Almanac Teams: Debuts at Lord’s and The Oval (Part 2 – England)

 

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

This team is the English that debuted in Lord’s and The Oval.

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.

 

 

England XI

 

Barry Wood
Dr WG Grace
Jonathan Trott
Frank Woolley
Kevin Pietersen
Gilbert Jessop
Dick Lilley
George Allen
Harold Larwood
Frederick Martin
Fred Morley
12th Chris Woakes

 

England

Dr William Gilbert Grace – The Oval 1880
152 & 9no and 1-2 & 2/66
22 Tests, 1098 Runs, Average 32.39, Highest Score 170, 9 Wickets at 26.22, Best Bowling 2/12
Grace was just a month short of his 51st birthday when he played his last test and was the oldest ever captain at test level and third oldest player. Dr Grace would play 870 first class matches for 54211 runs, 124 centuries with a highest score of 344 and take 2809 wickets with a best of 10/49. He also took 5 stumpings.

 

 

Barry Wood – The Oval 1972
26 & 80
12 Tests, 454 Runs, Average 21.61, Highest Score 90
Wood was called into the England one-day team after a 4 year absence at the age of 39 to open the batting in 1982.

 

Jonathan Trott – The Oval 2009
41 & 119
52 Tests, 3835 Runs, Average 44.08, Highest Score 226, 5 Wickets at 80, Best Bowling 1/5
Trott was born in South Africa and played Under 19 for South Africa. Trott was eligible to represent England as his Grandfather was a British citizen. Trott would debut at 21 in County cricket and in 2011 was the ICC cricketer of the year. Trott shared a world record 8th wicket partnership of 332 with Stuart Broad against Pakistan at Lords in 2010.

 

Frank Woolley – The Oval 1909
8 and 0/6 & 0/31
64 Tests, 3283 Runs, Average 36.07, Highest Score 154, 83 Wickets at 33.91, Best Bowling 7/76
Woolley test career lasted 25 years, the third longest ever. Woolley first class career spaned from 1906-38 where Woolley played 978 games, 58959 runs, 145 hundreds, highest score 305no and 2066 wickets.

 

Kevin Pietersen – Lord’s 2005
57 & 64no
104 Tests, 8181 Runs, Average 47.28, Highest Score 227, 10 Wickets at 88.60, Best Bowling 3/52
Pietersen made his first class debut at Natal in 1997 and moved to England 2000 upset with racial quota system in South Africa. Pietersen captain England 3 times 2008-09 before standing down due to conflict with coach Peter Moores.

 

Gilbert Jessop – Lord’s 1899
51 & 4 and 3/105 & 0/19
18 Tests, 569 Runs, Average 21.88, Highest Score 104, 10 Wickets at 35.40, Best Bowling 4/68
Jessop 104 against Australia at the Oval in 1902 was in 77 minutes and included 17 fours.

 

Dick Lilley – Lord’s 1896
0 & 4 Catches
35 Tests, 903 Runs, Average 20.52, Highest Score 84, 1 Wicket at 23, Best Bowling 1/23, 70 Catches & 22 Stumping’s
Lilley also took 41 first class wickets with a best of 6/46.

 

George “Gubby” Allen – Lord’s 1930
3 & 57 and 0/115
25 Tests, 750 Runs, Average 24.19, Highest Score 122, 81 Wickets at 29.37, Best Bowling 7/80
Allen captained England in 11 Tests for 4 wins from 1936-37 and 1947-48. Allen was 45 years old when he captained the second time, which meant he was the second oldest captain ever. Allen was born in Australia but moved to England at 6.

 

Harold Larwood – Lord’s 1926
2/99 & 1/37
21 Tests, 485 Runs, Average 19.40, Highest Score 98, 78 Wickets at 28.35, Best Bowling 6/32
Larwood was the main fast bowler for England in the Bodyline series of 1932/33. Larwood would take 33 wickets at 19.51 with a best of 5/28 and would score 98 as a nightwatchman. After Bodyline Larwood played for England again though he played county cricket until 1938. Larwood would move to Australia in 1950.

