Lives in Cricket No 50 - Tom Emmett

40 The Great All-rounder (1872-1877) against Nottinghamshire, before he and Ulyett bowled superbly to dismiss their opponents for 77, both taking seven wickets in a 188-run victory. In Yorkshire’s second innings, Emmett came in at number six with the game still in the balance, but he and Lockwood (90) hit the ball around the ground, ‘the spectators, who were evidently highly elated at the prowess of the Yorkshiremen, applauding everything that was done.’ As the season drew to an end, Emmett continued to put in match winning performances. At Scarborough against Middlesex (in a match organised by Lord Londesborough) he returned figures of 32-21-21-6 and 74-36-89-6. All of Emmett’s wickets in the first innings were bowled, each hitting off stump, and Middlesex were all out for 60. R.D.Walker considered Emmett was at his fastest, and suffered a terrible blow to his shin-bone, which – wisely - led him to wear pads in the second innings. 33 Emmett was then again on a hat-trick as Middlesex were reduced to 47-5, but a late order improvement and rain ended the chance of a result. Over the season, Hill’s bowling average was around the same as Emmett’s at just over 10, but the latter easily took the most wickets for the county. After such success, the 1875 season started with high expectations, which generally were not met. Hill – who had been injured for much of 1874 - was now considered ‘the fastest bowler of the day’, and he, Emmett and Ulyett promised to make Yorkshire hard to beat. In mid-May, the side started its season with the first of a number of games with odds, taking on 22 of Hallam and District. Emmett and Hill were too good for the local side, which scored only 47. The former took 10-22 and the latter 11-23, playing ‘sad havoc’ with the opposition. In the second innings, Emmett took a A Yorkshire XI 1875. Emmett is at the front on the left. (Mick Pope)