Almanac Teams: Debuts at Edgbaston, Headingley, Old Trafford and Trent Bridge (Part 2 – England)

 

After the teams I did for each Test ground I will do Australian teams touring

This team is English who debuted in England at Edgbaston, Headingly, Old Trafford, and Trent Bridge.

Next up will be the two London grounds.

It does not include Australians or South Africans who played against each other in the triangular tournament.

The team is a blend of best players in the XI with some that also had a great debut.

I will give a little description on why I chose that player.

I looked forward to all correspondence.

 

 

Highlights of the teams are:

 

• Eight Australians debuted and 23 Englishmen did so against Australia at Old Trafford
• 17 Australians debuted at Trent Bridge and 23 Englishmen did the same
• Six Australians debuted at Headingly and 16 Englishmen debuted against Australia there
• Edgbaston played host as six Australians and seven Englishmen debuted
• Two Englishmen scoreed 100 on debut.
• Six Englishmen took five wickets on debut and so did one Australian.

 

 

 

England XI

 

Geoff Boycott

Peter Richardson

Sir Kumar Ranjitsinhji

Graham Thorpe

Tony Greig

Ian Botham

George Brown

Wilfred Rhodes

George Lohmann

Ken Farnes

Tom Richardson

12th Phil Edmonds

 

 

Geoff Boycott – Trent Bridge, Nottingham 1964

48

108 Tests, 8114 Runs, Average 47.72, Highest Score 246*, 7 Wickets at 54.57, Best Bowling 3/47

Boycott would have 14 different opening partners in Test cricket with Graham Gooch his most frequent with 49 times opening with Boycott.

 

Peter Richardson – Trent Bridge, Nottingham 1956

81 and 73

34 Tests, 2061 Runs, Average 37.47, Highest Score 126, 3 Wickets at 16, Best Bowling 2/10

Richardson was an amateur batsman for Worcestershire when he made his Test debut and in 1958, he wanted to become a professional at Kent, but this was opposed by Worcestershire and Richardson had to stand down from cricket and he subsequently lost his Test place for a period.

 

Sir Kumar Ranjitsinhji – Old Trafford, Manchester 1896

62 and 154*

15 Tests, 989 Runs, Average 44.95, Highest Score 175, 1 Wicket at 39, Best Bowling 1/23

Ranjitsinhji was the Maharaja of Nawanagar from 1907 to 1933

 

Graham Thorpe – Trent Bridge, Nottingham 1993

6 and 114

100 Tests, 6744 Runs, Average 44.66, Highest Score 200*

Despite playing 82 matches and scoring 2380 runs at an average of 37, Thorpe never scored a one day century. He did though take two wickets, taking 2/15 against India with Sourav Ganguly being one of them.

 

Tony Greig – Old Trafford, Manchester 1972

57 and 62 and 1/21 and 4/53

58 Tests, 3599 Runs, Average 40.43, Highest Score 148, 141 Wickets at 32.30, Best Bowling 8/86

Tony’s younger brother by 9 years Ian was a quick bowler who played 2 Tests in 1982 taking 4 wickets. Greig was born and raised in South Africa but qualified for England as his father was Scottish and he moved there when he was 19.

 

Ian Botham – Trent Bridge, Nottingham 1977

25 and 5/74 and 0/60

102 Tests, 5200 Runs, Average 33.54, Highest Score 208, 383 Wickets at 28.40, Best Bowling 8/34

In 1980 Botham became the second player ever to score 100 runs and take 10 wickets in a Test. Botham held the Test record for most Test wickets taking it from Dennis Lillee before Richard Hadlee passed him. Botham would captain England 12 times from 1980-81 but did not win a Test as captain.

 

George Brown – Headingly, Leeds 1921

57 and 46 and 1 Catch.

7 Tests, 299 Runs, Average 29.90, Highest Score 84, 9 Catches and 3 Stumpings

Brown averaged 26.71 in first class cricket, making 37 hundreds, and taking 568 catches and 78 stumpings.

Wilfred Rhodes – Trent Bridge 1899

6 and 4/58 and 3/60

58 Tests, 2325 Runs, Average 30.19, Highest Score 179, 127 Wickets at 26.96, Best Bowling 8/68

Rhodes was the first English cricketer to make 1000 runs and take 100 wickets in Tests. Rhodes Test career lasted 30 years which is the longest of anyone and his first class career for 32 years until he was 53. Rhodes played the most first class matches with 1110 games and most first class wickets with 4204 at average of 16.72. Rhodes also made 39969 first class runs and scored 58 centuries.

