Lives in Cricket No 26 - HV Hesketh-Prichard

24 played for a Mr Toy’s XI against Warnham Lodge, a game which was part of a Primrose League fête. Arthur Campbell Oddie, 11 the Horsham club captain, was a leading member of the Primrose League, which had been founded by Disraeli and was dedicated to spreading the principles of ‘true Conservatism’. Hex ended third in the club’s bowling averages for 1895 with 45 wickets at 11.29, and the club’s annual review said ‘Prichard is new to the team, and shows a good record.’ So his first season of adult cricket had gone well. He had also passed his preliminary law exam, but his enthusiasm for the profession was decidedly limited. Arthur Oddie, besides being the club’s captain, was also its secretary and had held both posts since 1886. He also seems to have had a finger in just about every pie in the town, with an especial enthusiasm for amateur dramatics and, of course, cricket. Oddie was very keen, but particularly keen that Hex should play for Horsham: Kate says that later on he ‘always’ prevented Sussex from asking Hex to play. But, interestingly, Arthur Oddie is the man who started the Horsham cricket festival and from 1908 persuaded Sussex to play an annual match there. Indeed he was later a member of the County Committee. 12 During the winter Hex continued his legal studies, but in June 1896 he played at Brighton for ‘Young Players’ against Sussex Club and Ground. The Young Players were a twenty-two, and the county side made 312 with Hex (17-2-35-3) clearly the pick of the bowlers. That suggests that Sussex should have known who he was, though Parker suggests an invitation miscarried, which could mean that Arthur Oddie forgot (or possibly ‘forgot’) to pass it on. Hex played as a regular member of the side for Horsham in 1896, including a game against MCC. That year he took 51 wickets for Horsham at 15.20, and the club report said ‘the bowling of Bland and Prichard has been very effective throughout the season’, with some suggestion that on the pitch at Horsham they could have been very dangerous. Cyril Bland, who had previously played for Lincolnshire, was to join the Sussex staff in 1897 and played regularly for some years: in 1899 he took all ten Kent wickets for 48 at Tonbridge. By then Killick and Cox were also county regulars, so you can see why Arthur Oddie might have had his reservations about letting Hex go as well! You can also see why Bland stood out, as he ended the season in tremendous form, taking 33 wickets for 214 in the last six innings he bowled in. Hex had a very fair season, if somewhat overshone by Bland. In June he had taken seven for 14 against Dorking, who were bowled out for 30; in July four for 29 against Ockley, and in August six for 36 against Old Malvernians. 11 Bryan Slyfield, Arthur Campbell Oddie , Horsham Society Newsletter, June 2004. 12 Brian Slyfield, op cit. Horsham to Haiti