Lives in Cricket No 26 - HV Hesketh-Prichard

58 for 106 in 26 overs by tea time on the first day, as Surrey scored 230. The Manchester Guardian said that Hex ‘bowled with great effect early in the day, taking five of the first six wickets.’ A strong London County side then made 466 for eight declared, and Surrey went for 185, with another five wickets for Hex, this time for 56. Cricket tells us that ‘Hesketh-Prichard bowled exceedingly well in both innings’. Hampshire’s first game started on 9 May, and Hex got off to the best possible start, clean bowling Frederick Holland for a duck. Surrey recovered to 218, Hex four for 86, but Hampshire then went for 63, with Hex second top scorer with 13! Surrey’s second innings was 169, with Hex raking four for 57: Hampshire made 71 so another season had begun as the last had ended. On 16 May Hex turned out for MCC against Kent, with, among others, Teddy Wynyard and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. MCC made 201 and 106, Kent 177 (Hex three for 42) and 97 (Hex this time six for 23). At the top of Kent’s second innings Hex took the first five wickets for four runs, all five batsmen failing to score, while Hearne, who made 29 opening the innings, was missed off him before he scored. The Manchester Guardian called it ‘remarkable’. This is the first record we have of Hex playing for MCC; he had been elected a member in the previous year. This was by any standards a very good start to the season, with 27 wickets so far at 13.70. But with Llewellyn again below his best, Hex was going to be about all Hampshire’s bowling had to offer this summer: it was even necessary later in the season to bring Harry Baldwin back from retirement at the age of 43. Derbyshire at Southampton began on 23 May, and Hampshire batted comfortably enough for 384 by the close of the first day. But there was no play on the second, and though on the third Derby were bowled out for 172, Hex taking three for 51, that was an end to it. If that was a disappointment the Bank Holiday match with Kent that followed, also at Southampton, was worse. Kent were bowled out for 142, Hex five for 58, losing their last seven wickets for three runs, but Colin Blythe skittled Hampshire for 97. By the close of the first day Kent were 53 for none, and they went on to 327, Hex taking three for 83 in 38 overs. Hampshire’s second innings was 89, and Blythe had 13 wickets in the match for 91. Hampshire had no game starting on 6 June, and Hex went off to Lord’s to play for the Gentlemen of England against I Zingari. The Gentlemen made 267: I Zingari made 175, Hex taking five for 65 and Charles Kortright, in the only first-class match he played in 1904, taking three for 36. At 33 Kortright was possibly past his fastest, but Hex took three wickets in his first two overs. The Gentlemen made 319, leaving I Zingari to get 412 – which they did, for four wickets. Ernest Steel made 111, Teddy Wynyard 147. Hex, ineffective this time, took two for 112 in 31 overs. This was, incidentally, the last time that an I Zingari match was to be ruled as first-class. One of the Gentlemen