 

George Lohmann – Old Trafford, Manchester 1886

32 and 1/41 and 0/14

18 Tests, 213 Runs, Average 8.87, Highest Score 62*, 112 Wickets at 10.75, Best Bowling 9/28

Lohmann with a Test bowling average of 10.75 is the lowest of any Test cricketer. Lohmann also is the fasTest to 100 wickets , doing it in 16 Tests and has best career strike at 34.10. Lohmann 9/28 is the 4thbest bowling inning ever which was against South Africa in Johannesburg.

 

Ken Farnes – Trent Bridge Nottingham 1934

1 and 0 and 5/102 and 5/77

15 Tests, 58 Runs, Average 4.83, Highest Score 20, 60 Wickets at 28.65, Best Bowling 6/96

Farnes was unfortunately killed during World War 2 when as a pilot officer he crashed his plane at take-off during a night flying exercise.

 

Tom Richardson – Old Trafford, Manchester 1893

16 and 5/49 and 5/107

14 Tests, 177 Runs, Average 11.06, Highest Score 25*, 88 Wickets at 25.22, Best Bowling 8/94

Richardson would in five consecutive innings take 5 wickets in an innings. He was selected by Wisden editor Neville Cardus as one of the six players of the first century of Wisden.

 

12th Phil Edmonds – Headingly, Leeds 1975

13 and 8 and 5/28 and 1/64

51 Tests, 875 Runs, Average 17.50, Highest Score 64, 125 Wickets at 34.18, Best Bowling 7/66

Edmonds retired from first class cricket in 1987 but returned to Middlesex for one game in 1992 aged 41 due to injury crisis at the club.

 

 

Others

Tim O’Brien – Old Trafford, Manchester 1884

0 and 20

5 Tests, 59 Runs, Average 7.37, High Score 20

O’Brien would captain in England as well as captain Ireland.

 

Bill Brockwell – Old Trafford, Manchester 1893

11 and 0/17

7 Tests, 202 Runs, Average 16.83, Highest Score 49, 5 Wickets at 61.80, Best Bowling 3/33

 

Bill Bradley – Old Trafford, Manchester 1899

23* and 5/67 and 1/82

2 Tests, 23 Runs, Average 23, Highest Score 23*, 6 Wickets at 38.83, Best Bowling 5/67

Bradley is one of only 25 cricketers to take a wicket with their first ball.

 

Lionel Palairet – Old Trafford, Manchester 1902

6 and 17

2 Tests, 49 Runs, Average 12.25, Highest Score 20

 

Fred Tate – Old Trafford, Manchester 1902

5* and 4 and 0/44 and 2/7

1 Test, 9 Runs, Average 9, 2 Wickets at 25.50, Best Bowling 2/7

Fred is the father of former English bowler Maurice Tate.

 

Walter Brearley – Old Trafford, Manchester 1905

0 and 4/72 and 4/54

4 Tests, 21 Runs, Average 7, Highest Score 11*, 17 Wickets at 21.11, Best Bowling 5/110

 

Reggie Spooner – Old Trafford, Manchester 1905

52

10 Tests, 481 Runs, Average 32.06, Highest Score 119

Business reasons prevented Spooner from ever touring overseas.

 

Charlie Hallows – Old Trafford, Manchester 1921

16*

2 Tests, 42 Runs, Average 42, Highest Score 26

 

Charlie Parker – Old Trafford, Manchester 1921

3* and 2/32

1 Test, 3 Runs, 2 Wickets at 16, Best Bowling 2/32

Parker took 3278 first class wickets which is the third most ever behind Wilfred Rhodes and Tich Freeman

 

Tom Goddard – Old Trafford, Manchester 1930

2/49

8 Tests, 13 Runs, Average 6.50, Highest Score 8, 22 Wickets at 26.72, Best Bowling 6/29

Goddard would take a hat trick in his 4th Test against South Africa in Johannesburg in 1938. Goddard would play first class cricket until he was 52 and end up taking the fifth most ever first class wickets.

 

Len Hopwood – Old Trafford, Manchester 1934

2 and 0/46 and 0/16

2 Tests, 12 Runs, Average 6, Highest Score 8, 0 Wickets

Hopwood has bowled the most balls in Test cricket with 462 without taking a wicket.