 

 

Frederick Martin – The Oval 1890
1 and 6/50 & 6/52
2 Tests, 14 Runs, Average 7, Highest Score 13. 14 Wickets at 10.07, Best Bowling 6/50
Martin debut test figures were the best ever for a debutant until Bob Massie in 1972. Martin test average is the second best of anyone who has taken at least 10 wickets.

 

Fred Morley – The Oval 1880
2 and 5/56 & 3/90
4 Tests, 6 Runs, Average 1.50, Highest Score 2no, 16 Wickets at 18.50, Best Bowling 5/56
Morley lost form and was dropped after suffering a broken rib on ship collision in Colombo.

 

12th Chris Woakes – The Oval 2013
25 & 17no and 1/96
57 Tests, 1970 Runs, Average 26.26, Highest Score 137no, 181 Wickets at 28.24, Best Bowling 6/17
Woakes was England’s player of the series in the 2023 Ashes for his 19 wickets in 3 tests.

 

Others

 

Stanley Christopherson – Lord’s 1884
17 and 1/52 & 0/17
1 Test, 17 Runs, 1 Wicket and 69, Best Bowling 1/52
Christopherson was president of the Marylebone Cricket Club from 1939 to 1946, the longest of anyone ever.

 

Bobby Abel – Lord’s 1888
3 & 8
13 Tests, 744 Runs, Average 37.20, Highest Score 132
Abel was the first English cricketer to carry his bat against Australia at Sydney in 1892. That day he made 132no out of 307.

 

Gregor MacGregor – Lord’s 1890
0 and 1 Catch & 2 Stumping’s
8 Tests, 96 Runs, Average 12, Highest Score 31, 14 Catches and 3 Stumping’s
MacGregor also played cricket for Scotland as well as 13 Rugby Tests from 1890-96.

 

Stanley Jackson – Lord’s 1893
91 & 5 and 0/10
20 Tests, 1415 Runs, Average 48.79, Best Bowling 144no, 24 Wickets at 33.29, Best Bowling 5/52
Jackson captained England in 5 tests in 1905. Jackson holds the record from the most tests played without playing away from home.

 

Bill Lockwood – Lord’s 1893
22 & 0 and 6/101
12 Tests, 231 Runs, Average 17.76, Highest Score 52no, 43 Wickets at 20.53, Best Bowling 7/71

 

Arthur Mold – Lord’s 1893
0 & 3/44
3 Tests, 0 Runs, 7 Wickets at 33.42, Best Bowling 3/44
Mold batted three times for two ducks and one 0no

 

Ted Wainwright – Lord’s 1893
1 & 26 and 0/41
5 Tests, 132 Runs, Average 14.66, Highest Score 49, 0 Wickets

 

Walter Mead – Lord’s 1899
7 & 0 and 1/91
1 Test, 7 Runs, Average 3.50, 1 Wicket

 

Charlie Townsend – Lord’s 1899
5 & 8 and 3/50
2 Tests, 51 Runs, Average 17, Highest Score 38, 3 Wickets at 25, Best Bowling 3/50
Townsend got a hat trick for Somerset where all the batsman were stumped.

 

John King – Lord’s 1909
60 & 4 and 1/99
1 Tests, 64 Runs, Average 32, 1 Wicket at 99, Best Bowling 1/99
King is the last batsman ever to being given out hitting the bowl twice.

 

Harry Dean – Lord’s 1912
2/49
3 Tests, 10 Runs, Average 5, Highest Score 8, 11 Wickets at 13.90, Best Bowling 4/19

 

Alf Dipper – Lord’s 1921
11 & 40
1 Test, 51 Runs, Average 25.50

 

Jack Durston – Lord’s 1921
6no & 2 and 4/102 & 1/34
1 Test, 8 Runs, Average 8, 5 Wickets at 27.20, Best Bowling 4/102
Durston also played football for QPR and Brentford as a goalkeeper.

