Arthur Heath

Colonel Arthur Howard Heath was summed-up as a free-hitting bat, strong on the off-side, fielded well at long-leg or cover-point, bowled fast-round and lobs. In 1873 and two next years he was in the Clifton Eleven, making 120 not out v. Sherborne in 1874and a faultless 164 v. Cheltenham in 1875--in each case on his opponents' ground. He also played for Gloucestershire in 1875. Going up to Oxford, he played in the XI. in 1876-7-8-9, but hardly did himself justice against Cambridge, though in 1878 he took two wickets for four runs with five deliveries and in 1879 played an innings of 45. Among his notable scores for Oxford were: 1876, 71 against Middlesex and 50 against M.C.C.; 1879, 61 against Middlesex. He played for Middlesex in 1878 against Yorkshire at Sheffield, and against Notts at Trent Bridge. Colonel Heath had a long active and official association with the Staffordshire Cricket Club. He played for the county from 1879 to 1898 and was captain from 1884 to 1893, hon. secretary from 1886 to 1888, and for many years hon. treasurer. He was chiefly a bat and a safe field but could bowl on occasion. His highest scores for the county were 217 v. Lincolnshire at Stoke in 1889--made in four hours--and 155 not out v. Cheshire in 1882. Whilst bowling for M.C.C. in Surrey's second innings at Lord's in 1876, he sent down a curious over. The first ball was a wide, the second jumped over long-stop's head and five byes resulted, the third knocked Elliott's middle stump out of the ground, the fourth nearly bowled R. Humphrey, the fifth was a wide for which two were run, and the sixth was played. Col. Heath was also well known as a Rugby footballer in the seventies. He was in the Oxford University XV. v. Cambridge in 1875, 1877, 1879, and 1880, and appeared for England against Scotland in 1876, the last occasion on which twenty-a-side was played in International games. He represented Hanley and, later, Leek in Parliament in the Conservative interest.
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack