsmen and stumping 56. His early schooling was in England, where he accepted, for a while, a business appointment after the 1935 tour.

WOODBRIDGE, ROBERT ALGERNON PETER, who died at Aldbury, Hertfordshire, on February 6, 1984, aged 69, played occasionally for Hertfordshire in the 1930s. A cheerful, rather rough and ready batsman, and a great trier in the field, he was in the Charterhouse XI in 1932 and 1933.