Lives in Cricket No 2 - Johnny Briggs

Appendix Two Cricketers from Sutton-in-Ashfield Players from Briggs’ birthplace, Sutton-in-Ashfield, dominated the Victorian era of cricket in Nottinghamshire. There were so many from the village representing the county that it was dubbed “the nursery of cricket” and it even had its own society for professional cricketers. Apart from Briggs, who won more Test caps (33) than any other Sutton-born cricketer there were several others who represented Nottinghamshire and England including Fred Morley, William ‘Billy’ Barnes, Wilfred Flowers and George Bean. Fred Morley played four times for England and it was during the 1882/83 tour of Australia that he injured his ribs but battled on to play his four representative matches. Soon afterwards his health deteriorated and he died the day after his benefit match started. The players carried on wearing black armbands. Morley is buried in Sutton-in-Ashfield cemetery. William ‘Billy’ Barnes played 21 Tests, taking 51 wickets, making one century and two half centuries. He was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1890, but his career was hampered by his fondness for a drink and he was frequently warned over his conduct. When his playing days were over he had a spell coaching at Lord’s and then took over as the landlord of the Angel Inn in Mansfield Woodhouse. Wilfred Flowers , although not born in Sutton, moved there from Calverton at an early age. He was the first professional player to score 1,000 first-class runs and take 100 wickets in a season and he played in eight Tests. He had a brief spell as a first-class umpire but was forced into early retirement when his eyesight began to fail. George Bean played three times for England. He started off his cricketing career with Nottinghamshire but played only five times for them before moving on to Sussex where he spent 13 seasons. Nottinghamshire were to regret letting him go, particularly when he scored 145 and 92 not out against his former county. He might well have incurred the wrath of his ex-colleagues, but Sussex 96