Wisden
Obituary

Obituaries in 1971

ADAMS, SIR GRANTLEY HERBERT, who died in November, aged 75, was a cricket enthusiast who in his younger days played for Barbados. A barrister and founder of the Labour Party there, he was Prime Minister of Barbados from 1954 to 1958 and Prime Minister of the West Indies Federation during its brief existence from 1958 to 1962.

ANDREWS, NORMAN PALMER, who died suddenly at Westminster School on November 5, aged 72, was in the Westminster XI in 1916 and 1917, being captain in the second season. in 1922 and 1923 he played for Northamptonshire, of whose Committee he was a member for several years.

APPLEYARD, FRANCIS, who died on October 11, aged 65, was a Yorkshireman nurtured in Yorkshire Council Cricket. He moved south in 1932 when he first appeared for Hertfordshire for whom he excelled as a steady fast-medium bowler of impeccable length. He played for them over 60 times in the Minor Counties Championship, taking 193 wickets. His best season was in 1938 when he took 66 wickets for Hertfordshire, including 17 in one match against Lincolnshire. During the war he took nearly 150 wickets for the British Empire XI and afterwards he occasionally assisted Essex for whom his best effort was five for 14 against Glamorgan at Chelmsford in 1946.

Francis Appleyard joined the Forty Club in 1959 and played regularly for them. He became Chairman in 1963 and President in December 1970. A member of M.C.C., he was generally seen at Lord's during Test matches and twice he followed the M.C.C. team in Australia and once in South Africa. A noted farmer, he joined the N.F.U. In 1932 and made a big contribution to the industry. During the last ten years he developed an important agricultural interest in Western Australia. His three sons, John, Roger and Peter are all Minor Counties cricketers.

ASTOR OF HEVER, COLONEL LORD (JOHN JACOB ASTOR), First Baron, who died in hospital in Cannes on July 19, aged 85, was President of M.C.C. in 1937. He was in the Eton XI as an opening batsman in 1904 and 1905 and in the first year, despite an innings of 81 not out, was on the losing side against Winchester. Though he did not get a Blue at Oxford, he later assisted Buckinghamshire. A journalist, he became proprietor of The Times and was for years President of the Newspaper Press Fund and of the Press Club.

BABB, COMMDR. BRIAN OSBORNE, who died on January 29, aged 72, was Secretary of Surrey from 1958 to 1964. During that time "Bob" Babb, as he was generally known, was also responsible for arranging the full County Championship programme each season.

BARBER, COLONEL WILLIAM DOUGLAS, who died on April 26, aged 39, was the oldest living Nottinghamshire player. He kept wicket for the county during the 1904 season. While at Eton he took part in the match with Winchester in 1900. He later played for the Army. During the First World War, he won the M.C. and was three times mentioned in despatches.

BATES, LEONARD ASHTON, who died on March 11, aged 75, was born in the pavilion at the Warwickshire ground at Edgbaston, where his father was head groundsman. Len Bates played as a professional for his county from 1913 to 1935, in which time he scored 19,373 runs for an average of 27.83. He hit 116 and 144 in the match with Kent at Coventry in 1927 and altogether registered 21 centuries, the highest of which was 211 on a wearing pitch against Gloucestershire at Gloucester in 1932. He also made 200 off the Worcestershire bowling at Edgbaston in 1928. After his retirement from the first-class game, he served as coach and head groundsman at Christ's Hospital, Horsham, till he retired in 1963. His death occurred after a long and painful illness during which both his legs were amputated.

BEECHING, LIEUT.-COLONEL THOMAS HUGH PITT, who died in hospital on December 31, aged 71, was in the Charterhouse XI in 1917 and played for Kent in 1920 and 1921.

BELL, PERCY HENRY, who died in hospital at Hastings on July 31, aged 83, played as an amateur in a few matches for Gloucestershire in 1911 and the following season while at Cheltenham Training College.

BENNETT, A. C. L. (LEO), who died on September 24, was well-known in Club cricket, upon which he was the author of a book. At one time he captained the Club Cricket Conference and he played occasionally for Northamptonshire from 1947 to 1949. For a number of years he captained the B.B.C. cricket team. He played in war-time matches for the British Empire XI.

BETTS, JOHN ARNOTT, who died on July 1, aged 101, once played in a game at the Crystal Palace when Dr. W. G. Grace was on the opposing side. He appeared in a few matches for Hertfordshire.

