Harry Higgins
Encyclopedia
Harry Leslie Higgins was an English
cricketer
who played 98 first-class
matches in the 1920s. All but one of these were for Worcestershire
; the exception was a Gentlemen v Players
game in 1922 in which bad weather meant that Higgins (playing for the Gentlemen) did not get to bat. He stood in as Worcestershire captain for one game in 1923, and acted as wicket-keeper
for a single match — in which he scored 99 — in 1921.
Higgins made his debut for Worcestershire against Somerset
at Taunton in June 1920; he made 0 and 33 in a heavy innings defeat. He played a further 10 games for Worcestershire that season, but Higgins' only half-century during the year was the 64 not out
he hit against Sussex
at Worcester
in July: a game in which only 80 overs were possible. The other nine games in which Higgins played were all lost by one of the weakest of all Worcestershire sides; these defeats included the innings-and-340-run demolition by Warwickshire
that remains Worcestershire's heaviest first-class defeat.
He was a regular in the county side in 1921 and 1922, and in both years he made over 1,000 first-class runs. In 1921 he hit a career-best 1,182 runs at 28.82
, including two centuries. The higher of these, 133 against Essex
at Leyton
, came in a somewhat unusual match. Essex, batting first, had been dismissed for 90 (Preece
taking a career-best 7-35) but had nevertheless run out easy winners thanks to the all-round
talents of Johnny Douglas
, who made 123*
and took 14 wickets.
Higgins's career best of 137* was made in May 1922 at New Road against Lancashire
, but again Worcestershire lost, this time by an innings.
In 1923 and 1924, Higgins appeared in 15 matches each season, but suffered a severe loss of form, scoring only 728 runs in 55 innings, and with just a single fifty each year. After that he never played regularly again, although he turned out on a handful of occasions from 1925 until his final retirement in 1927. His last game was against Warwickshire at Worcester: in a drawn match, Higgins scored 11 in his only innings.
Higgins was born in Bournville
(then in Warwickshire
, now Birmingham
); he died at the age of 85 in Malvern
, Worcestershire
.
His older brother John
played more than 100 times for Worcestershire, and umpired
one Test match
.
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 98 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...
matches in the 1920s. All but one of these were for 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...
; the exception was a Gentlemen v Players
Gentlemen v Players
The Gentlemen v Players game was a first-class cricket match that was generally played on an annual basis between one team consisting of amateurs and one of professionals . The first two games took place in 1806 but the fixture was not revived until 1819. It was more or less annual thereafter...
game in 1922 in which bad weather meant that Higgins (playing for the Gentlemen) did not get to bat. He stood in as Worcestershire captain for one game in 1923, and acted as wicket-keeper
Wicket-keeper
The wicket-keeper in the sport of cricket is the player on the fielding side who stands behind the wicket or stumps being guarded by the batsman currently on strike...
for a single match — in which he scored 99 — in 1921.
Higgins made his debut for Worcestershire 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...
at Taunton in June 1920; he made 0 and 33 in a heavy innings defeat. He played a further 10 games for Worcestershire that season, but Higgins' only half-century during the year was the 64 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...
he hit 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...
at Worcester
New Road, Worcester
New Road, Worcester, England, has been the home cricket ground of Worcestershire County Cricket Club since 1896. Immediately to the northwest is a road called New Road, part of the A44, hence the name.- Overview :...
in July: a game in which only 80 overs were possible. The other nine games in which Higgins played were all lost by one of the weakest of all Worcestershire sides; these defeats included the innings-and-340-run demolition by 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...
that remains Worcestershire's heaviest first-class defeat.
He was a regular in the county side in 1921 and 1922, and in both years he made over 1,000 first-class runs. In 1921 he hit a career-best 1,182 runs at 28.82
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 :...
, including two centuries. The higher of these, 133 against Essex
Essex County Cricket Club
Essex 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 Essex. Its limited overs team is called the Essex Eagles, their team colours this season are blue.The club plays most of its home games...
at Leyton
Leyton Cricket Ground
Leyton Cricket Ground is a cricket ground in Leyton, London.-Cricket ground:...
, came in a somewhat unusual match. Essex, batting first, had been dismissed for 90 (Preece
Charles Preece
Charles Richard Preece was an English cricketer, who played 88 first-class games for Worcestershire in the 1920s. He also made one appearance for HK Foster's XI in 1919....
taking a career-best 7-35) but had nevertheless run out easy winners thanks to the all-round
All-rounder
An all-rounder is a cricketer who regularly performs well at both batting and bowling. Although all bowlers must bat and quite a few batsmen do bowl occasionally, most players are skilled in only one of the two disciplines and are considered specialists...
talents of Johnny Douglas
Johnny Douglas
John "Johnny" William Henry Tyler Douglas was a cricketer who was captain of the England team and an Olympic boxer.-Early life:...
, who made 123*
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...
and took 14 wickets.
Higgins's career best of 137* was made in May 1922 at New Road 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...
, but again Worcestershire lost, this time by an innings.
In 1923 and 1924, Higgins appeared in 15 matches each season, but suffered a severe loss of form, scoring only 728 runs in 55 innings, and with just a single fifty each year. After that he never played regularly again, although he turned out on a handful of occasions from 1925 until his final retirement in 1927. His last game was against Warwickshire at Worcester: in a drawn match, Higgins scored 11 in his only innings.
Higgins was born in Bournville
Bournville
Bournville is a model village on the south side of Birmingham, England, best known for its connections with the Cadbury family and chocolate – including a dark chocolate bar branded "Bournville". It is also a ward within the council constituency of Selly Oak and home to the Bournville Centre...
(then in Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, now Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
); he died at the age of 85 in Malvern
Malvern, Worcestershire
Malvern is a town and civil parish in Worcestershire, England, governed by Malvern Town Council. As of the 2001 census it has a population of 28,749, and includes the historical settlement and commercial centre of Great Malvern on the steep eastern flank of the Malvern Hills, and the former...
, Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
.
His older brother John
John Higgins (cricketer)
John Bernard Higgins was an English cricketer and umpire. As a player, he made 121 first-class appearances between 1912 and 1930, having earlier played in the Minor Counties Championship for Staffordshire...
played more than 100 times for Worcestershire, and umpired
Umpire (cricket)
In cricket, an umpire is a person who has the authority to make judgements on the cricket field, according to the Laws of Cricket...
one 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...
.
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...