Minor Counties Championship 1914

India at Jesmond in 1911 when the county won by 1 wicket. Educated at King’s School, Canterbury, he became a civil engineer, specialising in railway construction. He had his own business in Newcastle. At the time of his death though, he was the Admiralty Inspector of Shipbuilding in Belfast, where he died suddenly of pneumonia. His body was transferred home and he is buried in All Saints Cemetery, Jesmond, “at his own request near the boundary wall of Northumberland CCC, within a few yards of his favoured bowling end.” His brother Alan played 2 matches for Northumberland in 1921. W C Smith – Oxfordshire 1897, Surrey 2nd XI 1900-1914 (born 4 October 1877; died 15 July 1946) William Charles Smith, known affectionately as ‘Razor’ owing to his extreme thinness, was born at Oxford. A professional at Christ Church and then the City club, he played two unremarkable matches for Oxfordshire in the Championship, scoring 40 runs at an average of 10.00 and failing to take a wicket. Appointed professional at the Crystal Palace Club, he became part of the London County Club under the management of Dr W G Grace. Grace recommended him to Surrey for whom he took 5 for 50 on debut against Derbyshire in May 1900. Smith bowled off- breaks with a remarkable amount of “cut” on the ball; he also got many lbw decisions with a slightly faster ball that swung away. He made his debut for the Surrey 2nd XI in June and went on to play 43 matches in the Minor Counties Championship, appearing only occasionally after 1904. He took 217 wickets at an average of 13.98 with a career best of 8- 43 against Wiltshire at Swindon in 1903. His best season was in 1901 when he took 63 wickets at an average of 11.15. A lower order batsman, he scored 717 runs at an average of 15.25 boosted by an extraordinary innings of 201 in 130 minutes against Buckinghamshire at Park Lane, Reigate in 1908. His physique, a weak heart, and a mistaken belief that he only prospered on wet wickets somewhat restricted his appearances for the 1st XI. However, in the winter of 1910 he started his long association with Stuart Surridge, the bat-makers when a fortnight’s tree-felling so improved his condition that he played in all but one of Surrey’s matches the next summer. In all matches in 1910 he took 247 wickets at an average of 13.05, earning him a place in the Player’s team at Lord’s where he took 5 for 18 in the Gentlemen’s first innings. He played 229 first-class matches for Surrey, and 245 in all taking 1,077 wickets at an average of 17.55 with a career best of 9 for 31 against Hampshire in 1904. He made 3,453 runs at an average of 12.69 with one century, 126, on tour for the MCC against Barbados in 1913, the equal second highest first-class score by a number eleven batsman. Having coached at Surrey from 1926 to 1928, he died at Bermondsey, London in 1946. W A Spring – Surrey 2nd XI 1903-1914 (born 17 May 1880; died 14 March 1958) William Amos Spring, known as ‘Mossy’, was born at Dulwich, Surrey. An attacking right-hand middle order batsman and right-arm fast medium pace bowler, he played 55 Minor Counties Championship matches for Surrey 2nd XI, making 2,208 runs with five centuries at an average of 28.30 with a highest score of 180 not out against Suffolk at the Oval in 1912. He took 124 wickets at an average of 16.86 with best figures of 7 for 57 against Hertfordshire at Bishop’s Stortford in 1910, his best season. He played 68 matches for the 1st XI, scoring 1,968 runs at an average of 21.16, highest 135, and taking 71 wickets at an average of 29.47 with best 21 With thanks to David Frith from 'Pageant of Cricket'