All Ten: The Ultimate Bowling Feat

117 Harry Howell Warwickshire v Yorkshire, 1923 County Championship Edgbaston, Birmingham on 23, 24, 25 May 1923 (3-day match) Toss won by Yorkshire Yorkshire won by 84 runs Umpires: WA Buswell, TM Russell Yorkshire 113 (H Howell 10-51) and 162-6 dec; Warwickshire 110 (GG Macaulay 5-42) and 81 Yorkshire first innings P Holmes c Smart b Howell 1 H Sutcliffe c Smart b Howell 8 E Oldroyd c Smith b Howell 44 E Robinson c Partridge b Howell 4 W Rhodes c Smart b Howell 12 R Kilner b Howell 6 M Leyland lbw b Howell 3 *G Wilson c Smith b Howell 14 GG Macaulay b Howell 0 +A Dolphin c Smith b Howell 6 A Waddington not out 7 Extras (b 8) 8 Total (all out, 50.1) 113 Fall of wickets 1-2, 2-19, 3-27, 4-59, 5-67, 6-79, 7-88, 8-88, 9-94, 10-113 Warwickshire bowling: H Howell 25.1-5-51-10, NE Partridge 19-4-41-0, FSG Calthorpe 6-1-13-0 Warwickshire: LTA Bates, EJ Smith (wk), FSG Calthorpe (capt), WG Quaife, GW Stephens, JA Smart, FR Santall, RES Wyatt, NE Partridge, HA White, H Howell The only bowler to have taken all-ten against Yorkshire in a county match, Harry Howell was, until Larwood emerged, probably the fastest bowler playing in England. Off a long run-up he had an easy action, which was just as well given the work he had to get through. Playing for a moderate Warwickshire team in the early 1920s, and lacking consistent support at the other end, his record was outstanding and perhaps deserved greater Test recognition. A cheerful man who enjoyed his cricket, his career was short: his first more-or-less full season was in 1914, and he played little after 1925. Born in Birmingham in 1890, Howell didn’t really get the chance to establish himself until after the War but began so well that, in order to keep him away from league cricket, the county signed him up for five years. 161 wickets in 1920 earned him a place on the tour to Australia the following winter but in his three Tests Howell suffered badly from missed catches and only took seven wickets for 468. He was not alone in finding Australia a cricketing culture shock. The Tests were played on