Famous Cricketers No 47 - John Wisden

FOREWORD by Roger Heavens If you asked an informed passer-by what is the best known name in cricket, almost certainly they would answer W.G.Grace, or perhaps Don Bradman. I would suggest that John Wisden is, in fact, better known, through Wisden’s Cricketers’ Almanack . This was the title given to the annual when the 75th edition was published in 1938. The previous volumes had a slightly longer title, John Wisden’s Cricketers’ Almanack . At the time of the publication of the first edition in 1864, John Wisden was far more widely known as one of the best cricketers of his day, in a career that spanned 25 years. A prodigious wicket-taker and fine batsman, the early sporting entrepreneur was quick to see a gap in the cricket market place, just as he had seen gaps in the field and the batsmens’ defence, for an easier to read and more accessible book on the national game than those currently being marketed. As when he played cricket, the opposition could not compete and, by the turn of the century, although by then Wisden had passed away, only his publication was left. Wisden’s picture first appeared in the pre-photograph era, when he was added to W.H.Mason’s famous print of Sussex v Kent in 1849 as an afterthought and placed in the crowd rather than on the field. His most famous portrait, showing him preparing to bowl, is by Corbett Anderson and hangs in the Long Room at Lord’s. This clearly shows his diminutive size, in contrast to the photograph of 1859 when he travelled to America with England’s first overseas team. Much stockier and bewhiskered, exuding the contentment of a successful businessman, he belies earlier descriptions of him by various authorities such as “Little Gnome”, “Little Six-penn’th of Coppers” or a “hungry looking lad, glad of one’s sixpence for the trouble”. Strangely, very little has been written about this famous player and this book fills a much needed gap in the game’s history. It supplies detailed information regarding all Wisden’s appearances in first-class or “great” matches as they were then known. Some of his bowling feats are unique, such as six wickets in six balls, somewhat bizarrely whilst wearing a greatcoat, and the only example of taking all ten wickets in an innings all clean bowled. With his “fast and ripping” off breaks he took five or more wickets in an innings a staggering 111 times and ten wickets or more in a match on 39 occasions, which were records in their own right at that time. Although out of the scope of this book, Wisden also played a phenomenal number of other matches for provincial sides such as Brighton Clarence, Leamington, The Auberies, etc. in addition to many games for the various professional elevens, and his total wicket tally certainly exceeded 3,000. Very few players have taken more wickets. He was, as might be expected, extremely accurate, as can be demonstrated by considering his recorded 1859 performances in which he bowled only one wide in 3,413 deliveries whilst taking 187 wickets. The wide was unusual, as in most seasons he did not bowl any, and of course he never bowled a no-ball. He was also a fine batsman and, on the poor wickets of the day, nothing more emphasises his ability than his 148 in the opening match at the Bramall Lane ground in 1855, a score which was the only first-class century scored in any match that season. When one considers these abilities, coupled with his considerable business prowess in numerous ventures, such as sports outfitter, ground proprietor, publisher, secretary to the “United” and the “Cricketers’ Friendly Society”, and the fact that he was much loved by his employees, there is little doubt that John Wisden is particularly worthy of a volume in the Famous Cricketer series. November 1998 3