Lives in Cricket No 21 - Walter Read

31 short break, all his life in Reigate, gave the spectators an equal treat in the shape of vigorous batting on the second day. 42 Grace had 135 in an hour and a half, Read 112 in a similar length of time, albeit without having to face any fast bowling. An end-of season club pitch was clearly below the standard to which most of the players had been accustomed at most first-class venues during the season and there seems to have been a mutual agreement to prohibit such a form of attack in a friendly match. The annual match arranged at Reigate by Mr. W W Read was not remarkable for any such sensational innings as was played last year by Mr. Brann, but it enabled WG and WW to finish up their season’s batting in a triumphant manner by each scoring a century. Owing to the dangerous state of the wicket, fast bowling was not allowed. 43 Off the field too, the event appears to have been a success. On Friday evening, the cricketers were entertained to dinner at the Town Hall by the Reigate Priory Club. Mr C A Hardman, the president was in the chair, supported by a company of nearly two hundred. In addition to the majority of the players, there were present – the High Sheriff of Surrey, Mr J Colman, a member of the Committee of the Surrey CC; Mr H Cubitt, MP for mid-Surrey; Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart; the Secretary of Surrey County CC, the Mayor of Reigate and other local notabilities. 44 The exercise was repeated the following year, but on a somewhat larger scale as ‘the town was prettily illuminated on the same night in honour of the occasion’. 45 Football and other sports. Various profiles of Walter Read mention his proficiency at other sports – football, walking, skating and billiards. 46 Of the latter three, no mention has been found. Maybe they are from the same - possibly erroneous - source It’s by no means impossible: not all sporting events were reported in the press and he was a competent all-round sportsman, taking part in and helping to organise and participate in the annual athletic sports at the Priory Ground under the aegis of the 5th Surrey Rifle Volunteers. 43 Chats on the Cricket Field p 455 44 Cricket 21 September 1893 45 Cricket 20 September 1894 46 Cricket 19 April 1883 Reigate Priory