BONSEY, THE REV. CANON FRANCIS ROCHFORT, who died on June 6, aged 88, played for Hertfordshire after being in the XI at Forest School.

BOUMPHREY, DONALD, who died in a Southport nursing home in September, aged 78, formerly played for Cheshire. He had been games master at Rydal School.

BRAIN, MICHAEL BENJAMIN, who died after a long illness on August 24, aged 61, was in the Repton XI in 1928 and 1929. He played for Glamorgan in 1930.

BURTON, DAVID CECIL FOWLER, who died on September 24, aged 84, enjoyed the distinction of leading Yorkshire to the County Championship in 1919, the first of three consecutive years as captain. A member of the Rugby XI in 1904, he first played for Yorkshire in 1907 while at Cambridge and he took over the captaincy after the First World War. He and W. Rhodes in 1919 shared a partnership of 254 against Hampshire at Dewsbury which remains a record for the Yorkshire seventh wicket. He toured the West Indies with the first two M.C.C. teams to visit the Islands. In all first-class cricket, he scored 2,684 runs, average 18.90. He later did valuable work as coach at Oratory School.

BURTON, ROBERT CLAUD, who died on April 30, aged 80, was in the Malvern XI from 1908 to 1910 and made two appearances for Yorkshire in 1914. He was the younger brother of D. C. F. Burton, who also assisted Yorkshire. For a number of years he was in charge of cricket at Eastbourne College, where he was a housemaster.

CANNEY, HAROLD, who died on January 29, aged 84, was an aggressive opening batsman for New South Wales, for whom he first appeared in 1909. Against South Australia in 1921-22, he hit 70 and 144--his highest Sheffield Shield innings, scored in two hours forty minutes and containing one 6 and nineteen 4's.

CHILD, SIR COLES JOHN, SECOND BARONET, who died on May 26, aged 65, was in the Eton XI in 1924. Wisden of the time described him as a batsman full of strokes who attacked the bowling from the start.

CHRISTY, JAMES ALEXANDER JOSEPH, who died in hospital at Durban on February 1, aged 66, took part in 10 Test matches for South Africa between 1929 and 1932, scoring 618 runs, average 34.33. A tall batsman, he used his long reach to special advantage against fast bowlers. He made his first-class debut for Transvaal in 1925-26, enjoying the distinction of hitting a century in his second innings for them. In 1929 he toured England under H. G. Deane. He played in two Tests, but after an innings of 148 against Nottinghamshire he suffered a finger injury which limited his appearances.

A business appointment in London permitted him to figure in only the final Test with England in South Africa in 1930-31. In 1931-32 he visited Australia and New Zealand with H. G. Cameron's side. He hit 102 off the Western Australia bowling in his first game on Australian soil and he headed the batting averages with 1,170 runs. He also registered his one Test century, 103, against New Zealand at Christchurch, where he and B. Mitchell shared an opening partnership of 196 in two hours.

His highest innings was 175 for Transvaal against Rhodesia at Salisbury in 1927-28, one of three three-figure scores he put together in successive innings--a feat he repeated the following season. He assisted Queensland in 12 Sheffield Shield fixtures in 1934-35.

DE SOYSA, THE RT. REV. CHARLES HAROLD, who died on May 1, was in the XI as a bowler at Royal College, Colombo, from 1918 to 1926, but did not get a Blue when going up to Oxford. He became the first Ceylonese Bishop of Colombo.

DENTON, JOHN SIDNEY, who died in hospital on April 9, aged 80, was in the Wellingborough XI before playing as an amateur for Northamptonshire from 1909 to 1919. He scored 3,298 runs, including two centuries, for an average of 21.69, took with leg-break and googly bowling 67 wickets for 18.11 runs each and held 56 catches. He and his twin brother, W. H. Denton, extraordinarily alike in appearance, opened the innings for the county during the 1914 season.

DOUGLAS, STANLEY, who died in December, aged 68, played occasionally for Yorkshire from 1925 to 1934. In first-class matches he took, with slow left-arm bowling, 49 wickets for an average of 26.73 runs apiece. He was one of the few bowlers to dismiss 1,000 batsmen in Bradford League cricket.

