Minor Counties Championship 1914

remains the most expensive ten-wicket haul in the Championship and possibly the only one recorded in an innings defeat. Morris had little success with his right-handed batting, scoring just 1068 runs at an average of 10.57, but did make three scores in excess of 50. His highest score was an innings of 60 made against Yorkshire 2nd XI in 1906 when acting as a night-watchman but his most notable innings was probably against Northumberland in 1908 when he and James Bewick put on 110 for the tenth wicket and failed by just seven runs to claim first-innings points; Morris’ share was an unbeaten 53. He took 49 catches. He represented the County against the South Africans in 1907, the Gentlemen of Philadelphia in 1908, the Indians in 1911, and the Australians in 1912. He took 6-87 against the Indians and 6-96 against the Australians. Morris played in two first-class matches, both in 1912. Turning out first for the Minor Counties against the South Africans in a match ruined by rain, he took all three wickets lost by the tourists for the cost of just five runs. Then, playing for an England XI against the Australians, he took 4-50 and 3-25 to leave him with a first-class career of 10 wickets for just 80 runs. A final appearance for the Minor Counties against the MCC in 1914 is best forgotten. Before World War One Morris was a professional for Burnmoor, Sunderland, and Hendon whilst, after the War he turned out in the Bradford Leagues for Undercliffe, Low Moor, Bradford, Pudsey St Lawrence, Windhill, and East Brierley (his last club, which he represented in 1929). He died in Morecambe. Sir C E M Y Nepean – Berkshire 1896-1914 (born 24 March 1867; died 1 January 1953) Sir Charles Evan Molyneux Yorke Nepean played 125 Championship matches for Berkshire scoring 3,778 runs at an average of 19.78. He made 13 fifties for the county with a top score of 75 against Hertfordshire at Reading in 1897. His total of 165 catches is a record for the Championship in the pre-World War One period. Nepean was captain of Berkshire from 1903 until 1914 and only missed 1 match for the county during this long period. Berkshire were usually to be found in the lower reaches of the Championship table but in 1910 they finished top of the South and West Division. They were easily beaten by Norfolk in the play-off match with Nepean top scoring with 40 in Berkshire’s first innings. The following season Berkshire again won their Division under Nepean’s captaincy but this time they lost the play-off match to Surrey 2nd XI by 5 wickets. Educated at Winchester, Nepean was in their 1st XI in 1885. His club cricket was played for the Royal Berkshire Regiment in whose service he gained the rank of Captain and Honorary Major. He was registered as C E Nepean at birth and became 5th Baron Nepean in 1903. He was born in Horncastle, Lincolnshire and died in Uplyme, Lyme Regis, Dorset. W Penfold – Suffolk 1905-14 (born 24 April 1877; died 22 July 1938) William Penfold played 66 Championship matches for Suffolk scoring 1,317 runs at an average of 12.78 and taking 375 wickets at a cost of 16.86 runs each. With Tots Trudgett he was the mainstay of the Suffolk bowling before the First World War. He was a slow left-arm bowler and his best bowling in an innings was 7 for 20 against Lincolnshire at Ipswich in 1910. In the seasons 1913 and 1914 he took 58 and 52 wickets respectively. His club cricket was played for the Bury and West Suffolk Club where he was a professional. After the war he was appointed cricket coach at Charterhouse and remained there until two years before he died. He was a scratch golfer and was proficient at billiards. He maintained his connections with Suffolk coming to stay with friends in Bury St Edmunds in order to attend some of the Newmarket race meetings. He was born at Walton-on-the-Hill, Surrey and died at Earlswood in Surrey. 19