All Ten: The Ultimate Bowling Feat

118 Harry Howell perfect wickets in virtually unbroken sunshine and most of the England bowlers had figures they would rather forget. Later, when Warwickshire famously lost to Hampshire in 1922 after dismissing them for 15 in their first innings he had the contrasting figures of six for 7 (breaking a stump in the process) and three for 156 (his most expensive analysis ever). The pre-war Warwickshire team that Howell had joined had a strong pace attack. Left-armer F.R. (Frank) Foster had helped bowl England to victory Down Under in 1911/12, Frank Field was genuinely fast taking nearly 1,000 wickets for the county, and Percy Jeeves was one of England’s most promising younger bowlers. When Howell came back in 1919 things had changed. A motor-cycle accident prevented Foster returning to the game, Field was in his mid-40s, and Jeeves had been killed in action (at least his name is remembered, P.G. Wodehouse having used it for his famous fictional valet). Howell, approaching 29, rose to the challenge of being both shock and stock bowler. Yorkshire on the other hand, with a full hand of bowlers able to exploit any conditions, and batting to match, won the Championship every season from 1922 to 1925. Ten professionals captained by an amateur, Geoffrey Wilson, a modest bat but brilliant fielder, they were a hard team to play against and to captain. And there were rumours that Yorkshire fielders sometimes roughed up the pitch to help their bowlers, accompanied by excessive use of what we now call sledging. By the time Yorkshire came to Birmingham in May 1923 they had already started the season well: three comprehensive victories and a rain-affected draw. Warwickshire’s record was more modest: win, draw, loss, but with Howell already among the wickets. Although it occasionally hosted Test matches, Edgbaston was still wide open, largely uncovered, rather rural in appearance and with few spectator facilities. Major development of the ground would not follow until after the Second World War. There was rain about on Wednesday 23 May, and little or no play in most matches, only the West Indian tourists down at breezy Brighton getting in a full day. Birmingham was no exception and the redoubtable Yorkshire pair Percy Holmes and Herbert Sutcliffe had to wait until twenty-five minutes to five before they could set out. Howell made the most of a pitch which was soft on top, firm underneath and on which he made the ball lift awkwardly. In the very first over Sutcliffe was struck a nasty blow on the jaw. He was able to continue after receiving attention but eventually became one of three batsmen caught in the slips by Jack Smart. By the close Yorkshire had struggled to 67 for five, Howell (five for 36) having all the batsmen in trouble except for Edgar Oldroyd (32 not out). Twenty wickets fell next day as conditions continued to favour bowlers. The overnight break allowed the rested Howell to continue to bowl unchanged, and he needed less than an hour to polish off the Yorkshire batting. Oldroyd made 44 before he was caught behind by Tiger Smith, one of three catches taken in the innings by the former England keeper. All but one of Oldroyd’s 384 matches were for the county. He was one of only three of the Yorkshire side who never played for England. He wouldn’t have let them down if he had. A last wicket partnership of 19,