Lives in Cricket No 27 - CB Llewellyn

109 Home in the South nearly thirty years in the leagues. Mrs Llewellyn, Dorset-born and from her youth a keen cricket-follower, and a few months older than her husband, was also fit and well. They both maintained an interest in cricket. Arlott’s piece, which appeared in the Hampshire handbook in 1960, concluded with the hope that it might be possible to bring them over to Surrey’s match with Hampshire at Guildford that summer, but history doesn’t relate whether they were invited or not. It is significant that John Arlott stressed that Buck was full of good – and generous – stories about his contemporaries and ‘he was lucky in his cricket, enjoyed it then and … still relishes those palmy days’. Not too long after Arlott’s visit, Buck had an accident while cycling, broke his thigh and remained lame for the remainder of his days. The end of his life was deeply pathetic, as was that of Mrs. Llewellyn. Someone inadvertently left on the gas in their home and there was an explosion, in which they were both badly injured. As if that were not miserable enough, they were taken to separate hospitals, and while the family were deliberating about what should be done for their future comfort, Buck died on 7 June 1964, at Northcroft Hospital, Englefield Green, on the western side of Egham. He was 87. A brief obituary in the local Herald and News did not mention his cricket, but interestingly, named him as Mr Charles Bennett-Llewellyn. His funeral took place on Thursday, 11 June 1964. His wife of 63 years died on 12 February 1965 at Ellesmere Hospital, Walton-on-Thames. Seldom can an international sportsman’s death have attracted less publicity. There was no reference in the report of his funeral to the presence of any sportsman among the mourners. His reputation had not followed him down country to Surrey, where little was known of the northern leagues or their players: it was over fifty years since his last appearance in the first-class game. In 1965, Wisden printed a laudatory obituary describing him as ‘a great allrounder in his day’, and ‘a forcing left-hand batsman, a slow to medium left-arm bowler and a splendid fielder, particularly at mid-off.’ The writer disregarded his fine performances at the end of 1902 against Australia, but described his achievements as a professional for Hampshire as his best work. His lengthy career in the Leagues, collecting over 10,000 runs and nearly 2,000 wickets, received the barest mention.