Middlesex
SEAXE MAN’S DID YOU KNOW? PART ONE – BEFORE WW1
Middlesex
By Seaxe Man
January 25 2006
Did you know that.... eleven Middlesex players have captained England since the 1st test match in 1876/77? In the first of this three part series, Seaxe Man examines the pre World War One Middlesex captains. Now referenced in The Times Line & Length (Dec 2008), all three parts of this feature are a must read. Parts 2 and 3 are now linked through the end of this Part One feature.
Middlesex
January 25 2006
Did you know that.... eleven Middlesex players have captained England since the 1st test match in 1876/77? In the first of this three part series, Seaxe Man examines the pre World War One Middlesex captains. Now referenced in The Times Line & Length (Dec 2008), all three parts of this feature are a must read. Parts 2 and 3 are now linked through the end of this Part One feature.
SEAXE MAN’S DID YOU KNOW?..............PART ONE – BEFORE WORLD WAR ONE Did you know that.... eleven Middlesex players have captained England since the 1st test match in 1876/77? Seaxe Man has split these into three groups for a short series of articles:¨ pre World War One;¨ between the wars;¨ since World War Two. One key point to emerge from Seaxe Man’s study is that Ashes successes in Australia have featured England captains from Middlesex on several occasions. Middlesex fans can certainly take pride from that. In the first of this three part series, Seaxe Man examines the pre World War One Middlesex captains. The pre World War One captains were:¨ Sir Timothy (Tim) O’Brien;¨ Andrew Stoddart;¨ Sir Pelham (Plum) Warner.
1. Sir Timothy (Tim) O'Brien. born Dublin 1861 died Isle of Man 1948.
Sir Timothy played in 5 tests. Numbers 14, 28, 47, 48 and 49. He captained in only one. This was in the 1st test (47) of the SA series of 1895/6 in Port Elizabeth. The three test series was won by England 3-0.
He played in 2 Ashes series, 1 test in each. His debut in 1884 (test 14) and the second in 1888 (test 28). Both series ended in victories for England 1-0 and 2-1 respectively.
His test record was:Played 5Innings 8Not Out 0Runs 59Average 7.37100s 050s 0Catches 4
His first class record, mainly for Middlesex, was impressive enough for the time:Played 266Innings 452Not Out 30Runs 11397Average 27.00100s 1550s 58Catches 173 We have to say that his test record was modest, but all 3 series in which he played were successful for England. So he was something of a good luck charm. Also, captaincy seemed to suit him; he scored 33 of his 59 test runs in the one match he captained. He was Sir Timothy by virtue of birth, being a Baronet. NOT (as you might mistakenly think) an early example of honours being doled out for victorious England cricketers. 2. Andrew Stoddart born South Shields 1861 died St John's Wood 1915
Andrew Stoddart played in 16 tests. Numbers 27, 35, 36, 37, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 50, 51, 55 and 56. He captained England in 8 tests. All his tests were against Australia and he played in 5 Ashes series. 1887/8 - 1891/2 - 1893 - 1894/5 - 1897/8. His debut as captain was 1893 at Lord's (test 39). The highlight of his career was the 3-2 victory in the 1894/5 series in Australia, which he captained. He made a considerable contribution with the bat scoring 173 in the Melbourne test. This remained the highest score by an England captain in Australia until 1974/5 when Mike Denness made 188. He made one other Ashes ton - 134 at Adelaide in the 1891/2 tour. He was the first England captain to insert Australia (Nasser’s mentor perhaps) and the first England captain to declare an innings closed. Stod had a distinguished career with both Middlesex and England. The results of his Ashes series were (England 1st) 1-0 - 1-2 - 1-0 - 3-2 - 1-4. His test record was:Played 16Innings 30Not Out 2Runs 996Average 35.57100s 250s 3Catches 6
Not bad at all. His first class record (probably all Middlesex apart from the tests), was as follows:Played 309Innings 537Not Out 16Runs 16738Average 32.12100s 2650s 85Catches 257
He was an indefatigable sportsman; he famously scored 485 in 370 minutes for Hampstead against Stoics after a sleep-free night out on the razz. He played Rugby football at international level as well as cricket; one of very few people to have represented their country at more than one sport. Sadly, in declining health and with financial worries, he took his own life in 1915.
3. Sir Pelham (Plum) Warner born Port of Spain Trinidad 1873 died Sussex 1963.
Sir Pelham (Plum) Warner played 15 tests for England. Numbers 58, 59, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 104, 122 and 123. He captained on 10 occasions. The first 5 were against Australia in the 1903/4 Ashes which resulted in a 3-2 series win for England. His second 5 was against SA in the 1905/6 series which was much less successful, resulting in a 4-1 hammering for England. This ended his test career as captain (test 92). He made his test debut in the SA series of 1898/9 (test 58) which resulted in a 2-0 win for England. He made his lone test century of 132* not out in this match, at Old Wanderers, Johannesburg, carrying his bat in the second innings. His test record was:Played 15Innings 28Not Out 2Runs 622Average 23.92100s 150s 3Catches 3
His first class record, mostly for Middlesex, was as follows:His test record was:Played 521Innings 875Not Out 75Runs 29028Average 36.28100s 6050s 149Catches 183
His first class career is all the more exceptional when you consider the comparatively low averages of that uncovered and poor pitch era and that his 1st class career was interrupted in its prime by World War One. Plum Warner was a key member of a highly successful Middlesex side just before and after World War One. In later life he was manager on the infamous Bodyline Tour of 1932/3 captained by D.R.Jardine. He was knighted for his services to cricket in 1937. The stand to the right of The Lord's Pavilion (as you face the Pavilion) was named after him when built in 1958. Editor’s notes: One strange fact about these three England captains from Middlesex is that no pair of them ever represented England at the same time, despite significant overlaps in their careers and (especially Stoddart and O’Brien) almost legendary pairings as Middlesex players. We also see an early sign of the Middlesex tradition for developing great players who, despite not being Middlesex (or sometimes not even England) born, serve Middlesex and England valiantly.
