100 Years Ago: 4 October 1924

Essex’s Season of Missed Opportunities

The next in the ACS’s planned series of auctions takes place this month, commencing at 08:00 BST on Saturday, October 12, and closing at 10:00 BST on Monday, October 21. It will be of particular relevance to those of you with an interest in cricket in Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. The auction also contains some statistical material, a small selection of narrative books by EW Swanton, and a tranche of 35 lots on women’s cricket. Register now to avoid missing out.

1924 County Review

ESSEX — 15th place

It is a little puzzling that Essex should finish below the likes of Glamorgan and Worcestershire in the championship table, because they have considerably more depth of talent than either, but the bottom line is that they managed to win only two matches.  Russell, Freeman and O’Connor were all good reliable batsmen, although Russell was not at his best.  Nicholas and Morris played useful innings at times but on the other hand Perrin and Douglas both had poor seasons with the bat.

Douglas was often troubled by a foot injury that handicapped his bowling, but he still managed a good return.  Louden is always a dangerous spearhead when he is available, although at the age of 38 he has lost a little pace, and the left-arm spinner Hipkin came on superbly.  The fielding was generally good, but the side simply could not win matches, and the rain cannot be blamed for that in Essex more than other counties.  They did seem to lack real enthusiasm and spirit in their play, though, and the ability to play as a team, and Douglas is not skilled in kindling that with a struggling side.

Colombo: Ceylon v M.C.C.

Greswell Stars for Ceylon

M.C.C. 73 (H Sutcliffe 15, W W Whysall 10, R Kilner 17, R K Tyldesley 11; W T Greswell 8/38) and 114/4 (A Sandham 15, J L Bryan 11, A P F Chapman 70*). CEYLON 58 (F A Waldock 18; A E R Gilligan 3/4, R K Tyldesley 4/25, A P Freeman 2/2). Match drawn.

M.C.C. traditionally play a one-day match against Ceylon when they stop off at Colombo en route to an Australian tour.  There was great local enthusiasm and about 5000 spectators attended, although they were disappointed that Jack Hobbs and Frank Woolley in particular were not playing.  The pitch was greasy and the field rather slippery after rain.  The local side contained several English expatriates with first-class experience, and the former Somerset swing bowler Bill Greswell shattered the M.C.C. innings, bowling unchanged as they totalled only 73 in 42.4 overs and taking eight wickets for only 38 runs.  The Ceylonese team caught eight chances out of eight offered.

The local batting, however, was quite unable to cope with the varied M.C.C. attack and they fell 15 runs behind, with another former Somerset player, Frederic Waldock, being the only batsman to reach double figures.  In their second innings M.C.C. lost three for 33, but then Percy Chapman came in and hit out furiously, racing to 70 not out in just over half an hour, with four sixes, before the call of time.  Unfortunately we didn’t get to see Greswell bowling at him again (he bowled out Chapman for 2 in the first innings).

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