Lives in Cricket No 5 - Rockley Wilson

G.L.Jessop, but he was not included in the Cambridge side for the opening first-class match of the season against A.J.Webbe’s XI. Yet this match was to be the occasion for Rockley Wilson’s first-class debut. Of the visitors’ party of twelve, two, F.G.J.Ford and C.P.Foley, 20 were unable to play on the day, and Rockley was asked to appear as a “make-up” (substitute) against his own University. Although A.J.Webbe’s XI included such celebrated players as K.S.Ranjitsinhji, J.T.Hearne and F.W.Tate, it was weakened in the course of the first day initially when Webbe dropped out at the luncheon interval, to be replaced by John Daniell, a second year Cambridge undergraduate; and then when Hylton Philipson, the wicketkeeper, was injured and replaced by W.P.Robertson, a Cambridge freshman also, like Rockley Wilson, playing his first first-class match. Nonetheless, Cambridge’s victory by an innings and 62 runs was a notable one. T.L.Taylor, who had a wonderful career at Uppingham School where he was a contemporary of C.E.M.Wilson, scored 90 and Gilbert Jessop, the captain, 60 in Cambridge’s 464. A.J.Webbe’s XI made 224 in their first innings: Wilson, batting at No.3, scored 117 not out, despite being up until 3 am the night before playing poker, and Ranji only 17. Overnight rain made the wicket treacherous for the final day. Dismissed for a duck, Ranji remarked “Filthy wicket. No one will get 20 on it.” 21 Not to be disheartened, Wilson, opening the innings this time, scored 70 out of A.J.Webbe’s team’s 178 which Wisden described as “a remarkable effort.” Five days later Wilson made his debut for the University against Yorkshire, also at Fenner’s. 22 This time the visitors won by an innings. Gilbert Jessop, in explosive form, scored 171 not out out of Cambridge’s first innings of 246. Rockley Wilson was next top scorer with 24. In reply, Yorkshire amassed 429 with centuries from Jack Brown and F.S.Jackson. Wilson took three for 103 off 34 overs. His victims in a marathon spell of economical bowling were Jackson, George Hirst and Wilfred Rhodes, a celebrated trio indeed. In the second innings Cambridge totalled 100 of which Wilson scored 12. Despite this heavy defeat, Rockley Wilson could take considerable satisfaction from the two matches in which, 24 School and University 20 Foley played instead for MCC against Lancashire at Lord’s. 21 W.F.Ford, A History of the Cambridge University Cricket Club: 1820-1921 , Wm. Blackwood, 1902, p.147. 22 He replaced A.E.Fernie, who had played in the match against Webbe’s side. Fernie was a slow left-arm bowler who played 21 matches for Cambridge over four seasons, winning Blues in 1897 and 1900. He also played Minor Counties cricket for Staffordshire and Berkshire.