Herbert Hopkins
Encyclopedia
Herbert Oxley Hopkins was an Australia
n-born English
cricketer
who played 85 first-class
matches between the wars
. The bulk of these games were for Worcestershire
and Oxford University
, though he also appeared once for Harlequins
. In minor cricket, he played for both Federated Malay States and Straits Settlements,
where he was working as a doctor.
Hopkins was educated at St Peter's College
in Adelaide
before going to Oxford. He made his first-class debut for the university against Free Foresters at The University Parks in June 1921. He scored 7 and 32 in a game which ended in a Free Foresters win despite an innings of 202 from Oxford captain Romilly Holdsworth.
After three more university games Hopkins played the rest of the summer for Worcestershire, though his only substantial score was an unbeaten
60 against Lancashire
in August.
During 1922 and 1923, Hopkins divided his playing time between his university and his county. In June 1922, in a 15-run win for Oxford over the Army
at Oxford, he scored what was to remain his career-best innings of 142*,
though he made only one other half-century that season.
In early July 1923 he hit 100* for Oxford against MCC
at Lord's
,
and won his Blue
when he appeared in the Varsity Match at the same venue a few days later, making 42 in a crushing innings-and-227-run triumph over Cambridge University
.
He ended 1923 with 729 first-class runs at 27.00
, by some way his highest season's aggregate.
That marked the end of Hopkins' university cricket career, but he continued to appear, albeit somewhat irregularly, for Worcestershire over the next four seasons. In late June 1924, he scored 137 in a losing cause against Nottinghamshire
at Trent Bridge
, and in the same match picked up three of the only four wickets he ever took: those of John Gunn
, Len Richmond and Fred Barratt
.
(His other wicket, claimed earlier that same summer, had been that of Glamorgan
's Jack Mercer
.)
Hopkins scored just one more century — 122 against his old university in 1925
— although he got a start in a large number of innings without pushing on to fifties or hundreds.
After the 1927 season, Hopkins ceased to play English cricket because of his work as a doctor in the Malay States, although he played minor cricket for Straits Settlements as late as 1938, by which time he was well into his forties.
The exception was 1931, when he turned out nine times for Worcestershire in the County Championship
during a period of leave.
Hopkins acted once as wicket-keeper
, for Worcestershire against Gloucestershire
at Clifton College in 1921.
His uncle, Bert Hopkins, played 20 Tests
for Australia; while another uncle, Cyril Hopkins, had nine games for Otago.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n-born English
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 85 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 between the wars
Between the Wars
Between the Wars is the thirteenth studio album by Al Stewart, recorded with Laurence Juber. Its major theme is of the period 1918 to 1939 - "Between the Wars"...
. The bulk of these games 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...
and Oxford University
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...
, though he also appeared once for Harlequins
Harlequins cricket team
The Harlequins Cricket Club is a wandering cricket club formed in 1852 by fellows of Merton College, Oxford. The club is made up exclusively of current and former Oxford University first-class cricketers and according to the rules of the club only a maximum of twenty members can be resident at the...
. In minor cricket, he played for both Federated Malay States and Straits Settlements,
where he was working as a doctor.
Hopkins was educated at St Peter's College
St Peter's College, Adelaide
St Peter's College, , is an independent boy's school in the South Australian capital of Adelaide...
in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
before going to Oxford. He made his first-class debut for the university against Free Foresters at The University Parks in June 1921. He scored 7 and 32 in a game which ended in a Free Foresters win despite an innings of 202 from Oxford captain Romilly Holdsworth.
After three more university games Hopkins played the rest of the summer for Worcestershire, though his only substantial score was an unbeaten
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...
60 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 August.
During 1922 and 1923, Hopkins divided his playing time between his university and his county. In June 1922, in a 15-run win for Oxford over the Army
Army cricket team
There have been several Army cricket teams to have played first-class cricket:*British Army cricket team*Indian Army cricket team*New Zealand Army cricket team*South Africa Army cricket team *Sri Lanka Army Sports Club cricket team...
at Oxford, he scored what was to remain his career-best innings of 142*,
though he made only one other half-century that season.
In early July 1923 he hit 100* for Oxford against 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...
at Lord's
Lord's Cricket Ground
Lord's Cricket Ground is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board , the European Cricket Council and, until August 2005, the...
,
and 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...
when he appeared in the Varsity Match at the same venue a few days later, making 42 in a crushing innings-and-227-run triumph over 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...
.
He ended 1923 with 729 first-class runs at 27.00
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 :...
, by some way his highest season's aggregate.
That marked the end of Hopkins' university cricket career, but he continued to appear, albeit somewhat irregularly, for Worcestershire over the next four seasons. In late June 1924, he scored 137 in a losing cause 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...
at Trent Bridge
Trent Bridge
Trent Bridge is a Test, One-day international and County cricket ground located in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, England and is also the headquarters of Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club. As well as International cricket and Nottinghamshire's home games, the ground has hosted the Finals Day of...
, and in the same match picked up three of the only four wickets he ever took: those of John Gunn
John Gunn (cricketer)
John Richmond Gunn was an English cricketer who played in six Tests from 1901 to 1905....
, Len Richmond and Fred Barratt
Fred Barratt
Fred Barratt played first-class cricket for Nottinghamshire from 1914 to 1931 and represented England in five Test matches, one in the home series against South Africa in 1929 and four on the inaugural Test series against New Zealand in the 1929-30 season.From a mining background,...
.
(His other wicket, claimed earlier that same summer, had been that of Glamorgan
Glamorgan County Cricket Club
Glamorgan 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 Glamorgan aka Glamorganshire . Glamorgan CCC is the only Welsh first-class cricket club. Glamorgan CCC have won the English County...
's Jack Mercer
Jack Mercer (cricketer)
John "Jack" Mercer was the main bowler for Glamorgan in their early years in the County Championship. He bowled medium pace and could swing the ball both ways, whilst when wickets were affected by rain he was able to get on a good deal of off-break...
.)
Hopkins scored just one more century — 122 against his old university in 1925
— although he got a start in a large number of innings without pushing on to fifties or hundreds.
After the 1927 season, Hopkins ceased to play English cricket because of his work as a doctor in the Malay States, although he played minor cricket for Straits Settlements as late as 1938, by which time he was well into his forties.
The exception was 1931, when he turned out nine times for Worcestershire in the County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
during a period of leave.
Hopkins acted once 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 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....
at Clifton College in 1921.
His uncle, Bert Hopkins, played 20 Tests
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 Australia; while another uncle, Cyril Hopkins, had nine games for Otago.
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...