Lives in Cricket No 25 - Tom Richardson

19 Mitcham year confirms that he is now a professional cricketer. Such local newspaper evidence as there is confirms Bill Richardson’s later recollection that all the Richardsons played cricket on the Green with one or other of the three Mitcham sides. Against Mr J.W.Hobbs’ Club on 30 August 1890, Frank had three wickets. 33 He was on the card at No 11, so batting was clearly not a Richardson family strong point. Tom’s performances for Mitcham and obvious potential earned him three inter-county matches with the Surrey Second Eleven in 1891, two against Bedfordshire and one against Nottinghamshire. Ten wickets at under twelve, including 7-3-10-4 at Luton, was sufficient to keep him in the frame. He also played a few matches for a successful Club and Ground Eleven which lost only one of its 27 matches – to Mitcham. In his early days, Tom would have earned something like 30 to 38 shillings per week, not a lot, but as for most professionals, it was pay for something he enjoyed doing and certainly more than he was earning in the linoleum factory. Agricultural labourers were paid about half of what he received as a junior professional. His pay as an unskilled worker would not have been much more. 34 His attachment to Mitcham continued until his marriage and move to Thames Ditton in 1895 and, when not required by Surrey or when the county had no fixture or had finished a three day match in two, he would turn out for the club. In 1892 he took five wickets – all bowled - against Whitgift Wanderers 35 and in 1893, five against Croydon and six against Thames Ditton. 36 Full bowling figures were rarely given in the press for club and school matches. 33 Cricket 11 September 1890 34 W Robson Twentieth Century Britain p 165 35 Croydon Chronicle 16 July 1892 36 Cricket 11 May and 22 June 1893 Mitcham Cricket Club in 1889: Richardson extreme right on front row. [Mitcham Cricket Club]