DUNNING, JOHN ANGUS, who died suddenly in Adelaide on June 24, aged 68, played as an off-break bowler in four Test matches for New Zealand against England between 1932 and 1937. He was a member of the Australian Cricket Board of Control. Though given a trial for Oxford in 1928 when a Rhodes Scholar, he did not get a Blue.

His wickets in Test cricket were few and costly, but he achieved some noteworthy successes in other first-class games when touring England with M. L. Page's New Zealand team in 1937. He took 10 wickets for 170 runs in the match with Essex; nine for 64 v. Cambridge University and six for 67 v. Middlesex. Additionally, in the first innings of a two-day fixture at Stoke, he dismissed eight Staffordshire batsmen for 26 runs. In the three-day matches on the tour, he took 83 wickets at a cost of 30.10 runs each, sending down more overs than any other of his colleagues. He did good work in Plunket Shield games for Otago.

DURLACHER, PATRICK NEVILLE, who died suddenly while fishing in Ireland on February 26, aged 68, was in the Wellington XI as opening batsman from 1919 to 1921. In 1919 and 1920, he was partner to G. J. Bryan and in the latter year at Haileybury the pair scored 258 in two and a half hours for the first wicket, Bryan making 147 and Durlacher 124. Durlacher did not get a cricket Blue when at Cambridge, but after a successful season for Buckinghamshire in 1920, he turned out in a few matches for Middlesex during the next three years. A versatile athlete, he was first string in the Wellington Rackets pair who won the Public Schools Championship in 1921 and he gained a Blue as a cross country runner for Cambridge.

DUTNALL, FRANK, who died on October 24, aged 76, played occasionally as a professional for Kent in 1919 and 1920. He later met with success in the Lancashire League. His brother, W. M. Dutnall, also appeared for Kent.

FAIRSERVICE, WILLIAM JOHN, who died on June 26, aged 90, played as a professional off-break bowler of medium pace for Kent from 1902 to 1921. In normal circumstances, he could well have achieved greater fame; but, with such noted bowlers as Colin Blythe and Frank Woolley as team-mates, his opportunities were limited. Not till after the First World War, indeed, did he command a regular place in the county side and the only season in which he took 100 wickets was that of 1920. That summer he dismissed 113 batsmen at a cost of 17.46 runs apiece, showing his ability on rain-affected pitches by earning match-figures of 10 wickets for 58 runs against Surrey at Blackheath and nine wickets for 62 runs against Worcestershire at Tonbridge.

His first victim in first-class cricket was no less a person than Dr. W. G. Grace, whom he bowled twice in a match with M.C.C. at Lord's in 1903, and altogether he took 750 wickets at an average cost of 25.64 runs and brought off 112 catches. He was also a useful tail end batsman, averaging 15.23 for 4,920 runs. For a few years after leaving Kent, he played for Northumberland and then coached at Tonbridge, Malvern and Lancing before becoming scorer to Kent Second XI, a position he occupied till he retired at the age of 87. When over 80, he often bowled m the nets at King's School, Canterbury, where his son, who played for Kent, was sports master.

FENNER, GEORGE DAVID, who died on September 14, aged 74, was head M.C.C. coach at Lord's from 1928 to 1934. His career was ended by a malady which resulted in paralysis of both legs, but his interest in cricket remained. He played a good deal for the Second XI while on the Kent county staff between 1923 and 1927. His son, Wing-Commander M. D. Fenner, played for Kent and the Royal Air Force.

FLEETWOOD-SMITH, LESLIE O'BRIEN, who died in a Melbourne hospital on March 16, aged 60, played in 10 Test matches for Australia between 1935 and 1938, taking 42 wickets. A left-arm spin bowler who changed his style after breaking his right arm as a schoolboy, he often exploited the googly and the "chinaman" with effect. In all first-class cricket his record was 597 wickets, average 22.00. "Chuck", as he was known, first toured England in 1934 when he obtained 119 wickets--in eluding three in four deliveries against Oxford University--for 18.06 runs apiece, but failed to gain a Test place against such formidable rivals as C. V. Grimmett and W. J. O'Reilly.

In 1936-37, however, after faring moderately in South Africa the previous year, he helped Australia to carry off the Ashes following the loss of the first two Tests, in which he did not play, to G. O. Allen's England team. Fleetwood-Smith did specially well in the fourth Test at Melbourne, his match analysis being 10 wickets for 239 runs. Again in England in 1938, he took part in four Tests and at Leeds earned match figures of seven wickets for 107 runs, he and O'Reilly (10 for 122) bearing a major part in the victory which decided the rubber.

