Lives in Cricket No 25 - Tom Richardson

43 Warwickshire men played with confidence although the pitch was in excellent condition. 85 Then against Gloucestershire at The Oval, Only Lockwood and Richardson failed to score double figures. In fact, they made three and one respectively in a total of 405, but more than compensated for that perceived failure by taking seventeen wickets between them. Richardson quickly finished off the innings by catching Bracher and bowling Roberts, so that Surrey won by an innings and 195 runs. 86 At Bradford, Then Richardson went on after a rest, and with only 31 runs added four of the best Yorkshire wickets had fallen when they ceased play for the day … Richardson clean bowled three men and Smith accounted for the rest. 87 Ranjitsinhji, when asked about the best bowlers of his day, was only slightly equivocal. I can hardly say. Many are very good but Mold and Richardson among fast bowlers seem to me most dangerous, and of slow bowlers, I should unhesitatingly say that Peel is foremost. 88 Against Derbyshire at The Oval, Richardson’s last piece of bowling was 7 overs, 4 maidens, 15 runs, 4 wickets 89 The conventional wisdom that Richardson was unable to bowl on wet pitches was exploded at Catford: One of the most dismal batting failures was that of the Kent eleven at Catford on Monday . When rain brought the first day to a premature close, Surrey were 59 for none in reply to Kent’s 43 all out, the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth wickets all falling at 42. Then, a bit of a contribution with the bat: Richardson did not believe in wasting too much time on his batting and his innings were often short and explosive, his philosophy being the time- honoured maxim that tail enders should hit out and/or get out. Richardson then hit out and made 23 of 28 for the last wicket in a quarter of an hour. 90 The rout then resumed. 85 C ricket 6 June 1895 86 Cricket 13 June 1895 87 Cricket 20 June 1895 88 Cricket 20 June 1895 89 Cricket 25 July 1895 90 Cricket 25 July 1895 1895...Annus Mirabilis...Surrey