Ted Alletson
Encyclopedia
Edwin Boaler Alletson, (March 6, 1884 in Welbeck
– July 5, 1963 in Worksop
), played English county cricket
for Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club
during the early years of the 20th Century. He was predominantly selected by Nottinghamshire as a right-handed batsman and a not-very-successful fast bowler and, with one exception, his career was unspectacular. Over the 179 innings
of his career, he passed 50 runs only 14 times, and converted just one of those 50s to a century
.
Alletson secured his place in cricket history with one record-breaking innings played against Sussex County Cricket Club
in May 1911. The innings rescued the game for Nottinghamshire and became known as Alletson's Innings. He never repeated this success and his career ended three years later, aged 30, when cricket was suspended at the onset of World War I
. He died in 1963, aged 79.
. Nottinghamshire were facing defeat when Alletson, a tailender, came out to bat at number nine in the order
, with the score 185-7. The eighth wicket fell at 258 and the ninth soon followed, leaving Nottinghamshire 260-9 and facing imminent defeat.
The teams came in for the lunch interval, and Alletson asked his captain for advice on how to play after the resumption. On being told "I don't think it matters what you do.", Alletson replied "Then I'm not half going to give Killick
[a Sussex bowler] some stick.".
Alletson was known for being a "blocker", but after lunch, he did indeed give both Killick, and the other Sussex bowlers "some stick". In a remarkable spell of sustained hitting, Alletson broke the world record
for runs scored off a single over, by hitting Killick for 34.
His hitting was venomous, one of his shots smashing the pavilion
clock, and another "destroying" the pavilion bar
.Team-mates later revealed that as the innings developed, Killick was frightened to bowl at Alletson, in case Alletson clouted the ball back towards him, on his way to a career-best 189.
Alletson was dismissed amid speculation followed that the fielder who caught him was actually over the boundary rope. According to the Laws of cricket
, this should have meant six runs to the batsman, rather than his dismissal. Alletson had saved the match for his side - it ended in a draw, with Sussex, who needed 237 to win, making 213 for 8.
Alletson was rewarded for his achievement by the then Duke of Portland
, who awarded him a gold watch. It was later revealed that Alletson played this explosive innings despite an injured wrist.
Alletson's 34 in an over was a new world record for first-class cricket
, a record that lasted 57 years until broken by Sir Garry Sobers.
Welbeck
Welbeck is a village in Nottinghamshire, England, slightly to the south-west of Worksop.Welbeck became a coal-mining centre in 1912 and has a famous stately home, Welbeck Abbey, home of the Dukes of Portland, and which was founded in the twelfth century as a monastery.Among the famous people from...
– July 5, 1963 in Worksop
Worksop
Worksop is the largest town in the Bassetlaw district of Nottinghamshire, England on the River Ryton at the northern edge of Sherwood Forest. It is about east-south-east of the City of Sheffield and its population is estimated to be 39,800...
), played English 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 Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club
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...
during the early years of the 20th Century. He was predominantly selected by Nottinghamshire as a right-handed batsman and a not-very-successful fast bowler and, with one exception, his career was unspectacular. Over the 179 innings
Innings
An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably cricket and baseball during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. In cricket, the term innings is both singular and plural and is...
of his career, he passed 50 runs only 14 times, and converted just one of those 50s to a century
Century (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a batsman reaches his century when he scores 100 or more runs in a single innings. The term is also included in "century partnership" which occurs when two batsmen add 100 runs to the team total when they are batting together. A century is regarded as a landmark score for...
.
Alletson secured his place in cricket history with one record-breaking innings played against Sussex County Cricket Club
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...
in May 1911. The innings rescued the game for Nottinghamshire and became known as Alletson's Innings. He never repeated this success and his career ended three years later, aged 30, when cricket was suspended at the onset of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He died in 1963, aged 79.
