Lives in Cricket No 21 - Walter Read

93 Chapter Eight South Africa 1891/92 Early in 1891, there was talk of Lohmann taking a team to South Africa. In the event it did not happen, as Lohmann went off to Australia with W.G.Grace, leaving the way clear for Read to captain a tour to the Cape organised by Edwin Ash, for some years a member of the Surrey committee, the founder of the Richmond Athletic Association and formerly Honorary Secretary of the infant Rugby Union. He had previously taken charge of a rugby tour to South Africa. In playing terms, the Ash-Read tour was a successful one, although finding the right footwear to cope with the novelty of matting wickets proved a challenge. Derbyshire professional, William Chatterton, in a ‘chat’ with W.A.Bettesworth says: None of us were well equipped for the game as it is played in South Africa. We had canvas boots which proved very awkward and were inclined to slip. At the same time, if you used nails you ran a great risk of ricking yourself. The best thing we found was a good heavy pair of lawn-tennis boots with india- rubber soles. 166 The team left in November. Spirits seemed high and the tour was an adventure both on and off the field. On Saturday morning at twenty minutes to twelve o’clock a team under the Captaincy of Mr W.W.Read left Waterloo Station for Southampton to join the “Dunottar Castle” en route for South Africa. Mr Read, in addition to the two Australian cricketers, Messrs W.L.Murdoch and J.J. Ferris, is accompanied by Mr G. Brann of Sussex and the following professionals. F. Martin (Kent), J.T.Hearne (Middlesex), W.Chatterton (Derbyshire), A.D.Pougher (Leicestershire), G.G.Hearne (Kent), Alec Hearne (Kent), V. (late Bomber) Barton (Kent), H. Wood (Surrey), W. Brockwell (Surrey) and E. Leaney (Kent). 167 166 Chats on the Cricket Field p 164 167 Cricket 26 November 1891. George Ayres (Surrey), not mentioned here, was also a member of the party.