1. Sir Timothy (Tim) O'Brien. born Dublin 1861 died Isle of Man 1948.
Sir Timothy played in 5 tests. Numbers 14, 28, 47, 48 and 49. He captained in only one. This was in the 1st test (47) of the SA series of 1895/6 in Port Elizabeth. The three test series was won by England 3-0.
He played in 2 Ashes series, 1 test in each. His debut in 1884 (test 14) and the second in 1888 (test 28). Both series ended in victories for England 1-0 and 2-1 respectively.
His test record was:Played 5Innings 8Not Out 0Runs 59Average 7.37100s 050s 0Catches 4
His first class record, mainly for Middlesex, was impressive enough for the time:Played 266Innings 452Not Out 30Runs 11397Average 27.00100s 1550s 58Catches 173 We have to say that his test record was modest, but all 3 series in which he played were successful for England. So he was something of a good luck charm. Also, captaincy seemed to suit him; he scored 33 of his 59 test runs in the one match he captained. He was Sir Timothy by virtue of birth, being a Baronet. NOT (as you might mistakenly think) an early example of honours being doled out for victorious England cricketers. 2. Andrew Stoddart born South Shields 1861 died St John's Wood 1915
Andrew Stoddart played in 16 tests. Numbers 27, 35, 36, 37, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 50, 51, 55 and 56. He captained England in 8 tests. All his tests were against Australia and he played in 5 Ashes series. 1887/8 - 1891/2 - 1893 - 1894/5 - 1897/8. His debut as captain was 1893 at Lord's (test 39). The highlight of his career was the 3-2 victory in the 1894/5 series in Australia, which he captained. He made a considerable contribution with the bat scoring 173 in the Melbourne test. This remained the highest score by an England captain in Australia until 1974/5 when Mike Denness made 188. He made one other Ashes ton - 134 at Adelaide in the 1891/2 tour. He was the first England captain to insert Australia (Nasser’s mentor perhaps) and the first England captain to declare an innings closed. Stod had a distinguished career with both Middlesex and England. The results of his Ashes series were (England 1st) 1-0 - 1-2 - 1-0 - 3-2 - 1-4. His test record was:Played 16Innings 30Not Out 2Runs 996Average 35.57100s 250s 3Catches 6
Not bad at all. His first class record (probably all Middlesex apart from the tests), was as follows:Played 309Innings 537Not Out 16Runs 16738Average 32.12100s 2650s 85Catches 257
He was an indefatigable sportsman; he famously scored 485 in 370 minutes for Hampstead against Stoics after a sleep-free night out on the razz. He played Rugby football at international level as well as cricket; one of very few people to have represented their country at more than one sport. Sadly, in declining health and with financial worries, he took his own life in 1915.
3. Sir Pelham (Plum) Warner born Port of Spain Trinidad 1873 died Sussex 1963.
Sir Pelham (Plum) Warner played 15 tests for England. Numbers 58, 59, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 104, 122 and 123. He captained on 10 occasions. The first 5 were against Australia in the 1903/4 Ashes which resulted in a 3-2 series win for England. His second 5 was against SA in the 1905/6 series which was much less successful, resulting in a 4-1 hammering for England. This ended his test career as captain (test 92). He made his test debut in the SA series of 1898/9 (test 58) which resulted in a 2-0 win for England. He made his lone test century of 132* not out in this match, at Old Wanderers, Johannesburg, carrying his bat in the second innings. His test record was:Played 15Innings 28Not Out 2Runs 622Average 23.92100s 150s 3Catches 3
His first class record, mostly for Middlesex, was as follows:His test record was:Played 521Innings 875Not Out 75Runs 29028Average 36.28100s 6050s 149Catches 183
His first class career is all the more exceptional when you consider the comparatively low averages of that uncovered and poor pitch era and that his 1st class career was interrupted in its prime by World War One. Plum Warner was a key member of a highly successful Middlesex side just before and after World War One. In later life he was manager on the infamous Bodyline Tour of 1932/3 captained by D.R.Jardine. He was knighted for his services to cricket in 1937. The stand to the right of The Lord's Pavilion (as you face the Pavilion) was named after him when built in 1958. Editor’s notes: One strange fact about these three England captains from Middlesex is that no pair of them ever represented England at the same time, despite significant overlaps in their careers and (especially Stoddart and O’Brien) almost legendary pairings as Middlesex players. We also see an early sign of the Middlesex tradition for developing great players who, despite not being Middlesex (or sometimes not even England) born, serve Middlesex and England valiantly.
Bookmark or share this story with:
Digg
Delicious
Reddit
Stumbleupon
More Middlesex CCC headlines
Middlesex CCC latest threads
- Keeping Fit With The Middle
- Usman Afzaal
- Steve Kirby
- Op.
- Middlesex v Worcestershire LV=CC - Squad News
- Cricket may never be clean, claims Marcus Trescothick
- Wicketkeeper Luke Sutton rejoins Derbyshire
- An End of (One) Days
- England's Treatment Of Kevin Pietersen Is A Disgrace!
- ****ANDREW STRAUSS NEEDS 31 RUNS****