Famous Cricketers No 82 - H.E. 'Tom' Dollery

248. Warwickshire v Yorkshire, Scarborough, August 17, 18, 19 (Yorkshire won by an innings and 68 runs) * c L.Hutton b A.Coxon 42 245 484-8d lbw b J.H.Wardle 16 171 249. Warwickshire v Hampshire, Edgbaston, August 20, 22 (Warwickshire won by eight wickets) * b D.Shackleton 62 254 192 did not bat - 60-2 121 250. Warwickshire v Surrey, Kennington Oval, August 24, 25, 26 (Warwickshire won by 119 runs) * c G.A.R.Lock b W.S.Surridge 3 232 138 c A.J.W.McIntyre b A.V.Bedser 14 151 126 251. Warwickshire v Somerset, Taunton, August 27, 29, 30 (Warwickshire won by 130 runs) * st H.W.Stephenson b J.Lawrence 37 237 201 b J.Lawrence 5 331-6d 237 252. Warwickshire v Nottinghamshire, Edgbaston, August 31, September 1, 2 (Match drawn) * b R.T.Simpson 73 224 344 c W.W.Keeton b J.Hardstaff 15 140-4 168-6d SEASON’S AVERAGES Batting and Fielding M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct St County Championship 26 45 3 1919 200 45.69 6 7 12 - Other Warwicks matches 2 3 1 165 84 82.50 - 2 - - Season 28 48 4 2084 200 47.36 6 9 12 - Career 252 423 42 13961 200 36.64 28 70 143 13 1950 Tom Dollery was convinced that he had a team under him capable of carrying off the Championship at the start of this season. The batting was sound with a good blend of attack and defence and he thought he had the best bowling attack in the Championship, despite the lack of an off-spinner, and he didn’t expect anyone but Hollies to be considered for Test Matches. All went to plan until mid July, when with eight wins and two defeats they headed the table, but then the team’s and his own form totally deserted them and they failed to win another Championship game from then until the end of the season, eventually finishing in fourth place, the same as the previous year. His early season form was solid if not spectacular, until he came up against his “rabbits” at Derby where he helped himself to 163 in just under three hours with 3 sixes and 12 fours of attacking stroke play. He was extremely surprised, and as he stated himself at the time “rather embarrassed” though when he was chosen for the first Test Match of the series against the West Indies. After having been ignored the previous season, and now thirty-five years of age he had assumed his Test Match days were over and he really thought that younger batsmen should be tried. As it turned out he played in the only game that England won that season, as Ramadhin and Valentine and the three “Ws” took England apart in the other three. The pitch prepared for the Old Trafford Test turned square from the start, and England actually left Alec Bedser out, (then at the height of his powers), and included three spinners, (one of each; his friend and county colleague Eric Hollies with leg-spin, Jim Laker’s off-breaks and Bob Berry of Lancashire, slow left-arm). He once again found himself coming in to bat for England in a crisis but he couldn’t keep Alf Valentine out and he was caught Gerry Gomez bowled Valentine for eight in the first innings and a “duck” in the second. The entire England top order failed but Trevor Bailey and Godfrey Evans, in their totally contrasting styles, came to the rescue with a record 6th wicket stand to turn the game England’s way. Valentine finished with 8-104 on his Test debut! West Indies had to bat last and Hollies and Berry swept all before them in both innings to wrap up the win, Tom no doubt happy for his friend who took 8-133 in the match. He was probably not too unhappy to be dropped for a younger man, Gilbert Parkhouse of Glamorgan, for the next Test as “Ram and Val” tormented the England batsmen for the rest of the series, and his brief and unsuccessful Test Match career was over. 36