 

John Evans – Lord’s 1921
4 & 14
1 Test, 18 Runs, Average 9
Evans was a prisoner of war in the first world war. Evans escaped to Switzerland and would resume service as a bomber pilot in the Middle East. During a crash landing Evans was again taken prisoner, this time by the Ottoman Turks. Evans would escape by bribing an Ottoman doctor to declare him sick and eligible for a prisoner swap.

 

Nigel Haig – Lord’s 1921
3 & 0 and 2/61& 0/27
5 Tests, 126 Runs, Average 14, Highest Score 47, 13 Wickets at 34.46, Best Bowling 3/73
Nigel’s middle name is Esme

 

Alec Codon – Lord’s 1948
19 & 0 and 2/90 & 1/82
1 Test, 19 Runs, Average 9.50, 3 Wickets at 57.33, Best Bowling 2/90

 

Norman Gifford – Lord’s 1964
5 and 2/14 & 1/17
15 Tests, 179 Runs, Average 16.27, Highest Score 25no, 33 Wickets at 31.09, Best Bowling 5/55
Gifford made his one day debut at the age of 44 against Australia in Sharjah. Extraordinarily it was 12 years after he had played his last test and he was also appointed captain for his two one day matches due to absence of David Gower. Gifford failed to take a wicket against Australia but take 4/23 in 10 overs against Pakistan

 

Bob Woolmer – Lord’s 1975
33 & 31 and 1/31& 0/3
19 Tests, 1059 Runs, Average 33.09, Highest Score 149, 4 Wickets at 74.75, Best Bowling 1/8
Woolmer coached South Africa from 1994-99 and then Pakistan from 2004 to his death at the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies

 

David Steele – Lord’s 1975
50 & 45 and 1/1 & 1/19
8 Tests, 673 Runs, Average 42.06, Highest Score 106, 2 Wickets at 19.50, Best Bowling 1/1
On his test debut at Lords, Steele got lost going out to bat and went down one flight of stairs too many and ended up in the basement toilets.

 

Bill Athey – Lord’s 1980
9 & 1
23 Tests, 919 Runs, Average 22.97, Highest Score 123
Athey would tour South Africa in the 1990 Rebel tour.

 

Jofra Archer – Lord’s 2019
12 and 2/59 & 3/32
13 Tests, 155 Runs, Average 7.75, Highest Score 30, 42 Wickets at 31.04, Best Bowling 6/45
Archer hit Steve Smith who had to be subbed with concussion in his test debut.

 

Billy Barnes – The Oval 1880
28 & 5 and 1/17
21 Tests, 725 Runs, Average 23.38, Highest Score 134, 51 Wickets at 15.54, Best Bowling 6/28
Barnes was one of eight test debutants in this 1880 test.

 

Edward Grace –  The Oval 1880
36 & 0
1 Tests, 36 Runs, Average 18
Edward was 7 years older than DR WG

 

Fred Grace – The Oval 1880
0 & 0
1 Tests, 0 Runs
Fred was 2 years younger than Dr WG, Fred would pass away two weeks after his debut after contracting pneumonia.

 

Alfred Lyttelton – The Oval 1880
11no & 13 and 0 Catches
4 Tests, 94 Runs, Average 15.66, Highest Score 31, 2 Catches, 4 Wickets at 4.75, Best Bowling 4/19
Lyttelton was a wicketkeeper who was given a bowl with England desperate for wickets as Australia 6/532. Lyttelton would take 4/19 from 12 overs while Dr WG Grace kept wickets.

 

Frank Penn – The Oval 1880
23 & 27no and 0/2
1 Test, 50 Runs, Average 50
Penn would hit the winning runs in his test debut.

 

Allan Steel – The Oval 1880
42 and 3/58 & 2/73
13 Tests, 600 Runs, Average 35.29, 29 Wickets at 20.86, Best Bowling 3/27

 

Maurice Read – The Oval 1882
19no & 0
17 Tests, 461 Runs, Average 17.07, Highest Score 57

 

Charles Studd – The Oval 1882
0 & 0no and 0/9
5 Tests, 160 Runs, Average 20, Highest Score 48, 3 Wickets at 32.66, Best Bowling 2/35
Studd had five brothers who played first class cricket. George, John, Arthur, Herbert and Reginald.

