Lives in Cricket No 50 - Tom Emmett

34 A man in demand (1867-1871) with Emmett, Freeman and Clayton never playing together in the same side. Nevertheless, in place of Freeman, Hill had stepped in and made a favourable impression, going on to become one of the best fast bowlers in England for the next 10 years. 24 The remarkable partnership of Emmett and Freeman had thus effectively came to an end. In 1869, Freeman moved to Thirsk, where he was part of a rapidly expanding partnership – Boulton and Freeman – working as an appraiser and auctioneer. In 1870, he established a fortnightly stock sale at Thirsk, which became a weekly event and the best breeders and feeders of stock in the district sent regular supplies. Increasingly, it became impossible for Freeman to combine his auctioneering and cricket. Later he told Rev.R.S.Holmes that he had seen early on that cricket was a poor source of income, so he was always looking for another opening. In 1869, a business became available, requiring payment of £40 a year for seven years. He was persuaded by friends to risk it and, since he was well known in the area, he thought he could make a go of it. Between 1867 and 1872, but primarily in the three seasons of 1868, 1869 and 1870, Freeman and Emmett were a remarkably effective bowling partnership. Looking back at the time of Emmett’s benefit in 1878, the Morning Post , reflected that the partnership was distinctive because ‘both bowled at top speed’, in contrast to the variety usual in other pairings. Tony Woodhouse described them as ‘the first all-conquering pair of fast bowlers in the county’, while Derek West wrote that: Their celebrated association, probably the most lethal in England for a few years, was short-lived...[but while] they flourished in unison, each provided the perfect complement to the other, either sharing the wickets between them or one in the ascendant while his partner supplied a deadly support from his own end. 25 Their figures are remarkable. They bowled together for Yorkshire on just 26 occasions but took a total of 366 wickets in those games, or an average of 14 per game. In only five of these 26 matches did one or other of them not take five wickets or more in an innings. Such bowling exploits did not guarantee success, but when they bowled together Yorkshire won 18 of the 26 games. After a period of chaos on and off the field, the partnership between Emmett and Freeman was a major reason why Yorkshire emerged from the 1860s with credibility and a strong reputation. Emmett had helped to give Yorkshire cricket stability, and a number of celebrated victories.