Charles Frederick Lyttelton
Encyclopedia
Charles Frederick Lyttelton (26 January 1887 - 3 October 1931) was an English
cricketer
, who played 31 first-class
games for Cambridge University
, Worcestershire
and MCC
in the early twentieth century. He was educated at Eton College
, and was also a clergyman.
Born in Marylebone
, London
, Lyttelton appeared in a minor match in August 1906 when he played at Stoke Edith
playing for a team of the same name against "Gentlemen of the Netherlands" and took three wickets including that of Carst Posthuma
. Two weeks later he made his first-class debut for Worcestershire against Gloucestershire
, though he bowled only a single over (which cost ten runs) and managed 6 and 13 with the bat.
His maiden first-class wicket, that of Jack Sharp
, had to wait until his next game, for Cambridge against Lancashire
in May 1907. Lyttelton had a very good match, taking 2-26 and 5-33 (his best innings performance) as well as scoring 25 not out
from number eleven. Cambridge recorded a crushing win by an innings and 204 runs, which remains their second highest margin of victory.
1908 was Lyttelton's most productive season, as in ten matches (all but one for Cambridge; the other was for Worcestershire) he took a total of 47 wickets, including 5-75 against Sussex
. He won his blue
that year too, his five wickets in the Varsity Match
proving important as Cambridge beat Oxford
by the narrow margin of two wickets
. He also played against Oxford the following year (though he took no wickets), and played five times for Worcestershire, although he never claimed more than three wickets in an innings that summer.
Lyttelton played his last three first-class matches in 1910: two for Worcestershire and his one and only appearance for MCC, a badly rain-affected game against his old university in which he neither batted nor bowled. For his county he took three wickets in each of the two matches he played, with his final first-class wicket being that of Hampshire
's Alexander Johnston
. In this, his final game, Lyttelton captained Worcestershire for the only time in his career.
A very large number of Lyttelton's relations played cricket to a high standard: his grandfather, father, brother, five uncles and a nephew all made at least one first-class appearance, with one of those uncles, Alfred Lyttelton
, playing four Test matches
for England
in the 1880s. Two of his brothers-in-law were also first-class cricketers. Details of these relations can be found at the Cricinfo
and CricketArchive
links given below.
Lyttelton died in Paddington
, London, at the age of only 44.
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...
cricketer
Cricketer
A cricketer is a person who plays the sport of cricket. Official and long-established cricket publications prefer the traditional word "cricketer" over the rarely used term "cricket player"....
, who played 31 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...
games for Cambridge University
Cambridge University Cricket Club
Cambridge University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team. It now plays all but one of its first-class cricket matches as part of the Cambridge University Centre of Cricketing Excellence , which includes Anglia Ruskin University...
, Worcestershire
Worcestershire County Cricket Club
Worcestershire 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 Worcestershire...
and MCC
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
in the early twentieth century. He was educated at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, and was also a clergyman.
Born in Marylebone
Marylebone
Marylebone is an affluent inner-city area of central London, located within the City of Westminster. It is sometimes written as St. Marylebone or Mary-le-bone....
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Lyttelton appeared in a minor match in August 1906 when he played at Stoke Edith
Stoke Edith
Stoke Edith is a village in the English county of Herefordshire, situated on a road leading from Hereford to Ledbury. The manor belonged formerly to the Wallwynes, Milwaters and Lingen families....
playing for a team of the same name against "Gentlemen of the Netherlands" and took three wickets including that of Carst Posthuma
Carst Posthuma
Carst Posthuma was a Dutch cricket player of the late 19th/early 20th century. He was a left-handed batsman and left-arm fast bowler....
. Two weeks later he made his first-class debut for Worcestershire against Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club
Gloucestershire 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 Gloucestershire. Its limited overs team is called the Gloucestershire Gladiators....
, though he bowled only a single over (which cost ten runs) and managed 6 and 13 with the bat.
