Lives in Cricket No 24 - Edgar Willsher

105 48-33-32-6 Kent Gentlemen of MCC¹ Canterbury 1870 51.1-28-63-6 United United The Oval 1870 South XI North XI¹ 42-24-50-7 Kent Sussex² Crystal Palace 1870 66-37-64-7 South North¹ Dewsbury 1870 36-16-93-6 South North² Lord’s 1871 27-13-46-7 South North² Canterbury 1871 66-35-93-6 Kent Gentlemen of MCC¹ Canterbury 1871 44.2-23-42-6 Kent Lancashire¹ Gravesend 1873 35-18-36-6 Kent Derbyshire¹ Wirksworth 1874 16-7-22-7 Kent Derbyshire² Wirksworth 1874 25.2-6-55-7 Kent Lancashire¹ Old Trafford 1874 Notes: Overs were of four balls throughout Willsher’s first-class career. In all the instances listed above the ground at Canterbury was the St Lawrence Ground; at Hove it was the Brunswick Ground; at Tunbridge Wells it was the Higher Common Ground. Umpiring Edgar Willsher stood in 102 first-class matches, one in 1859, one in 1861, and then between three and five in most seasons from 1864 to 1885. It is possible that he stood in other first-class matches where umpires’ names have been lost. William Willsher Edgar’s older brother William, born at Rolvenden on 12 October 1814, played in one first-class match, for Kent v Surrey at Preston Hall, Aylesford in July 1847. Batting at eleven he was dismissed twice for nought, and did not bowl. He took one catch, the older Tom Sewell off the bowling of W.R.Hillyer, for three. He died at Barming, Kent on 30 November 1861, aged 47. Sources: www.cricketarchive.com, Wisden Cricketers’Almanack Career Statistics