In the final match of the series at The Oval--his last Test appearance--however, he, in company with the other Australian bowlers, came in for a mauling. It was in that game that Leonard Hutton put together his record-breaking 364 and England won by the overwhelming margin of an innings and 579 runs. Fleetwood-Smith's analysis in a total of 903 was one wicket for 298 runs from 87 overs.

For Victoria, Fleetwood-Smith took 246 wickets for 24.56 runs each in 40 Sheffield Shield fixtures. Twice he enjoyed the distinction of dismissing nine batsmen in an innings--for 36 runs against Tasmania in 1932-33 and for 135 runs against South Australia five seasons later--at Melbourne in each case. He fell on hard times some years ago and was "living rough", but his friends rallied round him and latterly he was his old self again.

FOSTER, CHRISTOPHER KNOLLYS, who died on December 4, aged 67, did not gain a place in the XI while at Malvern, but he played in two games for Worcestershire in 1927. He was the son of H. K. Foster.

FOSTER, GEOFFREY N., who died on August 11, aged 86, was one of seven brothers who played for Worcestershire and at one time earned the county the soubriquet of "Fostershire". All the brothers were at Malvern, where Geoffrey was in the XI from 1902 to 1904. Going up to Oxford, he was not only awarded his cricket Blue from 1905 to 1908, but also took part in the University Association football matches of 1905-6-7-8, being captain in the last season, and gained Blues for golf and rackets. He earned an amateur International Cap for England against Holland in 1907. Though his appearances for Worcestershire were restricted by business claims, he scored in all first-class fixtures 6,551 runs for an average of 26.84 and, an excellent fieldsman, held 151 catches.

Specially skilled in off-side strokes, particularly drives through the covers, he could score very quickly, as he proved when hitting 101 in sixty minutes for Oxford against Gentlemen of England at Eastbourne in 1908 and when he and W. B. Burns put on 181 in sixty-five minutes for Worcestershire against Hampshire at Worcester in 1905. His highest score was 175 off the Leicestershire bowling in 1913, and the Worcestershire sixth-wicket record of 195 established by him and J. A. Cuffe in that game still stands. After the First World War, Foster turned out occasionally for Kent. He played football for the Corinthians, of which club he was for a number of years honorary secretary. He was the father-in-law of F. G. H. Chalk, of Kent.

FRAZER, CHARLES EWAN, who died on April 30, aged 65, was in the Winchester XI in 1923 and 1924. As captain in the second year, he scored 85 in the second innings against Eton, though Winchester lost by an innings and 19 runs. In 1927 at Oxford, he hit 112 in the Seniors' Match and 43 against Lancashire without gaining a Blue. His brother, J. E. Frazer, an Oxford Blue in 1924, afterwards turned out for Sussex.

GOONARATNE, MAJOR LIONEL VICTOR, who died on May 24, played for Royal College, Colombo, and became Honorary Secretary of the Sinhalese Sports Club and of the Ceylon Cricket Association.

GREEN, BRIGADIER MICHAEL ARTHUR, who died on December 28, aged 80, possessed a remarkable sporting record. He played cricket for Gloucestershire, Essex, The Army, and M.C.C.; Association football for The Army, Casuals and Surrey; Rugby football for The Army, Harlequins and Surrey and racquets and squash for The Army. He was secretary of Worcestershire from 1945 to 1951, manager of the M.C.C. team in South Africa in 1948-49 and joint manager with J. H. Nash, of Yorkshire, of the M.C.C. team in Australia in 1950-51. His services on these tours prompted M.C.C. to elect him a life member. He saw service in both World Wars.

GREIVE, JOHN, who died in June, aged 84, was among the best known Scottish cricketers during a playing career spanning 50 years. He and his four brothers, two of whom were killed during the First World War, for many years formed the backbone of Selkirk and Border cricket. An all-rounder, he was capped for Scotland on a number of occasions. In 1920, he set up a record in Border cricket by scoring 1,011 runs, including three of his 30 centuries.

