Lives in Cricket No 26 - HV Hesketh-Prichard

56 On 16 July, at Southampton, Hampshire played the Gentlemen of Philadelphia, who were approaching the end of a very full tour. Hex and Llewellyn had them struggling, Cricket saying ‘before lunch six wickets were down for 60 and no-one seemed to be able to play Llewellyn and Hesketh-Prichard,’ but they recovered to post 230, with Hex three for 88. At the close of the second day Hampshire were 372 for seven (though Bart King, Philadelphia’s star bowler, was missing this match), with hundreds for Hill and Llewellyn. Rain prevented pay on the third day. Back to the County Championship, and it was Kent at Catford and not good. Hampshire were shot out by Blythe and Fielder for 57 and by the end of the first day were batting again, 198 behind. Hex took four for 63 but the second innings was 122 and another innings defeat. On 23 July it was Surrey at Portsmouth. Hampshire made 135 but Hex and Llewellyn bowled Surrey out for 162 to keep Hampshire in touch, Hex taking five for 57. But it was all in vain: Hampshire’s second innings was 115, and Surrey cruised to 90 for one. Hex reached 50 wickets in the season and 100 in his first-class career in this game. He was due to miss the next fixture, against Essex at Leyton, but was probably pleased that it was completely rained off. The county played Derbyshire away on 3 August: Hampshire’s 185 looked inadequate. Derbyshire lost five wickets before they were in front, but then went on to 446, Hex securing only one wicket in 32 overs. Hampshire’s second innings was 202, and they’d lost by an innings again. On 10 August it was Warwickshire at Southampton, a match that would be Hex’s last of the season. This time things looked much better, Hampshire making 230 and Warwickshire by the close of play 24 for seven. The second day was rained off, but then Warwickshire were bowled out for 101, with five wickets for William Langford and two for Hex. Hampshire, unfortunately, were then shot out for 72, but the game ended in a draw, with the visitors 146 for eight, Langford taking six more wickets and Hex none. Hampshire still had six games to play. They won none of them and finished bottom of the table for the second year running, ‘disastrous’ according to Wisden . Hex had taken 45 Championship wickets for Hampshire at 19.95, more than any other bowler for the county, despite his truncated season. He ‘toiled bravely on pitches that rarely helped him,’ according to Altham, writing later. 29 At about this point, Kate says, Hex had his pictures taken for Beldam and Fry’s new book. Following Great Batsmen: Their Methods at a Glance they were producing for Macmillan a similar book on bowlers and fielders. It was eventually published in 1907, with a lengthy description by Fry of Hex’s bowling style. By the end of 1903 Fry would have seen Hex in action – indeed he had taken 160 off him at Hove. Despite the cricket, the literary life rolled on. In June 1903 his piece for the Spectator on St Brendan and his voyage was particularly well received. 29 Hampshire County Cricket: The Official History , p.57. One of the Gentlemen