Lives in Cricket No 39 - Alec Watson

52 Nottinghamshire, though the latter were crushed. However, in another key match, away to Sussex, Alec played very well in Lancashire’s victory with an innings of 23, and analyses of 58.2- 40-53-6 and 76-40-73-5. Yet another key match was Lancashire’s last first-class county match of the season, at home to Yorkshire. Though Watson performed well with the bat, scoring 10 and 35, his team-mates did not, and they lost by an innings; which effectively put an end to their chance of being recognised as champions, Surrey gaining that distinction. Despite that disappointment Watson had another fine season. His batting recovered somewhat to an average of 13.85, which may be considered reasonable, given that he now batted towards the bottom of the order. He also took 19 catches. His bowling again earned him a total of one hundred wickets, at an average of 14.82. That was more than three runs per wicket higher than in 1886, but it still placed him fourth in the national averages, where Lohmann had 154 wickets and Watson’s team-mate Briggs had 114. These The anni mirabiles Drawing of part of Old Trafford, showing ‘Cricket Cottage’, the home of Alec Watson when he was groundsman there. [The Cricket Field. 18/8/1892]