GUISE, CHARLES ALEXANDER LEONARD, who died in Guy's Hospital, London, on June 20, was in the Winchester XI in 1924 and 1925 and later played for Free Foresters. He did not get a Blue for cricket while at Trinity College, but he was a member of the Oxford University Association football team who beat Cambridge by 6-2 in 1927. His brother, J. L. Guise, formerly captained Winchester and also assisted Middlesex.

GUY, JOHN KEBLE, who died on May 27, aged 86, was in the Forest School XI before assisting Essex Second XI.

HARBEN, MAJOR HENRY ERIC SOUTHEY, who died suddenly in Malta on October 1, aged 71, did not gain a place in the XI while at Eton, but played in eight matches for Sussex in 1919.

HARRISON, HARRY S., who died on December 10, aged 88, played as a professional for Surrey from 1906 to 1922. With the county then so richly endowed with batting talent, he could not command a regular place in the side, but in 1913 he and A. Sandham shared a partnership of 298 against Sussex at The Oval which remains the highest for the sixth Surrey wicket. During this stand Harrison obtained one of his two first-class centuries. Altogether he scored 5,237 runs, average 23.59, by very steady batting marked by extremely sound defence. His large hands--he was a bricklayer before he joined The Oval staff--stood him in good stead in the slips where he held 116 catches. After leaving Surrey he coached first at Charterhouse and for many years at Corfe School in Kent.

Of him, A. Sandham said: He was a very correct batsman--so correct that he played his shots mostly to the fielders! I should say that he would get into most county sides today.

HEVER, HAROLD LAWRENCE, who died in October, aged 74, was a professional slow left-arm bowler for Kent from 1921 to 1925. Though his appearances in the Championship team were limited, he accomplished much good work for the Second XI.

HILL, LIEUT-COLONEL DENYS VIVIAN, who died on May 15, aged 75, played as an opening bowler for Worcestershire in 1927 and 1928, taking in County Championship engagements 75 wickets for 29.99 runs apiece. He also represented the Army.

HUMPHHRYS, SIR FRANCIS HENRY, who died on August 28, aged 92, was an outstanding schoolboy cricketer when at Shrewsbury, where he captained the XI for two seasons. He might well have gained a Blue as a fast bowler at Oxford had he stayed up for more than two years. He played for the Harlequins, I Zingari and Free Foresters.

INSKIP, MAJOR-GENERAL ROLAND DEBENHAM, who died on November 23, aged 86, was in the XI at Framlingham before assisting Suffolk.

IRONMONGER, HERBERT, who died in his sleep in Melbourne on May 31, ten days before his 89th birthday, was, at 45 years 237 days, the fourth oldest cricketer to make a Test debut when, against England at Brisbane in 1928-29, he made the first of 14 appearances for Australia. A slow-medium left-arm spin bowler, he achieved some remarkable performances during his brief Test career, chief among them being that in 1931-32 when he earned a match analysis of 11 wickets for 24 runs on an awkward pitch at Melbourne and was mainly responsible for the dismissal of South Africa for totals of 36 and 45. In four matches of that Test series, he took 31 wickets for 9.67 runs each.

He also achieved great things against G. C. Grant's West Indies team in 1930-31. For Victoria against the tourists, his figures were five wickets for 87 in the first innings and eight for 31 in the second, and in four Test matches he obtained 22 wickets at a cost of 14.68 runs each, heading the Australia averages. In the last Test at Melbourne, his analyses were seven wickets for 23 runs and four for 56. In the same season, he helped Victoria to carry off the Sheffield Shield, his main feats being seven wickets for 135 runs against Queensland and five for 60 against South Australia.

Though not meeting with such phenomenal success against England he dismissed in six meetings with Australia's oldest cricket rivals--including four in D. R. Jardine's "body-line" tour of 1932-33--21 batsmen for an average of 33.90. His figures for all Test matches were 74 wickets, average 17.97.

"Dainty" Ironmonger did the hat-trick once, against A. E. R. Gilligan's 1924-25 M.C.C. team at Melbourne, where for Victoria he ended the innings by disposing of the last three batsmen with successive balls. In 42 Sheffield Shield matches for Victoria, his wickets numbered 215, average 24.74, and he also bowled with marked success for the Melbourne and St. Kilda clubs.

His achievements were the more remarkable because he had lost the fore-finger of his left hand.

