Double Headers

35 games in which Leveson Gower could not, or chose not to, play. He proved to be the most regular 1909 first-teamer from among those who played at Reigate, making 11 appearances for Surrey in that year, nine of them as captain. His on-field performances in the later part of the 1909 season were modest (532 runs at 28, with no centuries), but he had done enough to secure - perhaps with a little help from his friends - a place on the tour to South Africa the following winter. There, under Leveson Gower’s captaincy, he played in all five Tests – though again without setting the world alight. He also played in all five Tests in South Africa in 1913/14, and was the appointed Surrey captain in 1911, 1912 and 1913. The unlucky Harry Budgen played no further first-class cricket after the game at Reigate. Born in Reigate, he also died locally, passing away at the Earlswood Asylum at Redhill in March 1944. Edward Goatly was the only member of Surrey’s Reigate XI to gain an immediate recall to the Championship side, but he could not establish himself permanently in the side, playing in only nine of Surrey’s remaining 18 first-class games during the season. He continued his county career until 1914 without ever emerging as a true front-line player. He was the senior Pavilion Attendant at The Oval for several years from 1929 onwards. Bill Hitch did not get straight back into the Championship side after the game at Reigate, but did so five matches later, and played in seven of the remaining 14 fixtures from that point. He gained a regular place in the First XI from 1910, and remained a popular Surrey stalwart until his retirement in 1925. He played in seven Tests between 1911/12 and 1921, and also umpired four Tests – three in India in 1933/34, and one at home in 1935. He was the longest survivor of Surrey’s Reigate XI: he died in July 1965 when two months past his 79th birthday. George Platt made his way into Surrey’s Championship for five matches in the later part of the 1909 season, and appeared occasionally in the XI until 1914. He was head groundsman at Worcester for many years until his retirement in 1952. John Raphael never played again for Surrey, but played occasional first- class matches for amateur XIs until 1913. He was wounded at Messines Ridge on 7 June 1917 and succumbed to his wounds at the Casualty Clearing Station at Remy Sidings four days later. As he had been born in Brussels, he has the unlikely distinction of being the only first-class cricketer who both was born and died in Belgium. Although he too never played again for Surrey, William Sarel went on to have brief careers with Kent (1912-14) and Sussex (1919-21), scoring a century (against Oxford University at Hove) in his first match for Sussex. Record-books of my youth were keen to point out that he had no qualification for Sussex when he did so – evidently this was a big deal back then! He later achieved distinction as an outstanding golf club secretary, first at Beaconsfield and later at The Berkshire club. John Shuter died in harness as Surrey’s Secretary in 1920. He was taken ill after returning home from his duties at The Oval on 2 July, and died three days later at the age of 65. The game at Reigate was, unsurprisingly, his Surrey in 1909