Lives in Cricket No 26 - HV Hesketh-Prichard

101 Before the War The Times said of this game ‘There was some remarkable cricket at Worcester on Saturday. Play began early, and when at quarter past eleven an innings on each side had been completed, Worcestershire held a lead of only 11 runs. Soon after half past three, however, Hampshire had won by eight wickets.’ It said that ‘This complete change was brought about by Mr Hesketh-Prichard, who bowled with such effect when Worcestershire went in that he took six wickets at a cost of only three runs each. Admirable as was his work, however, it must be admitted that Worcestershire gave a very bad display of batting, for no fault could be found with the pitch.’ If The Times was not too impressed, this was still quite a feat. Others were more enthusiastic. The Daily Mail said his bowling was ‘splendid’ and Lloyd’s Weekly News said ‘Some wonderful bowling by Hesketh-Prichard enabled Hampshire to win an unexpected victory … Worcestershire collapsed before the old fast bowler …Hesketh-Prichard kept up a fine pace and a very steady length.’ 54 The Guardian also used the word ‘wonderful’ of his bowling in this innings. I am not sure whether Hex would have been impressed by ‘old’! Hex did not play in the next two games, Gloucestershire at Bristol and the Bank Holiday game against Kent at Southampton, in which George Brown opened the bowling. But on 30 May he was back to play against Derbyshire at Southampton, bowling 34 overs and taking three for 93 as Derbyshire scored 288. The Manchester Guardian said ‘Hesketh-Prichard appeared in the Hampshire team instead of Remnant, but his bowling was very expensive.’ Hampshire made 427 and Derbyshire were 73 for one at the second attempt after Hex had taken an early wicket, getting Leonard Oliver for none. Then it rained. According to the first-class averages in The Times this day, Hex had taken 27 wickets at 16.18 at this stage and was showing up well. Hampshire went on to Bath to play Somerset, but the wet summer of 1912 was beginning to take its toll: Somerset scored 191, Hex none for 47, and Hampshire, batting on bits of all three days, in the end reached 195 for three. Then at Lord’s on 6 June against Middlesex the home county made a rain-curtailed 216 for six on the first day (Hex one for 42) but there was no more play in this game. Hex didn’t play against Derbyshire at Derby, but did turn out against Leicestershire at Aylestone Road. Leicestershire scored 252, Hex not taking a wicket, bowling ten overs for 37. Hampshire were out for 126 and Leicester’s second innings was 156. Hex did not bowl at all in this innings, and Hampshire’s second of 130 saw them lose heavily. That was the end of Hex’s first-class cricket for the summer. The county history says it ‘was sad that Hesketh-Prichard could play so little, for his six for 18 in the second innings of the Worcestershire match showed what his bowling might have meant to the side.’ Hampshire had a good year, finishing sixth and adding to that by beating the Australians, Mead making 160* and Kennedy taking eleven wickets in the match. And Fry, Johnston 54 Lloyd’s Weekly News, 19 May 1912.