 

Jack Crapp – Old Trafford, Manchester 1948

37 and 19*

7 Tests, 319 Runs, Average 29, Highest Score 56

Jack Crapp was in the same Test squad with Alec Bedser and there is a story that when Crapp arrived at the hotel, the person at the front desk said to him “bed sir” but Crapp thought they said “Bedser” to which Crapp replied “No Crapp” to which the person at the front desk pointed him to the bathroom.

 

George Emmett – Old Trafford, Manchester 1948

10 and 0

1 Test, 10 Runs, Average 5

 

Jack Flavell – Old Trafford, Manchester 1961

0* and 0* and 1/61 and 2/65

4 Tests, 31 Runs, Average 7.75, Highest Score 14, 7 Wickets at 52.42, Best Bowling 2/65

 

Tom Cartwright  – Old Trafford Manchester 1964

4 and 2/118

5 Tests, 26 Runs, Average 5.20, Highest Score 9, 15 Wickets at 36.26, Best Bowling 6/94

Cartwright was initially selected for the 1968/69 tour of South Africa. Cartwright withdrew and his place was taken by Basil D’Oliveira. This forced South Africa to cancel the tour and South Africa was eventually excluded from Test cricket for 22 years.

 

Paul Allott – Old Trafford, Manchester 1981

52* and 14 and 2/17 and 2/71

13 Tests, 213 Runs, Average 14.20, Highest Score 52*, 26 Wickets at 41.69, Best Bowling 6/61

Allott was a long time commentator for Sky Sports.

 

Andrew Caddick – Old Trafford, Manchester 1993

7 and 25 and 0/38 and 1/79

62 Tests, 861 Runs, Average 10.37, Highest Score 49*, 234 Wickets at 29.91, Best Bowling 7/46

Caddick represented New Zealand at Under 19 level against Australia at a bicentennial Youth World Cup.

 

Peter Such- Old Trafford, Manchester 1993

14* and 9 and 6/67 and 2/78

11 Tests, 67 Runs, Average 6.09, Highest Score 14*, 37 Wickets at 33.56, Best Bowling 6/67

Such would also take five wickets in an innings against Australia in Sydney 1999. Such made the second longest duck against New Zealand lasting for 51 balls.

 

Dean Headley – Old Trafford, Manchester 1997

0 and 0* and 4/72 and 4/104

15 Tests, 186 Runs, Average8.45, Highest Score 31, 60 Wickets at 27.85, Best Bowling 6/60

Dean was the son of West Indies Test cricketer Ron and grandson of George Headley. Headley is best remembered for his Man of the Match performance at the MCG in 1998 taking 6/60 in the second innings.

 

Percy Holmes – Trent Bridge, Nottingham 1921

30 and 8

7 Tests, 357 Runs, Average 27.46, Highest Score 88

Holmes would make his Test debut at the age of 35 and play his last Test at the age of 46.

 

Vallance Jupp – Trent Bridge, Nottingham 1921

8 and 15 and 1/14 and 0/13

8 Tests, 208 Runs, Average 17.33, Highest Score 38, 28 Wickets at 22, Best Bowling 4/37

 

Donald Knight – Trent Bridge, Nottingham 1921

8 and 38

2 Tests, 54 Runs, Average 13.50, Highest Score 38

 

Tom Richmond– Trent Bridge, Nottingham 1921

4 and 2 and 2/69 and 0/17

1 Test, 6 Runs, Average 3, 2 Wickets at 43, Best Bowler 2/69

 

Ernest Tyldesley – Trent Bridge, Nottingham 1921

0  and 7

14 Tests, 990 Runs, Average 55, Highest Score 122

At the time of his retirement Tyldesley average of 55 was the highest of any player to have completed 20 innings. Tyldesley great nephew is Michael Vaughan

 

Fred Root – Trent Bridge, Nottingham 1926

Only 17 overs of play was possible with England 0/32

3 Tests, 8 Wickets at 24.25, Best Bowling 4/84

 

Bill Edrich – Trent Bridge, Nottingham 1938

5 and 1/39

39 Tests, 2440 Runs, Average 40, Highest Score 219, 41 Wickets at 41.29, Best Bowling 4/68

For his efforts in the war, Edrich received a Distinguished  Flying Cross award in the Royal Air Force. When England retained the Ashes at Adelaide in 1954-55 the team consumed 56 bottles of champagne and Edrich climbed the marble pillar in the lounge of the Glenelg Pier hotel .

 

Reg Sinfield – Trent Bridge, Nottingham 1938

6 and 1/51 and 1/72

1 Test, 6 Runs, Average 6, 2 Wickets at 61.50, Best bowling 1/51

Sinfield first Test wicket was Don Bradman caught behind for 51.

