Bill Brockwell
Encyclopedia
William Brockwell was an English
cricket
er. Although primarily remembered as a batsman, he began his career as a fast-medium bowler. With George Lohmann
, Tom Richardson
and William Lockwood
carrying all before them, Brockwell had few opportunities until they declined. However, from 1897 onwards, he was a very useful bowler and took 105 wickets in the 1899 season when Richardson was out of form and Lockwood never fully fit. Even in 1902, he took six for 37 on an excellent pitch in the last match of the season against Warwickshire.
Born in Kingston upon Thames
, Surrey
, Brockwell played his county cricket
for the very strong Surrey
side of the last years of the 19th century. He made his first-class
debut against Derbyshire
in 1886. He played only occasionally up to 1890, but established himself in 1891 and 1892, when Surrey were at the height of their powers as a county side. However, it was not until 1893 that Brockwell became a vital member of the Surrey eleven, when he took 51 wickets at the same cost as the incomparable Richardson and, despite often going in late, proving to be one of the most consistent batsmen. In the very wet 1894 season, Brockwell, despite the consistently treacherous pitches, made a remarkable advance. He scored more runs (1,491) than any other player, and hit five centuries, and consequently was named as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year. He declined a great deal in 1895, but from the following year up to 1899, formed a formidable batting trio with Bobby Abel
and Tom Hayward
that made Surrey invincible on the perfect Oval
pitches.
Brockwell played seven Test match
es for England
, all against Australia
- one in 1893, five on the 1894/95 tour and a final match in 1899 - but was not a success at this level and averaged
under 17 with a highest score of just 49. He played on for Surrey until 1903, but from 1900 his powers as a batsman declined severely and after two final first-class matches for London County
he retired from cricket.
Brockwell's retirement was not a happy one, and he died in poverty at Richmond, Surrey.
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. Although primarily remembered as a batsman, he began his career as a fast-medium bowler. With George Lohmann
George Lohmann
George Alfred Lohmann is regarded as one of the greatest bowlers of all time...
, Tom Richardson
Tom Richardson
Tom Richardson was an English cricketer. A fast bowler, Richardson relied to a great extent on the break-back , a relatively long run-up and high arm which allowed him to gain sharp lift on fast pitches even from the full, straight length he always bowled...
and William Lockwood
William Lockwood
William 'Bill' Lockwood William 'Bill' Lockwood William 'Bill' Lockwood (William Henry Lockwood; born 25 March 1868, Radford, Nottingham; died 26 April 1932, Radford, Nottingham was a fast bowler and the unpredictable, occasionally devastating counterpart to the amazingly hard-working Tom...
carrying all before them, Brockwell had few opportunities until they declined. However, from 1897 onwards, he was a very useful bowler and took 105 wickets in the 1899 season when Richardson was out of form and Lockwood never fully fit. Even in 1902, he took six for 37 on an excellent pitch in the last match of the season against Warwickshire.
Born in Kingston upon Thames
Kingston upon Thames
Kingston upon Thames is the principal settlement of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in southwest London. It was the ancient market town where Saxon kings were crowned and is now a suburb situated south west of Charing Cross. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, Brockwell played his county cricket
County cricket
County cricket is the highest level of domestic cricket in England and Wales. For the 2010 season, see 2010 English cricket season.-First-class counties:...
for the very strong 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...
side of the last years of the 19th century. He made his first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
debut against 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...
in 1886. He played only occasionally up to 1890, but established himself in 1891 and 1892, when Surrey were at the height of their powers as a county side. However, it was not until 1893 that Brockwell became a vital member of the Surrey eleven, when he took 51 wickets at the same cost as the incomparable Richardson and, despite often going in late, proving to be one of the most consistent batsmen. In the very wet 1894 season, Brockwell, despite the consistently treacherous pitches, made a remarkable advance. He scored more runs (1,491) than any other player, and hit five centuries, and consequently was named as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year. He declined a great deal in 1895, but from the following year up to 1899, formed a formidable batting trio with Bobby Abel
Bobby Abel
Robert Abel , nicknamed "The Guv'nor", was a Surrey and England opening batsman who was one of the most prolific run-getters in the early years of the County Championship...
and Tom Hayward
Tom Hayward
Thomas Walter Hayward was a cricketer who played for Surrey and England between the 1890s and the outbreak of World War I. He was primarily an opening batsman, noted especially for the quality of his off-drive...
that made Surrey invincible on the perfect Oval
The Oval
The Kia Oval, still commonly referred to by its original name of The Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth. In the past it was also sometimes called the Kennington Oval...
pitches.
Brockwell played seven Test match
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
es for England
English cricket team
The England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end...
, all against Australia
Australian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
- one in 1893, five on the 1894/95 tour and a final match in 1899 - but was not a success at this level and averaged
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
under 17 with a highest score of just 49. He played on for Surrey until 1903, but from 1900 his powers as a batsman declined severely and after two final first-class matches for London County
London County Cricket Club
London County Cricket Club was a short-lived cricket club founded by the Crystal Palace Company. In 1898 they invited WG Grace to help them form a first-class cricket club. Grace accepted the offer and became the club's secretary, manager and captain. As a result, he severed his connection with...
he retired from cricket.
Brockwell's retirement was not a happy one, and he died in poverty at Richmond, Surrey.