Lives in Cricket No 23 - Brief Candles

50 The absent second cousin, once removed We have seen that, despite Richard Streeton’s speculation, Percy Herbert was not the only first-class cricketer who never took the field. And there is at least one other candidate for Streeton’s other claim for Herbert’s uniqueness, too. For Percy Herbert may not be the only first-class cricketer who was not in attendance for any of the play in his only first-class match. Thomas John Hearne may have matched him on this; he certainly came close. One of the extended cricketing family that included J.T. (‘Old Jack’), J.W. (‘Young Jack’), Frank and Alec Hearne, among many others, T.J.Hearne’s life is summarised in the clan history written by a more recent J.W. Hearne, 76 and I don’t propose to repeat that summary here. But the circumstances of his non-appearance in first-class cricket bear repetition. From Monday to Wednesday, 20, 21 and 22 July 1908, Middlesex were due to play the touring Philadelphians in a first-class match at Lord’s. The selected side included a number of their Championship regulars, among them Frank Tarrant, Albert Trott and J.T.Hearne; but other regulars such as Pelham Warner and B.J.T.Bosanquet were rested while other less experienced players were given a game. At the last minute, J.T.Hearne had to withdraw, and his second cousin once removed, T.J.Hearne, was sent for at short notice to take his place. The game began in dull weather on the Monday, and proceeded apace. Tarrant and Trott, bowling unchanged (as they did throughout the match), dismissed the visitors for 58, whereupon the ten batsmen of Middlesex fell for 92, with four taken by Bart King and two by ‘Ranji’ Hordern. The Philadelphians only managed 55 in their second effort, and Middlesex knocked off the runs needed for victory for the loss of three more wickets. All this on the first day. In Middlesex’s first innings, T.J.Hearne is listed as ‘absent’, for he had not arrived in time to bat. The Sportsman confirms that he never took the field in the entire match: ‘[Hearne] made his first appearance in first- class cricket without having stepped out of the players’ pavilion’, 77 but it appears that he may have arrived before the game ended, 78 though his time of arrival at Lord’s is not recorded. It may have been during his side’s brief (six-over) second innings; it may even have been towards the end of the Philadelphians’ second innings, when it was decided that he need not rush to get ready to field as the visitors were collapsing quite happily without him. In either of those cases, he would at least have seen play in action. But if, as is entirely possible, he did not arrive until after Middlesex had secured the victory, then he would have joined Percy Herbert in not witnessing any play in the match that constituted his entire first-class career. Sadly, it is unlikely that we will ever find out for sure. The question also arises: what were the circumstances that brought about T.J.’s brush with fame? Why did J.T.Hearne drop out of the Philadelphia 76 J.W ‘Jack’ Hearne, Wheelwrights to Wickets , Boundary Books, 1996. 77 The Sportsman , 21 July 1908 78 The ACS book of First-Class Matches 1908 tells us that ‘he would have batted in the second innings had it been necessary’. Never Seen