KEY, LAURENCE HENRY, who died on April 18, aged 75, played occasionally as an amateur for Somerset between 1919 and 1922.

LIVOCK, ARTHUR HENRY DENZIL, who died after a long illness on March 1, played as a batsman for Cambridgeshire in 1923.

LONGRIGG, JOHN FALLOWFIELD, who died on November 17, aged 64, was in the XI at Shrewsbury as an opening batsman from 1924 to 1926. In 1927 he played for Kent Second XI.

LUND, VICTOR, who died on February 20, aged 67, was the third well-known Buckinghamshire bowler to pass away in the space of a few months. Right-arm medium-paced with a natural in-swing, "Vic" played as an amateur for the county at intervals from 1929 to 1946, taking 159 wickets for them. His best season was that of 1937, when he dismissed 43 batsmen for 9.34 runs each. He achieved his most outstanding analyses--seven wickets for nine runs against Bedfordshire at High Wycombe and seven for 34 in the match with Berkshire at Reading--in his last season, when he headed the Minor Counties' bowling figures with 24 wickets for 6.91 runs apiece. His name became legendary with the Slough, Burnham and Cippenham clubs. In his younger days, he played full-back at Association football for Cippenham and Slough St. Mary's.

LYWOOD, LEWIS WILLIAM, who died at Caterham on October 31, aged 64, was a fast bowler who had short spells as a professional with Surrey and then Essex. One of his few first team appearances for Surrey was against Gloucestershire at The Oval in 1928, when he suffered severely from W. R. Hammond. Surrey made 418, but Hammond, 205 not out, and his captain IS. H. Lyon, 131, put on 285 in three and a half hours, the total reaching 544. Not being retained in first-class cricket, Lywood returned to work in Croydon Town Hall and thereafter played for Croydon Municipal Officers, performing many remarkable fast bowling feats in South London club cricket circles where he was well known.

MORTON, FRANK L., who died on October 14, aged 70, was a fast bowler for South Australia in 1921-22. He moved to Victoria in 1926-27 and in his second match for his new State Victoria put together a total of 1,107--a world record--against New South Wales at Melbourne. Morton's share was "run out 0"! He played for Victoria till 1931-32, being captain in four games. His 74 wickets for 30.18 runs each included a hat-trick against Tasmania in his last match. He was a member of the Australian team who toured New Zealand under V. Y. Richardson in 1927-28.

MULHOLLAND, SIR HENRY GEORGE HILL, BART., who died on March 5, aged 82, was in the Eton XI of 1917 and gained a Blue at Cambridge in 1911, 1912 and 1913, being captain in the last year. In all first-class cricket he scored 1,493 runs, including three centuries, average 28.16, took 51 wickets for 23.00 runs apiece and held 36 catches. After the First World War, in which he was awarded the D.S.O., he entered politics and became a member of Parliament. He was speaker of the Northern Ireland House of Commons from 1929 to 1945 and Lieutenant for County Londonderry from 1961 to 1965.

MURDIN, JOHN VERNON, who died on April 11, aged 79, played as a professional fast bowler for Northamptonshire from 1913 to 1927. In that time he dismissed 444 batsmen for 27.86 runs apiece and brought off 102 catches. His most successful season was that of 1922, when he took 91 wickets at an average cost of 18.47, his analyses including six wickets for 38 runs against Yorkshire and seven for 44 against Kent, both at Northampton, where in 1920 he performed the hat-trick in the game with Kent. For a number of years after giving up first-class cricket, he was coach at Wycliffe College.

NAGEL, LISLE ERNEST, who died on November 26, aged 66, was a tall fast-medium swing bowler for Victoria, for whom his twin brother, Vernon, also played. Lisle was chiefly responsible for the dismissal of D. R. Jardine's powerful M.C.C. team in 1932-33 at Melbourne for a total of 60, for he took eight wickets for 32 runs for An Australian XI. This feat gained him a place in the first Test match, but his two wickets cost 110 runs and he was never chosen again for Australia, though he toured India with J. Ryder's team in 1935-36. In 1939-40 he established a Melbourne Pennant record by taking 86 wickets for 13.45 runs each.

NASH, THE REV. WILLIAM WALLACE HAYWARD, who died on July 24, aged 86, was in the King's, Bruton, XI before turning out occasionally for Gloucestershire in 1905 and 1906.

