Lives in Cricket No 26 - HV Hesketh-Prichard

59 On 9 June Hampshire played Worcester at Southampton, but Hex was not there; the match was lost by six wickets. The next game started on 23 June, Leicestershire at Leicester. The home side made 363, with Hex taking five for 92 and bowling 32 overs. Hampshire made 243 and Leicestershire’s second was 221, with Hex three for 90 off 28 overs. Hampshire folded for 122 and another game was lost. They must have gone to Headingley on 27 June fearing the worst, and it happened. Yorkshire made 194, Hex securing a creditable five for 72 from 26 overs, but against Wilfred Rhodes and Schofield Haigh, Hampshire made 62. The second Yorkshire score was 274, Hex 22 overs and two for 74. Hampshire’s second attempt lasted 13.1 overs and they were all out for 36 after the first five wickets went for four runs, Rhodes and Haigh bowling unchanged through both innings. Another day off resulted. Now came the summit of Hex’s season, possibly of his cricketing career. He had been asked again to play for the Gentlemen at Lord’s, and with South Africa touring but not given a Test match this was the big event of the season. The game started on 4 July. The Players won the toss and batted and The Times reported: Mr Hesketh-Prichard and Mr McDonell opened the bowling. After a short time Mr Hesketh-Prichard started to make the ball get up very awkwardly. Iremonger was run out with the score at 33, and then Mr Hesketh-Prichard met with considerable success. Denton was caught at cover-point off a tame stroke, and Knight and Braund were both caught by Mr Foster in the slips off bumping balls, and four wickets were down for 62. By lunch that was 113 for five, but conditions improved after that, with the Players eventually reaching 327. ‘The wicket,’ said The Times , ‘was tolerably easy, but Mr Hesketh-Prichard, who had a good deal of work to do, made the ball get up considerably.’ He did indeed have a good deal of work to do, bowling 39 overs to take three for 102. On the second day the Gentlemen collapsed to 112 for nine before Hex stayed with F.S.Jackson to add 59 for the last wicket, making 10*. Wisden said ‘Hesketh-Prichard, keeping a straight bat in front of his pads, helped Jackson add 59 and so redeemed the innings from total failure.’ He then bowled well again as the Players did not enforce the follow-on. The Times said ‘The first two batsmen [Hayward and Iremonger] were caught behind the wicket off fast bumping balls, Denton was bowled first ball he ought to have played forward at, while Knight, after being severely knocked about, had his hand broken by Mr Hesketh-Prichard.’ But by the close they were 247 for eight, with the Leicestershire allrounder J.H.King making his second hundred of the match. The Times said ‘The professional bowling is, however, far stronger than that of the Gentlemen, and it ought to give their side a tolerably easy win unless some great change takes place in the ground.’ The Players’ innings ended next morning for 255, with Hex finishing with five for 80 from his 24 overs and the Gentlemen needed 412 to win. By lunch they were 134 for three, with Jackson and Ranjitsinhji together. The One of the Gentlemen