Famous Cricketers No 60 - Ernest Tyldesley

Bowling O M R W BB Avge Tour 2 0 12 0 - - Career 54.4 6 287 6 3-33 47.83 1927 “Handicapped by the injury sustained early in the year” wrote Wisden , “Tyldesley took some time to find his form and was never quite the outstanding player he had been in 1926.” In fact he missed Lancashire’s three opening games and by the end of May, though only once failing to get into double figures, had still not reached 40 in any innings. June augured better as he opened with 143 at Bristol but runs were still not flowing and the second fifty of his 101 at Lord’s later in the month took him two hours. After a week when rain practically ruled out play altogether, he grafted superbly for 87 out of 141 against second placed Nottinghamshire; indeed Lancashire had been 59 for 7 at one stage but George Duckworth assisted him in a stand of 70. His 87 took over three hours. It was mid-July before his fluency returned and from that point on he registered five centuries to ensure that his overall average topped the 50 mark again. Pride of place must go to his 165 in five and a half hours in the “Roses” match at Headingley. He defended stoically as Lancashire subsided to 160 for 6 but later opened up and drove splendidly as, with Jack Iddon in support, 164 runs were added for the seventh wicket. Not far behind this knock was a faultless effort of 124 (out of 229 all out) against the New Zealand tourists on an Old Trafford pitch which gave considerable assistance to the bowlers. Though he failed in the “Test Trial” at Lord’s in August he shone when he hit the third century of the Players’ innings against the Gentlemen at Scarborough with 3 sixes and 10 fours in his 116. Lancashire won their second successive Championship and Tyldesley certainly played his part in the success; but he could look back ruefully on one bizarre dismissal. Whilst batting out time for a draw against Kent back in June he found himself out “caught and bowled Ames” to the only ball of the latter’s first over; stumps were drawn immediately; not many players will have departed in that fashion! Own Team O M R W Opp Ct Total Total 363. Lancashire v Somerset, Old Trafford, May 11, 12 (Lancashire won by an innings and 125 runs) lbw b J.C.White 17 365-7d 92 2 148 364. Lancashire v Derbyshire, Ilkeston, May 14, 16, 17 (Match drawn) c H.Elliott b G.M.Lee 13 200 209 c T.S.Worthington b L.F.Townsend 22 68-7 96 365. Lancashire v Gloucestershire, Old Trafford, May 18, 19, 20 (Match drawn) c W.H.Rowlands b R.A.Sinfield 29 336 235 510 366. Lancashire v Hampshire, Liverpool, May 21, 23, 24 (Lancashire won by an innings and 104 runs) c W.H.Livsey b A.S.Kennedy 25 456-3d 153 199 367. Lancashire v Glamorgan, Swansea, May 25, 26 (Lancashire won by ten wickets) run out 39 293 93 1 did not bat - 11-0 208 1 368. Lancashire v Worcestershire, Dudley, May 28, 30, 31 (Lancashire won by four wickets) b J.W.Wilkinson 14 199 206 c C.B.Ponsonby b C.F.Root 7 96-6 88 40