Lives in Cricket No 51 - Rev ES Carter

Ealing 38 batsman for nought, and he then bowled No’s four, five and six, for nought (this presumably being the moment when he acquired his entitlement to a white hat, and he bowled number nine for two, and number 11 for nought. One batsman was run out (was he facing Carter at the time, or not anxious to get down to the batting end?) another was absent (perhaps wisely) and the other bowler took the remaining wicket. Unusually the analysis for Carter was appended to the newspaper report – and in this form – ‘3 wide balls, 0 no balls, 2 runs, 7 wickets, 7.2 overs, 6 maiden overs, 37 balls bowled’. It is tricky to equate the overs bowled with balls bowled, but never mind. This must have raised some excitement on the Ealing ground, and when again later when Meteors were to lose by an innings, Carter having made 59 and taken another five wickets, again all bowled. Two of the Meteors team were now absent. Twelve wickets for Carter was some feat. The next match against Ealing’s now most prominent opponents was drawn though Carter opening the bowling took the first six Uxbridge wickets, and later opened the batting for Ealing scoring 33, ‘made, as usual, principally by cuts’. This last press comment is at odds with earlier comments in the same paper a season or two back that Carter’s runs came mainly from straight driving! Three weeks later in earlyAugust another regular fixture against Willesden was played. “Mr Carter put together 42 runs in good style” out of a team total of 102. Then he had a bowl “which was simply terrific and at times quite unplayable. In eight overs all of which were maidens he secured nine of his opponents’ wickets, a feat we believe without a parallel.” Willesden were all out for 18, eight of which were extras. There was it seems no suggestion of Willesden (or Ealing) having another innings. In high summer the lovely ground became all too soon deserted. The next match, on Bank Holiday Monday, was played out between the married and single men of the Ealing Club, and Carter’s ‘boss’ the Reverend Joseph Hilliard was one of those who played. Four married clergymen turned out for their side but once again Carter dominated. “Play was carried on throughout the day with the greatest enthusiasm - the rank and fashion of the neighbourhood being