Lives in Cricket No 27 - CB Llewellyn

26 reader will have observed that little reference has been made to Buck’s batting since his big scores in early May. Over the summer he had done little to write home about with the bat, but in truth he had come to England as a slow left-hand bowler, who had achieved only one first-class fifty in South Africa, and his early batting success must have come as a gratifying surprise. At Taunton his innings will have caused some more. In reply to the home side’s total of 345, Llewellyn five for 115, Hampshire hit their attack all over the small, easy-paced ground. Greig (113) and Sprot (147) added 148 for the second wicket in only 60 minutes and Sprot and Webb 127 for the third wicket in ten minutes less, paving the way for Llewellyn who added 151 for the fifth wicket in 65 minutes with Victor Barton (47). Buck’s total of 153 occupied 100 minutes and included 28 fours and a five. Declaring on 642 for nine wickets, Hampshire bowled out Somerset for 176 to win by an innings and 121 runs – Llewellyn taking five wickets for 68, after bowling 61 overs in the match. A rain-ruined match at New Road, Worcester ended Hampshire’s season. Hampshire rose from ‘absolutely last in the competition’ in 1900 as Wisden put it, to seventh in Llewellyn’s first season; their 18 fixtures were equally divided between wins, losses and draws. After giving Greig his due, Wisden enthused ‘Llewellyn was even more valuable for Hampshire [who] sadly needed an accession of bowling strength. The South African may be said to have fulfilled that long-felt want as, in addition to scoring 717 runs with an average of 23, he took 115 wickets at a cost of 23 runs apiece ... he may be said to have fulfilled the highest expectations.’ Of course, without that innings of 153, his total of runs in championship matches would have been reduced to 564, at an average below 20. On the other hand in all first-class matches – he played in twenty altogether – his figures were 1,025 runs at 31.06, and 134 wickets at 22.53, and so he had achieved the ‘double’ in his first ‘full’ English summer. He was in good company; the other players who achieved the double in this season were Len Braund, George Hirst, Jack Mason and Joe Vine. Wisden gave Buck a further accolade in its summary of the South African tour: Poor Lohmann, who as assistant manager of the [South African] team, had his last experience of public cricket before his untimely death at Matjesfontein, thought highly of the side and expressed the opinion that if they could always command Llewellyn’s services they would have been a good match for any of the counties … . Marriage