Lives in Cricket No 50 - Tom Emmett

102 then have changed. During the summer of 1896, Emmett went to Wales with the Rugby Ramblers side. At Llandudno, he made 40 and took four wickets, and he also took five wickets against Bryn-y-Neuadd, and four against Llanrwst. For the Rugby School Servants Cricket Club he made 57, opening the batting at the end of August. At the end of year, he was the main guest at an annual dinner of Yorkshiremen resident in Coventry and district, and received an enthusiastic reception on rising to respond to a speech in his honour. A report noted that ‘His words were few but to the point like the teasers after sending down an occasional wide.’ In April 1897, he began a new role coaching young professionals at Leicestershire. Later in the year, this became a permanent post as coach to the Leicestershire county side. The county AGM was told that he had been brought in at ‘considerable expense’, and that eight ground professionals had also been engaged. Emmett continued to play some cricket himself, for example, in August 1897, appearing for Worksop against Rotherham in the Hallamshire League. Emmett moved to Aylestone Park, Leicester to be near a Leicestershire county club that was small and struggling, holding its current ground only on terms renewed year by year by liquidators. The local Corporation had declined to extend the time for consideration of the terms upon which they were prepared to lease the property to the club. The young players showed considerable improvement during the summer and the committee added to the ground staff by engaging a number of young cricketers. Emmett’s appointment was seen as a success, and he himself was reported as saying that he was ‘hopeful of the new material that will be at his disposal.’ One of his favourites was Harry Whitehead, who went on to appear for Leicestershire between 1898 and 1922. There was no doubt that there was a lot to do at Leicester and one observer remarked to Emmett in June 1898 that ‘he had got five years’ hard work before him to train up a strong team’. The Yorkshire Evening Post suggested that Emmett ‘does not seem at all down-hearted at the prospect. He had quite as much uphill work when he went to Rugby, though some of the latter-day authorities there do not seem to have appreciated his labours.’ Many thought he was up to the job and he was called ‘one of the best coaches in England’. He even had the pleasure of one final appearance in a first-class match – albeit briefly – when on 6 July 1898 he fielded as a substitute for Middlesex’s Sir T.C.O’Brien when he was late for the game with Leicestershire. Around this time, Emmett also had the pleasure of meeting up with the current Yorkshire team when they played Leicestershire. The Yorkshire Evening Post reported that ‘Tom is looking well, and is as genuine a wag as ever. When complimented on his appearance he remarked: ‘I ought to look well: I live on fresh air with a little suction.’ In May 1898, a testimonial was discussed in Rugby in recognition of his services to cricket in general and, in particular, in his eight years in the town, and by June, there were more than 150 subscribers. Later in 1898, an The later years (1889-1904)