PEACEY, THE REV. CANON JOHN RAPHAEL, who died on October 31, aged 75, played as a batsman for Sussex in 1920 and 1921 after being in the XI at St. Edmund's School, Canterbury.

PORTAL, MARSHAL OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE VISCOUNT, Who died in hospital on April 23, aged 77, was President of M.C.C. in 1958-59. As Charles Frederick Augustus Portal, he was in the Winchester XI of 1912 as a fast-medium left-arm bowler. His distinguished Service career began at the start of the First World War in 1914, when he joined the Army as a motor-cycle despatch rider. Transferring to the Royal Flying Corps, he became a pilot in 195 and gradually rose to the highest rank in the R.A.F. For the greater part of the Second World War, he was Chief of Air Staff.

RHODES, BRIGADIER-GENERAL SIR GODFREY DEAN, who died on February 21, aged 84, for a number of years in the 1920's and 1930's captained Officials against Settlers in Kenya, opening the innings and keeping wicket. Born in British Columbia, he was assistant Army engineer with the Indian Railways, and after service in Belgium and France in the First World War, spent many years with the Uganda Railway.

RICHARDSON, WILLIAM ETHELBERT, who died suddenly on November 5, aged 76, was in the Liverpool College XI before he played as an amateur fast bowler in a few matches for Worcestershire between 1926 and 1928. He also appeared for M.C.C., Free Foresters and Worcestershire Gentlemen. As a Rugby footballer, "Ritchie" assisted Moseley, Kidderminster and Bromsgrove, whom he captained. In 1924, he represented North Midlands against the All Blacks.

SAYLES, GEORGE, who died in June, aged 72, played as a batsman for Berkshire for 20 years and was a member of the side who won the Minor Counties' Championship in 1928. As an Association football full-back, he assisted Reading in the 1920's.

SCOTT, WALTER G., who died in Vancouver in April, aged 67, played for Aberdeenshire before emigrating to Canada in 1929. He toured in England in 1936 with the Canadian team got together by the Hon. R. C. Matthews which fulfilled 15 non-first-class fixtures. Scott hit 109 not out against the Royal Air Force at Halton and in all took 23 wickets for 14.39 runs apiece.

SHEFFIELD, EDWARD JAMES, who died on April 28, aged 62, was a professional fast-medium in-swing bowler for Surrey from 1930 to 1932. He did specially well in 1931 when heading the county bowling averages with 57 wickets at 18.47 runs each. In 1933, he gained a place in the Kent side for four Championship matches without meeting with much success before recurring back trouble compelled his retirement. For a few years he acted as coach to Dudley, the Birmingham League club.

SHULDHAM, WALTER FRANK QUANTOCK, who died after a long illness on February 7, aged 78, played occasionally for Somerset between 1914 and 1924. He was in the Marlborough XI from 1909 to 1911.

SUTHERLAND, DAVID, who died on October 6, aged 99, was one of the last surviving men who saw the Hon. lvo Bligh's England team in 1882-83. He played for Victoria in the closing years of the last century and in hitting 180 against Tasmania, shared a second-wicket partnership of 206 with W. H. McCormack which remains a record. In eleven innings for the State he scored 516 runs. He was a member of the Melbourne C.C. for over 80 years.

TAYLOR, JOHN MORRIS, who died in a Sydney hospital following a heart attack on May 12, aged 75, was a polished batsman and a brilliant fieldsman at cover point who played in 20 Test matches for Australia between 1920 and 1926--28 against England and two in South Africa in 1921-22. He toured England with the 1921 and 1926 Australian teams, exceeding 1,000 runs on each tour, and he was a member of the Australian Imperial Forces side in England in 1919. After proving an outstanding boy cricketer at Newington College, Sydney, he served with an artillery unit in the First World War while still in his teens. He hit 108 against A. E. R. Gilligan's team in the First Test at Sydney in 1924-25, he and A. A. Mailey adding 127 runs together, which remains a record for the last wicket for Australia in a Test with England. In 21 matches for New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield, he scored 1,299 runs, highest innings 180, average 39.36. He was elected a life member of the New South Wales Cricket Association.

