Arnold Townsend
Encyclopedia
Arnold Frederick Townsend (29 March 1912 — 27 February 1994) was an English
cricket
er who played for Derbyshire
from 1934 to 1950.
, Derbyshire
. He played his debut game for Derbyshire against Leicestershire
in August 1934, which was his only game in the 1934 season
when he scored 7 and 0. He played six games in the 1935 season
without distinction, often being denied the chance to play a second innings and during Derbyshire's Championship-winning 1936 season
he played only twice. He appeared in three games in the 1937 season
but in the 1938 season
came to the fore playing more matches and hitting two half-centuries. In the 1939 season
he played a fuller season and made his top score of 142 not out against Somerset
.
Townsend went to South Africa during the war and played one first-class match against a team of South Africans, playing for an Air Force XI. He played for a Derbyshire team in 1945 and when the championship restarted in the 1946 season
he became a first-choice batsman. Against Warwickshire
, he scored 105 against the economical, penetrating bowling of Test player Eric Hollies
. During in the 1947 season
, Townsend scored 137 against Yorkshire
and 102 against Surrey
and managed eight half-centuries, and was the most successful Derbyshire batsman during the season. In the 1948 season
, he scored 102 not out against Lancashire
. In the 1949 season
he sustained an eye injury when fielding at short leg and this seriously affected his ability to focus. As a result he played fewer games in 1949 and in 1950
played only twice before ending his first class career. In his last three years he was also playing for Derbyshire second XI in the minor counties competition.
Townsend was a right-handed batsman and played 200 innings in 117 first class matches with an average of 23.13 and a top score of 142 not out. He bowled 11 overs without taking a wicket. Wisden described him as "the epitome of [Derbyshire's] patient watchful batting".
Townsend died in Derby
at the age of 81. His brother, Leslie Townsend
, was a four-time England Test player, and they played in the same Derbyshire team for six seasons prior to the outbreak of the Second World War.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er who played for Derbyshire
Derbyshire County Cricket Club
Derbyshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the England and Wales domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Derbyshire...
from 1934 to 1950.
Career
Townsend was born in Long EatonLong Eaton
Long Eaton is a town in Derbyshire, England. It lies just north of the River Trent about southwest of Nottingham and is part of the Nottingham Urban Area...
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
. He played his debut game for Derbyshire against Leicestershire
Leicestershire County Cricket Club
Leicestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Leicestershire. It has also been representative of the county of Rutland....
in August 1934, which was his only game in the 1934 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1934
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1934 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for sixty-three years. It was their thirty-sixth season in the County Championship and they won ten matches in the County Championship, to finish third.-1934 season:Derbyshire played...
when he scored 7 and 0. He played six games in the 1935 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1935
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club' in 1935 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire were runners up in the County Championship for the first time, as a prelude to winning the Championship in the 1936 season. They had been playing for sixty four years and it was their thirty-seventh...
without distinction, often being denied the chance to play a second innings and during Derbyshire's Championship-winning 1936 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1936
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1936 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire won the County Championship for the first and only time. They had been playing for sixty five years and it was their thirty-eighth season in the County Championship....
he played only twice. He appeared in three games in the 1937 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1937
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1937 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for sixty six years. It was their thirty-ninth season in the County Championship and they came third after winning the Championship in 1936....
but in the 1938 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1938
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1938 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for sixty seven years. It was their fortieth season in the County Championship and they came fifth.-1938 season:...
came to the fore playing more matches and hitting two half-centuries. In the 1939 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1939
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1939 was the last cricket season before World War II, when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for sixty-eight years...
he played a fuller season and made his top score of 142 not out against Somerset
Somerset County Cricket Club
Somerset County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Somerset...
.
Townsend went to South Africa during the war and played one first-class match against a team of South Africans, playing for an Air Force XI. He played for a Derbyshire team in 1945 and when the championship restarted in the 1946 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1946
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1946 represents the first cricket season after a six year break from first class cricket during World War II. The English club Derbyshire had been playing for seventy five years...
he became a first-choice batsman. Against Warwickshire
Warwickshire County Cricket Club
Warwickshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Warwickshire. Its limited overs team is called the Warwickshire Bears. Their kit colours are black and gold and the shirt sponsor...
, he scored 105 against the economical, penetrating bowling of Test player Eric Hollies
Eric Hollies
William Eric Hollies was an English cricketer, who is mainly remembered for taking the wicket of Donald Bradman for a duck in Bradman's final Test match innings, in which only four was needed for a Test average of 100...
. During in the 1947 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1947
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1947 represents the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for seventy-six years. It was their forty-third season in the County Championship and they won twelve matches and lost ten to finish fifth in the County Championship.-1947...
, Townsend scored 137 against Yorkshire
Yorkshire County Cricket Club
Yorkshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Yorkshire as one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure....
and 102 against Surrey
Surrey County Cricket Club
Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions...
and managed eight half-centuries, and was the most successful Derbyshire batsman during the season. In the 1948 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1948
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1948 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for seventy-seven years. It was their forty-fourth season in the County Championship and they won eleven matches to finish sixth in the County Championship.-1948 season:Derbyshire...
, he scored 102 not out against Lancashire
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
. In the 1949 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1949
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1949 represents the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for seventy-eight years. It was their forty-fifth season in the County Championship and they won six matches in the County Championship to finish in fifteenth place.-1949...
he sustained an eye injury when fielding at short leg and this seriously affected his ability to focus. As a result he played fewer games in 1949 and in 1950
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1950
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1950 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for seventy-nine years. It was their forty-sixth season in the County Championship and they won eight matches in the County Championship to finish in fifth place.-1950...
played only twice before ending his first class career. In his last three years he was also playing for Derbyshire second XI in the minor counties competition.
Townsend was a right-handed batsman and played 200 innings in 117 first class matches with an average of 23.13 and a top score of 142 not out. He bowled 11 overs without taking a wicket. Wisden described him as "the epitome of [Derbyshire's] patient watchful batting".
Townsend died in Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
at the age of 81. His brother, Leslie Townsend
Leslie Townsend
Leslie Fletcher Townsend was an English cricketer who played for England between 1929 and 1934, for Derbyshire between 1922 and 1939 and also for Auckland New Zealand between 1934 and 1936....
, was a four-time England Test player, and they played in the same Derbyshire team for six seasons prior to the outbreak of the Second World War.