100 Years Ago: 25 September 1924

Robinson’s leadership sparks Gloucestershire revival

1924 County Review

GLOUCESTERSHIRE — equal 6th place

Gloucestershire made a good improvement this season, for which much credit should be given to the new captain, Robinson, for the team was too reliant on too few players.  Dipper and Hammond carried the batting, while Parker, helped by Mills and Dennett, carried the bowling.  Parker carried a great load, but Robinson looked after him well and kept him fresh and presumably happy (for he can be an awkward customer) throughout the season.  The soft, damp pitches particularly suited him, but he was a dangerous bowler on any pitch, able to vary his pace and spin very skilfully.  Dennett, a slower bowler than Parker, relied more on flight and accuracy, while Mills at more of a medium pace spins primarily from the off.

Dipper again had a sound season opening the innings, although he could not find a reliable partner, and several players were tried; Seabrook did a fair job when he was available in August.  Hammond is developing slowly as a fine dominant batsman who can also bowl, but is not yet producing the results to match his great potential.  Like Percy Chapman and Patsy Hendren he is a brilliant fielder in any position, while his bowling at its best has been compared to Maurice Tate.  However, Robinson has been careful not to use him too much as a bowler when his batting is so vital.  Lyon made useful runs at times, but tends to lose his wicket to rash shots; he fields brilliantly.  Rogers, home from army service in India, was a very useful acquisition as a good aggressive batsman.

John Ward is an ACS member and a long-serving Zimbabwean cricket statistician. If you would like to contribute to this newsletter, please either respond to the email in which you received it, or leave a comment below.