Lives in Cricket No 50 - Tom Emmett

83 ‘Owd Evergreen’ 1884-1888 ‘cricket picture of the season.’ Despite these triumphs, stories spread in Sheffield in November 1884 that Yorkshire had decided not to re-engage Emmett for the following season. Reports appeared in a number of papers, but the Sheffield Independent commented ‘It is most sincerely to be hoped that the rumour has no foundations in fact, as Emmett is still worth half a dozen new men.’ Athletic News was even more strident on the subject, urging committee members to speak up and let supporters know whether there was any truth in the ‘ugly rumour’. It warned that ‘old Tom has more friends than you are aware of, and his relegation to the list of ‘outs’ would prove a serious matter to you, as neither Yorkshire nor any other shire can thus easily discard the services of the best bowler of the year.’ The story did prove ill-founded, although it seems that there were some grounds for thinking the committee had considered the option. In fact, Emmett remained in demand. In February 1885, it was reported that he was one of five Yorkshire bowlers engaged at Cambridge University for pre-season coaching, and he was also selected to play in Lord Sheffield’s side to oppose Alfred Shaw’s side when they returned from Australia. Over the winter, by his own admission, Emmett put on weight and worked hard to get it off, but once the 1885 season was under way, this time against Derbyshire, ‘Emmett, like Peate, bowled in his best form’, to win the game. In June, he and Fred Lee batted well against Nottinghamshire, Emmett scoring 57, including opening his shoulders and hitting Gunn powerfully to the boundary. In the opposition’s second innings, Emmett ‘was never seen to better advantage, and considering the batting power against him, his six wickets for 74 must be classed as one of the biggest performance of the season.’ Against Gloucestershire, Emmett was applauded as he went out to the wicket and was then dropped by W.G.Grace. To celebrate this let off, he hit a ball from Nicholls so hard that he broke his bat in half to much amusement amongst the crowd and players. He was dropped four times during the innings. Emmett’s popularity as an entertainer was also seen in July 1885 when correspondents to the Sheffield press called for a collection for Grimshaw and Lee to be extended to Emmett, after the Nottinghamshire game, which Yorkshire won by an innings and 28 runs. According to one report, ‘Tom Emmett jumped over the wickets and danced a fandango and threw his hat up in the air’ such was the pleasure at beating the mighty Nottinghamshire. Years later, Athletic News also reminded its readers that Emmett had gone ‘publicly mad with delight’ on that occasion. At the end of the month, he played in Belfast with an All-England Eleven against Eighteen of the North of Ireland – essentially a Yorkshire side with two amateurs who wanted to remain incognito. The local paper enthused about Emmett, commenting that ‘No more sterling cricketer and thorough good fellow in every respect than “Tom” ever wielded bat or trundled ball. Since the retirement of Richard Daft he has been the veteran of professional cricket circles in the North.’ Overall, Emmett had yet another good season, one paper remarking that he ‘stands the wear and tear of time in a most remarkable