Lives in Cricket No 34 - Frank Mitchell

19 Chapter Three Cricket in Sussex, 1891-93 The employment calling that Mitchell chose was that of a schoolmaster. No doubt on a recommendation, he went for a single term in the autumn of 1890 to the grammar school at Upton-on-Severn near to Malvern. Either he or his headmaster must have lost enthusiasm for teaching at that school, for the following January (1891) he was at Greyfriars School, 54 and 56 Brunswick Place, Hove where the headmaster was Mr Frank Pollock. The school was in existence from about 1890 to 1903, and is described in title deeds as a Gentlemen’s Boarding School. Mitchell remained there for nearly three years before going to Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge, in late 1893. Sussex was a fine sporting county and Mitchell made the most of his opportunities. Within a month of his arrival his old school magazine, The Peterite , records that he turned out in rugby for Sussex County against Hampshire on 5 February 1891 though in what position and with what success is not recorded. The Sussex Rugby Football Union was formed in 1883 and the Sussex team played in the Rugby County Championship, a competition started in 1889 that they have yet to win. By November 1891 Mitchell was playing for Sussex as a half back. At that time the half backs played to the left and right of the scrum, and not as today in scrum half and fly half positions. In addition to rugby, Mitchell enjoyed football. He was never the fastest of runners, so through height, weight and agility soon became a goalkeeper for the Brighton team and later for Sussex. Pelham Warner wrote in 1935 that when Mitchell later did go to university he could have played in the Cambridge Football team, but for his unwillingness to take the place of a player whose only sport was football. This book must, however, concentrate on Mitchell’s cricket, though with references to his later success in Varsity and international rugby. In April 1891 Mitchell joined the membership of Sussex CCC by paying a subscription of two guineas. For playing purposes he would have had a choice from several score of clubs. Many of the clubs played at Queen’s Park and Preston Park, but the Brighton Cricket Club which had no regular fixture list were able to play on the County Ground at Hove when that was available. Perhaps it suited Mitchell not to be called upon to play every week for he would have had sporting obligations at his school to fulfil. The first mention of Mitchell by the Sussex Daily News is in their report of the match on 2 June 1891 between Brighton College and Brighton Cricket Club on the College ground. The Club made 227 and Mitchell coming in at No. 5 ‘ played well’ for his 28. He then took five for 16 as the College were