TEESDALE, HUGH, who died on March 31, aged 85, was in the Winchester XI in 1904 and 1905 and gained his Blue at Oxford in 1908 when, though suffering from a badly damaged thumb, he helped with a defensive innings to enable the Dark Blues to beat Cambridge by two wickets. As an opening batsman of marked soundness, he played two specially noteworthy innings for the University in matches with the Gentlemen of England. In the game at Oxford he scored 108, he and T. Bowring (228) sharing a stand of 338 for the first wicket, and at Eastbourne he hit 149 of a partnership of 237 with the Hon. C. N. Bruce, later Lord Aberdare. In 1906 and 1908 Teesdale made a few appearances for Surrey.

VAN GEYZEL, CARL TREVOR, who died on January 18, aged 69, was a prominent batsman in Ceylon in the 1920's. A stylist, he used his 6 ft. to excellent advantage. For Royal College against St. Benedict's in 1920, he hit 202, sharing a third-wicket stand of 150 with his elder brother, F. C. W. He went to Cambridge in 1922 and took part in a trial, but did not find a place in the University XI though he won a Blue for athletics in 1924 when establishing a record with a leap of 6 ft. 1.5 ins. He was in the Combined English Universities team who met Combined American Universities in America in 1925 and next year won the British A.A.A. high jump title.

VICKERY, JOHN CHARLES, who died in hospital on June 9, aged 65, played for Devon in 1928. A fast-medium bowler and useful batsman, he stood 6 ft. 6 ins. For some years he had been chairman of Devon C.C.C. and President of the Devon Club Cricket Association.

WALTERS, CHARLES, who died on May 13, aged 74, was a valued all-rounder for Oxfordshire. first as amateur and from 1927 as professional. First playing for the county in 1922, he was a regular member of the eleven till 1939 and after the Second World War made occasional appearances till 1952, when he was 55. His 220 not out, a brilliant effort, against Bedfordshire in 1924 remains a county record. A stock bowler, he headed the averages in six seasons and he earned a reputation as one of the finest fieldsman at mid-off in Minor Counties' cricket. From 1924 to 1939 and 1946 to 1953, he spent eight weeks each summer coaching Oxford University players in the Parks. As an Association footballer, he played centre-half in the Tottenham Hotspur team who beat Wolverhampton Wanderers in the 1921 F.A. Cup Final. He was a founder member of the Oxford Sports Club.

WILLIAMS, PETER VICTOR, who died at Auckland, New Zealand, on April 1, aged 73, was in the Winchester XI of 1914. His not-out 72 in the second innings did much to enable his school to save the match with Eton after following on 203 behind. He played for Sussex in 1919 without achieving much distinction.

WOMERSLEY, LEONARD DALE, who died in hospital at Chelmsford on February 10, aged 79, was in the Marlborough XI as an all-rounder from 1908 to 1910. In 1914 he played for Essex second XI.

WOOD, GEORGE EDWARD CHARLES, who died on March 18, aged 77, was a brilliant amateur wicket-keeper for Cheltenham, Cambridge and for England in three Test matches with South Africa in 1924. He stood right up to the stumps for the fastest bowlers of his day. He was in the School XI from 1910 to 1912, leading the side in the last year. He gained his Blue in his second season at Cambridge in 1914 and again after the First World War in 1919 and in 1920, when he captained one of the strongest elevens ever fielded by the Light Blues. In three appearances against Oxford, he hit 195 runs for an average of 39.00.

Three times he played for the Gentlemen against the Players at Lord's and in 1920 he was invited to tour Australia with J. W. H. T. Douglas's M.C.C. team, but had to decline. He took part in a few matches for Surrey Second XI in 1913 and for Kent second XI the following season and from 1919 to 1927 played occasionally for Kent in Championship matches. He was a member of the team of amateurs got together by A. C. MacLaren who created a sensation in 1921 at Eastbourne by overcoming by 28 runs the hitherto unconquerable Australian touring team under the captaincy of W. W. Armstrong. A forcing batsman, he registered his one first-class century off the Free Foresters' bowling at Fenners in 1919.

A natural games player, Wood got a Rugby Blue as a wing threequarter in 1919 and also represented his University at hockey.

WYATT, COLONEL. FRANCIS JOSEPH CALDWELL, who died on May 5, aged 88, was in the Glenalmond XI before playing in ten matches for Hampshire between 1906 and 1919. He took 44 wickets for the county at an average of 19.22. In 1906-07 he appeared for Orange Free State.

© John Wisden & Co