Lives in Cricket No 25 - Tom Richardson

24 in a match which Surrey won by eight wickets. 46 The report in Cricket is silent on Richardson’s bowling, preferring to concentrate on the fact that W.G.Grace allowed Watts to act as substitute wicket-keeper for Clarke. In the same match George Lohmann took his 1500 th first-class wicket. It may not have been realised at the time, but the torch was passing on. In another age, Richardson might have been Man of the Match, though Lockwood with five first-innings wickets would also have a strong claim, as would Maurice Read or Henderson for their batting. It was a good start. Ten more first- class matches followed that season, his final tally being 29 wickets at just over 20. He had joined a successful side. Over six seasons, Surrey had won three out of every four of their first-class county matches and carried off the County Championship for the third consecutive season. In other matches he filled his boots – 12 wickets in a match against Lancashire Second XI, 15 against Essex, 11 against Leicestershire – plus the odd five-wicket innings in between - a portent of things to come. There is a local myth that Richardson walked from Mitcham to The Oval on home match days. There is no evidence one way or the other. It is known from interviews with his son that he was fond of walking long distances and doubtless this habit contributed to his fitness. It would not be out of character for him to do so, but, except possibly in his early days as a junior pro, it is unlikely that he did. Tom Higgs, historian of Mitcham Cricket Club, has looked at Richardson’s financial position, based on evidence unearthed by Ric Sissons, and concluded that, once established in the county side, he could well afford to take public transport in the form of the horse bus. 1893 Great Drought of 1893 THE drought of 1893 will unquestionably take its place among the recorded events of history, if regard be had to its intensity, the length of time during which it has lasted, and the wide extent of the earth’s surface it has overspread. Treating the British Islands as a whole, the drought may be considered as embracing by much the greater part of the country for the fifteen weeks beginning with March 5. But while copious rains have fallen during the past few weeks in many places, it may be regarded as continued to near the present time in many of the more important agricultural districts in the south . 47 Whatever the disadvantages to agriculture, the meteorological conditions of 1893 provided the kind of hard, fast pitches on which Tom Richardson was to excel. Almost literally he hit the ground running and Albert Craig, the Surrey poet, had no doubt about the apostolic succession : When George Lohmann sail’d away To a foreign shore Surrey griev’d but yearned to see, 46 Cricket 30 June 1892 47 Nature 27 July 1893 1892-94 Surrey…and England