 

Doug Wright – Trent Bridge, Nottingham 1938

1* and 4/153 and 1/85

34 Tests, 289 Runs, Average 11.11, 108 Wickets at 39.11, Best Bowling 7/105

Wright took seven hat tricks in first class cricket more than anyone else in history.

 

Arnie Sidebottom – Trent Bridge, Nottingham 1985

2 and 1/65

1 Test, 2 Runs, Average 2, 1 Wicket at 65, Best Bowling 1/65

Sidebottom was on the 1982 Rebel tour to South Africa. Arnie’s son Ryan played 22 Tests for England from 2001-2010.

 

Michael Atherton – Trent Bridge, Nottingham 1989

0 and 47 and 0/24

115 Tests, 7728 Runs, Average 37.69, Highest Score 185*, 2 Wickets at 151, Best Bowling 1/20

Atherton would captain England in 54 Tests for 13 wins from 1993-98.

 

Devon Malcolm – Trent Bridge, Nottingham 1989

9 and 5 and 1/166

40 Tests, 236 Runs, Average 6.05, Highest Score 29, 128 Wickets at 37.09, Best Bowling 9/57

Malcolm was the third wicket in Shane Warne Hat trick at the MCG. Malcolm 9/57 is famous as it was against South Africa at The Oval 1994 and the South African bowlers had bounced Malcolm. Malcolm said to them after being dismissed “You Guys are History” and would dismiss South Africa all out for 175 to give England a win.

 

Mark Ilott – Trent Bridge, Nottingham 1993

6 and 3/108 and 1/44

5 Tests, 28 Runs, Average 7, Highest Score 15, 12 Wickets at 45.16, Best Bowling 3/48

 

Mark Lathwell– Trent Bridge, Nottingham 1993

20 and 33

2 Tests, 78 Runs, Average 19.50, Highest Score 33

Lathwell would retire from all form of cricket at the age of 27.

 

Martin McCague – Trent Bridge, Nottingham 1993

9 and 4/121 and 0/58

3 Tests, 21 Runs, Average 4.20, Highest Score 11, 6 Wickets at 65, Best Bpowling 4/121

McCague was born in Northern Ireland, raised in Australia but moved to England for better cricket opportunities. Legend has it McCague drank 72 pints of Guinness during his stag weekend in Dublin.

 

Adam Hollioake – Trent Bridge, Nottingham 1997

45 and 2 and 0/24 and 2/31

4 Tests, 65 Runs, Average 10.83, Highest Score 45, 2 Wickets at 33.50, Best Bowling 2/31

Hollioake was from Ballarat but qualified for England as his father John worked in England for two years in 1983 and then Hong Kong for 3 years. Hollioake would captain England 14 times in one day cricket.

 

Ben Hollioake – Trent Bridge, Nottingham 1997

28 and 2 and 1/57 and 1/26

2 Tests, 44 Runs, Average 11, Highest Score 28, 4 Wickets at 49.75, Best Bowling 2/83

Ben was 6 years younger than Adam and debut for England aged 19. Sadly, he was killed in a road accident near Perth in 2002.

 

Willie Quaife – Headingly, Leeds 1899

20 and 1*

7 Tests, 228 Runs, Average 19, Highest Score 68

Quaife would play first class cricket until he was 56 including 20 times with his son Bernard.

 

Harding “Sailor” Young – Headingly, Leeds 1899

0 and 4/30 and 2/72

2 Tests, 43 Runs, Average 21.50, Highest Score 43, 12 Wickets at 21.83, Best Bowling 4/30

 

David “Lucky” Denton – Headingly Leeds 1905

0 and 12

11 Tests, 424 Runs, Average 20.19, Highest Score 104

His nickname Lucky came from constantly surviving chances from his batting.

 

Arnold Warren – Headingly Leeds 1905

7 and 5/57 and 1/56

1 Test, 7 Runs, Average 7, 6 Wickets at 18.83, Best Bowling 5/57

 

Jack Sharp – Headingly, Leeds 1909

61 and 11 and 0/7

3 Tests, 188 Runs, Average 47, Highest Score 105, 3 Wickets at 37, Best Bowling 3/67

Sharp would play 23 games of football for Aston Villa and 342 games for Everton including captaining Everton from 1908-1910

 

Andy Ducat – Headingly, Leeds 1921

3 and 2

1 Test, 5 Runs, Average 2.50

Ducat played 175 games for Woolwich Arsenal , 74 games for Aston Villa and 64 games for Fulham and 6 games for England in a career that lasted from 1905-1924.

