Lives in Cricket No 2 - Johnny Briggs

Lancashire’s bowling attack one of the strongest in the land, it was disappointing for Briggs, but hardly surprising that he was never handed the ball again during that second season, although he was twice second-top scorer in an innings – in that match against Yorkshire (25) and against W.G.Grace’s Gloucestershire (31 not out). In the second innings of the latter match he was bowled by the great man himself for a useful 15. But 1880 did provide two minor milestones in Briggs’ career – his first first-class wicket and his first representative honour. Both landmarks were reached in a low-key fixture, not even covered by Wisden , with Briggs, although a professional, playing in a three-day match for the Gentlemen of the North against the Players of the North at Manchester, starting on 29 July. Opening the attack with his Lancashire colleague Vernon Royle, Briggs bowled very economically, taking 4 for 39 in the first innings. He did even better second time around, when he took the new ball with Nottinghamshire’s Joseph Sulley, finishing with 5 for 34. His breakthrough first wicket was Thomas Foster, the experienced Derbyshire professional, batting at No.5 for the Players. He was caught by the 19-year-old Sydney Evershed in the outfield. Evershed, from the famous Burton brewing family, was later to captain Derbyshire. In 1881, Briggs, now 18, finally established himself as a regular in the Lancashire ranks, playing in all 13 of the club’s matches against other counties and in the fixtures against MCC and Cambridge University. Under Hornby’s captaincy, the side won ten of its county matches and this time even Wisden recognised their right to be called outright county champions. But with Barlow, Crossland, Nash and Watson in the ascendancy, Briggs was afforded just four overs and two of these were in the opening match of the season against MCC at Lord’s From Widnes to Old Trafford 17 Cricketing prodigy: Briggs in his early days