Lives in Cricket No 39 - Alec Watson

42 The anni mirabiles Though Watson did well enough in this ‘representative’ match, he perhaps passed up on a chance to impress, particularly when the Australians were in England. He redeemed himself at Derby when he took seven wickets for 27 in the home side’s first innings, and 10 in the match. His county season ended with a tour of Lancashire’s three southern opponents, but Watson’s haul was moderate; he did not even bowl against the three Graces, in what was Fred Grace’s last county match before his death. Alec’s last match of the season was in the relative obscurity of Ferham Park, Rotherham, where represented the North against the United South of England XI, and took the chance of another ‘five-for’ (13-6-8-5). While Watson and co were busy in Rotherham, England and Australia were playing their inaugural Test Match in England, at The Oval. Though Watson had a good season in 1880, it would have been difficult for him to have got into the England side that was selected. However, later in the season the Australians also twice faced the Players of England. At the Crystal Palace the Players had a strong eleven, but at Bradford it was less so, and Watson might have been expected to be in contention for a place. Somewhat bizarrely Scores and Biographies reports that also in 1880 Watson turned out for Preston Garrison against Rossall School under a nom de guerre so that ‘the boys might not be intimidated’. Such subterfuges, for various reasons, were not unknown in nineteenth century cricket, though it must be doubtful if Watson fooled too many people on that occasion. Be that as it may, Watson had done well enough in his outings in 1880. His batting average had risen to 11.75, and he took 88 wickets; certainly a recovery after the slight ‘blip’ in the previous year. Eight times he took five wickets in an innings, and thrice ten in a match. Indeed he headed Lancashire’s bowling, despite the presence of bowlers like Nash, Crossland and Briggs, none of them strangers to some kind of controversy or another. Wisden noted Watson’s improvement, and congratulated Nash, but without any comment on Nash’s bowling action, or indeed that of anyone else. In 1881, after the opener against MCC, Watson began his season in earnest against Nottinghamshire, scoring an undefeated 28 in his only innings, and taking five for 23 and six for 63. This was followed by seven wickets for 37 from 42.2 overs with 23 maidens as Kent were humbled. The next match represented two new departures: a match against Cambridge University, and the first Lancashire match at Liverpool CC’s new ground at Aigburth on the then outskirts of that city. It was also Lancashire’s only defeat