Lives in Cricket No 39 - Alec Watson

79 Gentlemen and Players match at Lord’s [Pardon does not mention which ones] – Shaw and Shrewsbury were careful not to take to Australia any bowler whose action could be questioned.’ So it is to that factor that we now turn our attention. Up to the end of Watson’s great season in 1886 five English Test playing sides had gone to Australia, while Australia had played a total of eight Test matches in England. Whether Watson really did enough to be included in any of the England teams selected is a moot point. He was performing well enough for Lancashire, with a bowling average generally about twelve or so per wicket taken; and, while he had unsuccessful spells, he was usually a consistent wicket-taker. However, as perhaps could be expected, he had less success against stronger sides, such as Surrey and Nottinghamshire. Also, he played in twelve matches in all against the various visiting Australian sides, when his bowling average was above 19 runs per wicket taken. Likewise in his two outings for the Players his average was about the same. Therefore there must be a suspicion that Watson was not wholly effective at the highest level, though there is the ‘Catch 22’ situation where he was not given enough opportunities at that level to gain by experience. Even so, it is perhaps surprising that he was not given a chance with England, particularly under Hornby or Steel’s captaincy, or when there was a Test was at Old Trafford. Yet, with the likes of Shaw, Morley, Peate, Barnes and Ulyett being available, there was no compelling reason to select Watson. Moreover, by the time that Test matches were becoming relatively common occurrences, Watson was approaching and into his forties. While there have, of course, been older Test players, his selection might have seemed a retrograde step. Perhaps more light is cast on feelings about Watson by his seldom being selected for ‘representative’ matches in general, and for the Players against the Gentlemen in particular. He was chosen for only two Players’ sides, and these relatively early in his career: against the Gentlemen at Lord’s in 1877, and against the Australians at The Oval in the following year. In the former match he had a five- wickets-in-an-innings haul (49-22-60-5), but did little in the latter. Quite apart from the Players versus Gentlemen match at Lord’s, the same opponents would generally meet at The Oval each year and possibly also at other grounds. Moreover, Players’ sides would be raised to face various other opponents such as MCC and the Australians. For Watson to be selected for only two of these matches is indeed surprising. Chucker?