Lives in Cricket No 5 - Rockley Wilson

was asked to keep the runs down and began with 14 consecutive maidens. After 27 overs only two singles had been taken off him, one from a misfield, and he ended with the extraordinary figures of seven for 12 off 36 overs of which 28 were maidens. And this was a man of 48 years. For the Butterflies at Charterhouse on a scorching day in 1928, he bowled unchanged for 28 overs of which 14 were maidens and took seven for 29. Although fame always sat lightly on Rockley’s shoulders, he could be annoyed if his reputation appeared to be besmirched. During I Zingari’s innings in a match against Aldershot Command, Rockley took exception to some disparaging remarks about his batting by an opponent, a Minor Counties player, who did not recognise his pedigree. When this man’s time came to bat, Rockley teased him for half an hour with a succession of perfectly flighted, good length balls pitched just outside the off stump which the batsman frequently played at without getting an edge. When a team-mate commiserated on the bowler’s bad luck, Rockley retorted “Bad luck, bad luck. Keep the little bastard there another half hour. Make him look a fool. Make him look a fool.” Rockley Wilson could never tolerate what he considered boorish or unseemly behaviour on the field of play. One trembles to think what his reaction would be to the sledging, excessive appealing and over-the-top celebrations of the fall of a wicket that are such features of modern day cricket. He only appealed himself if he was confident that a batsman was out. It is recounted that he immediately followed up one appeal with “Not out, very sorry, nowhere near, nowhere near.” The wicketkeeper judged that the ball could not have pitched more than half an inch off the wicket. Occasionally in the later years of his cricketing life, Rockley produced a memorable performance with the bat. In 1935, for instance, he scored a century in a match at Fosseway, another favourite venue of his, for Myles Kenyon’s XI, and 50 for the Green Jackets against Eton at Lord’s. 94 In 1933 Rockley Wilson made his final appearance for MCC, against the Gentlemen of Ireland in a two-day match at Lord’s, at the age of 54 years. He took six for 49 off 23.2 overs in Ireland’s first innings, another remarkable feat of bowling and stamina. But it was off the field that his presence was mainly felt at cricket’s headquarters. Rockley was regularly consulted by MCC for advice. 102 Later Years 94 This material on club appearances is from R.L.Arrowsmith, E.R.Wilson: Part II, Cricket Quarterly , Vol. 6, 1968, pp.6-7, supplemented by David Wilson’s papers.