Lives in Cricket No 5 - Rockley Wilson

tricks,” he said. 30 Rockley Wilson was not only an exponent of the art of slow bowling, he had the knack of bringing out the best in any other slow bowler in his side. To sum up his final season for Cambridge, Rockley had a rather patchy summer with the bat but was very effective with the ball. Despite the boost of his century against MCC, he averaged only 19.94 from 20 innings. Although Dowson took more wickets, Wilson topped the bowling averages with 54 wickets at a more economical return of 16.51. Aside from the statistics, Rockley Wilson could relish the fact that he and his brother Clem achieved the then unprecedented feat of appearing for Cambridge in eight successive seasons, Clem from 1895 until 1898 and Rockley from 1899 until 1902, of both captaining the side in his final year – though only in Rockley’s case to victory – and of both recording centuries against Oxford. Between them, the brothers captured thirty one Oxford wickets at Lord’s. Each brother had graduated in the academic year before the year of his captaincy and it might be wondered on what grounds they were permitted to continue to appear for the University, let alone to captain the side. In years gone by some men had played for their University for several years after graduating and this led to pressure to clarify the rules on eligibility. Various proposals and rules were put forward, until in 1865 the matter was settled by the adoption of the following qualification rule: “That a man whose name is on the College books be qualified to play in the annual match between Oxford and Cambridge for the four consecutive years dating from the beginning of his first term of residence and those years only.” The four year rule allowed graduates who had “gone down”, but were not fully engaged in employment, to play for a fourth year though not in residence at the University. The rule also equalised the position between Oxford and Cambridge, as some Oxford students needed four years to graduate. 31 Hence Rockley Wilson was able to continue to play for Cambridge, and to captain the side, after he had graduated and left college. Rockley Wilson’s season of first-class cricket had not finished with the end of the University year. There were several matches still to be played in the County Championship and Rockley was selected After Graduation 39 30 G.Chesterton and H.Doggart, Oxford and Cambridge Cricket , Willow Books, 1989, p.132. 31 A History of the Cambridge University Cricket Club, 1820-1901 , op.cit., pp.14-15.