Lives in Cricket No 51 - Rev ES Carter

Gentlemen of Yorkshire 66 in 1887 in a match against the Royal Engineers at the Chatham Lines, he scored two and 69 and between those innings took six for 126 in 34 overs whilst the Engineers scored over 400. One doubts if they could have been 34 overs of fast bowling. The lobs were probably well in evidence. He went from Chatham to Blackheath to captain a Clergy eleven of Old Blues against an MCC eleven in a charity match to benefit clergy schools. By 1888 and 1889 reports on Yorkshire Gentlemen matches in which Carter played start to diminish in York and Yorkshire papers. He may in these years have become a more occasional cricketer. He did however turn out for I Zingari who were doing a Yorkshire tour and he was their wicketkeeper when they played Sand Hutton at Sand Hutton Hall outside York. In another tournament, the Earl of Meath Challenge Cup, in 1889, he captained the St Michael-le-Belfry team to victory in the final against Castleford Parish Church. He scored 72 out of 186 for St Michael, and then with his lob bowling ‘severely punishing his opponents’ taking eight wickets as they were bowled out for 23. Following on Castleford were out again for 25 – without a wicket recorded to Carter – but perhaps he did not then bowl. Opening the batting for St Michaels church was one F.Mitchell bowled for nought. Was this Frank Mitchell, then in his last year at St Peter’s School, later to play for Yorkshire, England and South Africa? F.Mitchell was in the Yorkshire Gentlemen’s side alongside Carter the following year when the team played Old Reptonians. Maybe Carter was instrumental in pushing his cause as he had done with Martin Hawke. In 1890 the most significant match report for him arose from a match between York Revellers for who Carter played and Heworth Revellers. Heworth is a district of York. In the Heworth second innings Carter made five stumpings off the bowling of J.T.Wisker. Five stumpings off one bowler in any form of cricket has to be a matter of note, and in this case three of the stumpings came off consecutive balls being a hat-trick. Carter later recalled that the bowler, Wisker, was a medium left-hander and had a good break from leg. He was not the regular wicketkeeper or captain of Yorkshire Gentlemen during his time. Those positions were often held by