His maiden first-class wicket, that of Jack Sharp
Jack Sharp
John "Jack" Sharp was an English sportsman of outstanding talent who is most famous for his 9 year playing career at Everton F.C...
, had to wait until his next game, for Cambridge 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 May 1907. Lyttelton had a very good match, taking 2-26 and 5-33 (his best innings performance) as well as scoring 25 not out
Not out
In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress...
from number eleven. Cambridge recorded a crushing win by an innings and 204 runs, which remains their second highest margin of victory.
1908 was Lyttelton's most productive season, as in ten matches (all but one for Cambridge; the other was for Worcestershire) he took a total of 47 wickets, including 5-75 against Sussex
Sussex County Cricket Club
Sussex County Cricket Club is the oldest of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Sussex. The club was founded as a successor to Brighton Cricket Club which was a representative of the county of Sussex as a...
. He won his blue
University Sporting Blue
A Blue is an award earned by sportsmen and women at a university and some schools for competition at the highest level. The awarding of Blues began at Oxford and Cambridge Universities...
that year too, his five wickets in the Varsity Match
Varsity match
A varsity match is a sporting fixture between two university rivals; in its original and most common form, it is used to describe meetings between Oxford University and Cambridge University.-Popular British and Irish Varsity matches:*University of Oxford v...
proving important as Cambridge beat Oxford
Oxford University Cricket Club
Oxford University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team, representing the University of Oxford. It plays its home games at the University Parks in Oxford, England...
by the narrow margin of two wickets
The result in cricket
The result in a game of cricket may be a win for one of the two teams playing, a draw or a tie. In the case of a limited overs game, the game can also end with no result...
. He also played against Oxford the following year (though he took no wickets), and played five times for Worcestershire, although he never claimed more than three wickets in an innings that summer.
Lyttelton played his last three first-class matches in 1910: two for Worcestershire and his one and only appearance for MCC, a badly rain-affected game against his old university in which he neither batted nor bowled. For his county he took three wickets in each of the two matches he played, with his final first-class wicket being that of Hampshire
Hampshire County Cricket Club
Hampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it...
's Alexander Johnston
Alexander Johnston (cricketer)
Brigadier General Alexander Colin Johnston DSO & Bar, MC was an English cricketer and British Army officer. Johnston was a right-handed batsman who was a leg break bowler. Johnston also occasionally played as a wicketkeeper....
. In this, his final game, Lyttelton captained Worcestershire for the only time in his career.
A very large number of Lyttelton's relations played cricket to a high standard: his grandfather, father, brother, five uncles and a nephew all made at least one first-class appearance, with one of those uncles, Alfred Lyttelton
Alfred Lyttelton
Alfred Lyttelton QC was a British politician and sportsman who excelled at both football and cricket. During his time at university he participated in Varsity Matches in five sports: cricket , football , athletics , rackets and real tennis , displaying an ability that made him...
, playing four Test matches
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...
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...
in the 1880s. Two of his brothers-in-law were also first-class cricketers. Details of these relations can be found at the Cricinfo
Cricinfo
ESPNcricinfo is believed to be the largest cricket-related website on the World Wide Web. Content includes news,articles, live scorecards,live text commentary and a comprehensive and searchable database called 'StatsGuru', of historical matches and players from the 18th century to the present...
and CricketArchive
CricketArchive
CricketArchive is a website that aims to provide a comprehensive archive of records relating to the sport of cricket. It claims to be the most comprehensive cricket database on the internet, including scorecards for all matches of first-class cricket , List A cricket , Women's Test cricket and...
links given below.
Lyttelton died in Paddington
Paddington
Paddington is a district within the City of Westminster, in central London, England. Formerly a metropolitan borough, it was integrated with Westminster and Greater London in 1965...
, London, at the age of only 44.
External links
- Statistical summary from CricketArchiveCricketArchiveCricketArchive is a website that aims to provide a comprehensive archive of records relating to the sport of cricket. It claims to be the most comprehensive cricket database on the internet, including scorecards for all matches of first-class cricket , List A cricket , Women's Test cricket and...