 

John Shuter – The Oval 1888
28
1 Test, 28 Runs, Average 28

 

Frank Sugg – The Oval 1888
31
2 Tests, 55 Runs, Average 27.50, Highest Score 31
Sugg also played football form Bolton, Everton and captained Derby County and Burnley.

 

Henry Wood – The Oval 1888
8
4 Tests, 204 Runs, Average 68, Highest Score 134no, 2 Catches & 1 stumping
Wood was the first wicketkeeper ever to make a century.

 

James Cranston – The Oval 1890
16 & 15
1 Test, 31 Runs, Average 15.50

 

John Sharpe – The Oval 1890
5no & 2no and 1/8 & 1/10
3 Tests, 44 Runs, Average 22, Highest Score 26, 11 Wickets at 27.72, Best Bowling 6/84
Sharpe would play football for Notts County

 

Albert Ward – The Oval 1893
55
7 Tests, 487 Runs, Average 37.46, Highest Score 117

 

Teddy Wynard – The Oval 1896
10 & 3
3 Tests, 72 Runs, Average 12, Highest Score 30
Wynard won the European International Toboggan championship in Switzerland in 1894, 1895 & 1899.

 

Arthur Jones – The Oval 1899
31 and 3/73 & 0/43
12 Tests, 291 Runs, Average 13.85, Highest Score 34, 3 Wickets at 44.33, Best Bowling 3/73
Jones would play rugby in England and referee 5 rugby internationals between 1906-12

 

Douglas Carr – The Oval 1909
0 and 5/146 & 2/136
1 Test, 0 Runs, 7 Wickets at 40.28, Best Bowling 5/146
Carr was the first man to play test cricket in the same year he made his first class debut.

 

Andy Sandham – The Oval 1921
21
14 Tests, 879 Runs, Average 38.21, Highest Score 325
Sandham was the first man to make a triple hundred, 325 against the West Indies in 1930 at Kingston Jamaica.

 

Arthur Wood – The Oval 1938
53 & 3 Catches
4 Tests, 80 Runs, Average 20, Highest Score 53, 10 Catches, 1 Stumping
Wood was just days’ shy of his 40th birthday when selected for his test debut and would get a taxi from Leeds to London to make he arrived on time.

 

John Dewes – The Oval 1948
1 & 10
5 Tests, 121 Runs, Average 12.10, Highest Score 67

 

Allan Watkins – The Oval 1948
0 & 2 and 0/19
15 Tests, 810 Runs, Average 40.50, Highest Score 137no, 11 Wickets at 50.36, Best Bowling 3/20

 

Paul Parker – The Oval 1981
0 & 13
1 Test, 13 Runs, Average 6.50

 

Alan Igglesden – The Oval 1989
2no and 2/91 & 1/55
3 Tests, 6 Runs, Average 3, Highest Score 3no, 6 Wickets at 54.83, Best Bowling 2/91

 

John Stephenson – The Oval 1989
25 & 11
1 Test, 36 Runs, Average 18
Stephenson was the 29th English player picked in 6 tests in the 1989 Ashes. In 2024 he was appointed CEO of WA cricket.

 

James Ormond – The Oval 2001
18 & 17 and 1/115
2 Tests, 38 Runs, Average 12.66, Highest Score 18, 2 Wickets at 92.50, Best Bowling 1/70
Ormond was involved in a notable sledge where Mark Waugh asked him “What are you doing here, you’re not good enough to play for England”, Ormond replied “Maybe not, but at least I’m the best player in the family”. Ormond two wickets were handy being Ricky Ponting and Rahul Dravid.

 

Simon Kerrigan – The Oval 2013
1no and 0/53
1 Test, 1 Run, 0 Wickets
Kerrigan bowled eight overs on debut where Shane Watson attacked him

 

Read Part 1 Here

 

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