 

Wally Hardinge – Headingly, Leeds 1921

25 and 5

1 Test, 30 Runs, Average 15

Hardinge played 9 Football games for Newcastle, 147 games for Sheffield and 54 games for Woolwich Arsenal in a career that went from 1905-19209. He was caretaker manager of Tottenham in 1935.

 

Jack White – Headingly, Leeds 1921

1 and 6* and 0/70 and 3/37

15 Tests, 239 Runs, Average 18.38, Highest Score 29, 49 Wickets at 32.26, Best Bowling 8/126

White debut Test in 1921 was his sole Test until 1928 where he would tour Australia as vice-captain. White would captain 4 times in 1929 for one win.

 

Fred Price – Headingly, Leeds 1938

0 and 6

1 Test, 6 Runs, Average 3

Price would umpire 8 Tests between 1964-67

 

Alan Oakman – Headingly, Leeds 1956

4

2 Tests, 14 Runs, Average 7, Highest Score 10

Keith Fletcher – Headingly, Leeds 1968

0 and 23*

59 Tests, 3272 Runs, Average 39.90, Highest Score 216, 2 Wickets at 96.50, Best Bowling 1/6

Fletcher was not picked for England from 1977 to 1981 and when he was recalled for 1981/82 tour to India and Sri Lanka, he was appointed captain. Fletcher would only win one game against Sri Lanka as captain. Fletcher was England coach between 1992-95.

 

Roger Prideaux – Headingly, Leeds 1968

64 and 2

3 Tests, 102 Runs, Average 20.40 , Highest Score 64

Prideaux former wife Ruth Westbrook played 11 Tests for England between 1957-63

 

Martin Bicknell – Headingly, Leeds 1993

12 and 0 and 1/155

4 Tests, 45 Runs, Average 6.42, Highest Score 15, 14 Wickets at 38.78, Best Bowling 4/84

Bicknell toured Australia in 1990/91 but did not play a Test. Bicknell would play 2 Tests in 1993 and would wait ten years before he was recalled for two more Tests in 2003 against South Africa.

 

Mike Smith – Headingly, Leeds 1997

0 and 4* and 0/89

1 Test, 4 Runs, Average 4, 0 Wickets

Smith had an easy catch by Graham Thorpe dropped off when Matthew Elliott was 29 and he would make 199.

 

George Thompson – Edgbaston, Birmingham 1909

6 and 0/19

6 Tests, 273 Runs, Average 30.33, Highest Score 63, 23 Wickets at 27.73, Best Bowling 4/50

 

John Murray – Edgbaston, Birmingham 1961

16 and 1 Catch.

21 Tests, 506 runs, Average 22, Highest Score 112, 52 Catches and 3 Stumpings

Murray as a wicketkeeper had 1527 first class dismissals which was record until broken by Bob Taylor.

 

Graham Gooch – Edgbaston, Birmingham 1975

0 and 0

118 Tests, 8900 Runs, Average 42.58, Highest Score 333, 23 Wickets at 46.47, Best Bowling 3/39

Gooch is not picked because he made a pair on debut. Gooch was Captain of the 1981 Rebel tour to South Africa. Gooch would captain England 34 times from 1988-1993.

 

Les Taylor – Edgbaston, Birmingham 1985

1/78 and 0/27

2 Tests, 1 Run, Highest Score 1*, 4 Wickets at 44.50, Best Bowling 2/34

Taylor was a member of the rebel tour to South Africa in 1981.

 

Angus Fraser – Edgbaston, Birmingham 1989

12 and 4/63 and 0/29

46 Tests, 388 Runs, Average 7.46, Highest Score 32, 177 Wickets at 27.32, Best Bowling 8/53

Fraser Best Bowling of 8/53 was against the West Indies in Bridgetown 1993/94 in a famous English victory.

 

Mark Butcher – Edgbaston, Birmingham 1997

8 and 14

71 Tests, 4288 Runs, Average 34.58, Highest Score 173*, 15 Wickets at 36.06, Best Bowling 4/42

Mark’s father Alan played one Test in 1979. Butcher would captain England once in 1999.

 

Usman Afzaal – Edgbaston, Birmingham 2001

4 and 2

3 Tests, 83 Runs, Average 16.60, Highest Score 54, 1 Wicket at 49, Best Bowling 1/49

 

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