Lives in Cricket No 39 - Alec Watson

44 of Barlow and Nash, although McIntyre, having taken his benefit against Gloucestershire at Old Trafford, had effectively left the scene. As Wisden noted, Watson’s bowling average was only slightly above that of 1880; and the Almanack also noted his batting success, for he scored 302 runs at an average of 21.71. That was his best for any year, except 1893, when he had only two completed innings. Watson also took 19 catches in 1881, so all round it was a great year for Watson and Lancashire. Lillywhite agreed, but Shaw did not take him to Australia. 1882 was a very busy year for Watson with 21 first-class appearances, as Lancashire added Somerset to their fixture list. Once again that season opened at Lord’s against MCC, with Watson starting with 45.3-17-70-6. Against Derbyshire, Alec had another five wickets in an innings (39-22-28-5), in addition to 29 in his one turn with the bat. The 1882 Australians were the next visitors to Old Trafford; Watson again doing quite well with the bat, but achieving little with the ball. However, he had another ‘five-for’ against Kent (35-22-24-5) and then the same at Derby (21-11-30- 5). There was a similar performance against Nottinghamshire (28-18-23-5), with whom most observers, including Wisden and Lillywhite , bracketed Lancashire as county champions for 1882. In Ephraim Lockwood’s benefit match at Sheffield Alec had six Yorkshire wickets in an innings (43.2-25-32-6), with another five in an innings against Gloucestershire (51-34-44-5). Then Alec again faced the Australians, turning out for Liverpool and District, the latter being taken to encompass Lancashire as a whole. However, Watson once more bowled comparatively little. At the end of a quiet southern tour for Watson, he was involved in a controversy at The Oval, not so much about his own bowling action as about Crossland’s. The home crowd expressed vociferous disapproval, and later jostled the bowler. Watson actually bowled only one ball in the match, as Surrey’s relationship with Lancashire began to go sour; they had already objected to Lancashire’s umpire at Manchester. In the immediately following match, against Middlesex, Watson did not bowl; perhaps he ended the season injured. After his fine season in 1881 Watson was relatively less successful in 1882. His batting average declined and he took only 13 catches, despite playing in more matches. This latter factor enabled him to take more wickets (77), but at a slightly higher average of 12.89, with seven five-wicket hauls. His record in the two matches against the Australians was modest, and it is hardly surprising The anni mirabiles