Alletson's Innings
On Saturday, May 20, 1911, Alletson's Nottinghamshire were playing Sussex at HoveCounty Cricket Ground, Hove
The County Cricket Ground, also known as the Probiz County Ground for sponsorship reasons, is a cricket venue in Hove, England. It is home to Sussex County Cricket Club. It is one of the few county grounds to have deckchairs for spectators - which are in the colours of Sussex CCC - blue and white....
. Nottinghamshire were facing defeat when Alletson, a tailender, came out to bat at number nine in the order
Batting order (cricket)
In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time...
, with the score 185-7. The eighth wicket fell at 258 and the ninth soon followed, leaving Nottinghamshire 260-9 and facing imminent defeat.
The teams came in for the lunch interval, and Alletson asked his captain for advice on how to play after the resumption. On being told "I don't think it matters what you do.", Alletson replied "Then I'm not half going to give Killick
Tom Killick
Edgar Thomas Killick was an English cricketer who played in two Tests in 1929.Tom Killick was a right-handed batsman who generally either opened the innings or went in at the fall of the first wicket. Educated at St Paul's School, he played a few matches for Middlesex as a 19-year-old in 1926...
[a Sussex bowler] some stick.".
Alletson was known for being a "blocker", but after lunch, he did indeed give both Killick, and the other Sussex bowlers "some stick". In a remarkable spell of sustained hitting, Alletson broke the world record
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
for runs scored off a single over, by hitting Killick for 34.
His hitting was venomous, one of his shots smashing the pavilion
Pavilion (structure)
In architecture a pavilion has two main meanings.-Free-standing structure:Pavilion may refer to a free-standing structure sited a short distance from a main residence, whose architecture makes it an object of pleasure. Large or small, there is usually a connection with relaxation and pleasure in...
clock, and another "destroying" the pavilion bar
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
.Team-mates later revealed that as the innings developed, Killick was frightened to bowl at Alletson, in case Alletson clouted the ball back towards him, on his way to a career-best 189.
Alletson was dismissed amid speculation followed that the fielder who caught him was actually over the boundary rope. According to the Laws of cricket
Laws of cricket
The laws of cricket are a set of rules established by the Marylebone Cricket Club which describe the laws of cricket worldwide, to ensure uniformity and fairness. There are currently 42 laws, which outline all aspects of how the game is played from how a team wins a game, how a batsman is...
, this should have meant six runs to the batsman, rather than his dismissal. Alletson had saved the match for his side - it ended in a draw, with Sussex, who needed 237 to win, making 213 for 8.
Alletson was rewarded for his achievement by the then Duke of Portland
William Cavendish-Bentinck, 6th Duke of Portland
William John Arthur Charles James Cavendish-Bentinck, 6th Duke of Portland KG, GCVO, PC, TD, DL , known as William Cavendish-Bentinck until 1879, was a British landowner, courtier and Conservative politician...
, who awarded him a gold watch. It was later revealed that Alletson played this explosive innings despite an injured wrist.
Statistical summary
In the days before professional cricketers played one day cricket and modern power-bat technology evolved, Alletson's ferocious hitting truly stood out:- He scored 189 runsRun (cricket)In the sport of cricket, a run is the basic unit of scoring. Runs are scored by a batsman, and the aggregate of the scores of a team's batsmen constitutes the team's score. A batsman scoring 50 or 100 runs , or any higher multiple of 50 runs, is considered a particular achievement...
in just 90 minutes; - He hit 8 sixesBoundary (cricket)Boundary has two distinct meanings in the sport of cricket:# the edge or boundary of the playing field, and# a manner of scoring runs.-Edge of the field:...
; - His post-lunch effort was 142 runs in just 40 minutes;
- The 10th wicket stand was worth 152. Alletson scored 142 of these runs.
- At one point, he hit 115 off seven overs
- He hit 34 off one over that included two no-balls (4,6,6,0,4,4,4,6).
Alletson's 34 in an over was a new world record for 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...
, a record that lasted 57 years until broken by Sir Garry Sobers.