George Freeman (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
George Freeman was an English
first-class cricket
er. He made thirty two appearance for Yorkshire County Cricket Club
from 1865 to 1880. He also played four matches of first-class cricket for the "United England Eleven" (1866-1869), three games for the "North of England" (1867-1869), four for the "United North of England Eleven" (1870) plus one for the "Players" (1871).
, Yorkshire
, England
, Freeman was a right-arm, round arm, fast bowler, who took 288 wicket
s in all first-class cricket
at an average of 9.84. His best analysis of 8 for 11 came against Lancashire
in a Roses Match
. He took five wickets in an inning
s 32 times, and ten wickets in a match ten times. He conceded 1.66 runs per over, and had a strike rate of 35.47, which translates into a wicket every six overs.
Among his notable bowling spells are 6 for 44 against an "All England Eleven", 5 for 36 against Cambridgeshire
, 5 for 14 against Kent
, 6 for 26 against the MCC
, 7 for 29 against Middlesex
, 7 for 30 against Nottinghamshire
, 8 for 43 against R Daft's XI, 7 for 45 against the "South of England", plus 8 for 29 against Surrey
. He appeared in a non first-class game for a "Miscellaneous All England Eleven" against 22 of Ireland in 1869, when he took 4 for 19 and 6 for 5, to register 10 for 25 in the match.
He also scored 918 runs at 13.70, with a top score of 53 for Yorkshire against Surrey and, over the course of career, also took twenty catches. His other half centuries came against Lancashire and the "United South of England Eleven".
Under the pseudonym "Old Ebor", Alfred Pullin
(1860-1934) interviewed eighteen former cricketers for the Yorkshire Evening Post
during the winter of 1897/98. After publication in the paper, they were gathered together for a book called Talks With Old Yorkshire Cricketers. Each player interviewed nominated George Freeman as the greatest bowler they had ever seen. W. G. Grace
, not interviewed in the book, all but agreed with their judgment, dubbing him the finest fast bowler he had ever played.
Freeman was not one of those featured as he had died in November 1895, in Sowerby Grange, near Thirsk
aged 52. Pullin was forced to rely on the testimonies of team-mates and friends for his portrait. Pullin was the rugby and cricket correspondent for the Yorkshire Post, and one of the rare people included in Wisdens 'Births and Deaths of Cricketers' who had never played first-class cricket.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
first-class cricket
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...
er. He made thirty two appearance for Yorkshire County Cricket Club
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....
from 1865 to 1880. He also played four matches of first-class cricket for the "United England Eleven" (1866-1869), three games for the "North of England" (1867-1869), four for the "United North of England Eleven" (1870) plus one for the "Players" (1871).
Life and career
Born in BoroughbridgeBoroughbridge
Boroughbridge is a small town and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated northwest of York. Until its bypass was built, it was on the main A1 road from London to Edinburgh...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, England
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...
, Freeman was a right-arm, round arm, fast bowler, who took 288 wicket
Wicket
In the sport of cricket the word wicket has several distinct meanings:-Definitions of wicket:Most of the time, the wicket is one of the two sets of three stumps and two bails at either end of the pitch...
s in all first-class cricket
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...
at an average of 9.84. His best analysis of 8 for 11 came 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 a Roses Match
Roses Match
The Roses Match refers to any game of cricket played between Yorkshire County Cricket Club and Lancashire County Cricket Club. Yorkshire's emblem is the white rose, while Lancashire's is the red rose. The associations go back to the Wars of the Roses in the 15th century...
. He took five wickets in an inning
Inning
Inning is a municipality in the district of Erding in Bavaria in Germany....
s 32 times, and ten wickets in a match ten times. He conceded 1.66 runs per over, and had a strike rate of 35.47, which translates into a wicket every six overs.
Among his notable bowling spells are 6 for 44 against an "All England Eleven", 5 for 36 against Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire County Cricket Club
Cambridgeshire County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Cambridgeshire and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy.The club is based at The Avenue...
, 5 for 14 against Kent
Kent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
, 6 for 26 against the 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...
, 7 for 29 against Middlesex
Middlesex County Cricket Club
Middlesex 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 Middlesex. It was announced in February 2009 that Middlesex changed their limited overs name from the Middlesex Crusaders, to the...
, 7 for 30 against Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club
Nottinghamshire 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 Nottinghamshire, and the current county champions. Its limited overs team is called the Nottinghamshire Outlaws...
, 8 for 43 against R Daft's XI, 7 for 45 against the "South of England", plus 8 for 29 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...
. He appeared in a non first-class game for a "Miscellaneous All England Eleven" against 22 of Ireland in 1869, when he took 4 for 19 and 6 for 5, to register 10 for 25 in the match.
He also scored 918 runs at 13.70, with a top score of 53 for Yorkshire against Surrey and, over the course of career, also took twenty catches. His other half centuries came against Lancashire and the "United South of England Eleven".
Under the pseudonym "Old Ebor", Alfred Pullin
Alfred Pullin
Alfred William Pullin, known by the pseudonym Old Ebor , was a British sports journalist who wrote about rugby union and cricket. He wrote mainly for British newspapers the Yorkshire Post and the Yorkshire Evening Post...
(1860-1934) interviewed eighteen former cricketers for the Yorkshire Evening Post
Yorkshire Evening Post
The Yorkshire Evening Post is a daily evening publication published by Yorkshire Post Newspapers Ltd in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
during the winter of 1897/98. After publication in the paper, they were gathered together for a book called Talks With Old Yorkshire Cricketers. Each player interviewed nominated George Freeman as the greatest bowler they had ever seen. W. G. Grace
W. G. Grace
William Gilbert Grace, MRCS, LRCP was an English amateur cricketer who is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest players of all time, having a special significance in terms of his importance to the development of the sport...
, not interviewed in the book, all but agreed with their judgment, dubbing him the finest fast bowler he had ever played.
Freeman was not one of those featured as he had died in November 1895, in Sowerby Grange, near Thirsk
Thirsk
Thirsk is a small market town and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. The local travel links are located a mile from the town centre to Thirsk railway station and to Durham Tees Valley Airport...
aged 52. Pullin was forced to rely on the testimonies of team-mates and friends for his portrait. Pullin was the rugby and cricket correspondent for the Yorkshire Post, and one of the rare people included in Wisdens 'Births and Deaths of Cricketers' who had never played first-class cricket.