Thomas Box
Encyclopedia
Thomas Box was a famous English cricket
er who is remembered as one of the most outstanding wicketkeepers of the 19th century.
, Hampshire
and Surrey, he has always been associated with cricket in his native county of Sussex. He played for the Sussex team during the early years of roundarm bowling
when his colleagues included Jem Broadbridge
and William Lillywhite
. He was a member of the Sussex team when the county club was founded in 1839 and continued to play for the club until he retired.
In all, Box is known to have played in 248 major or first-class matches. He was a right-handed batsman who occasionally made useful scores. He had 456 innings, in 43 of which he was not out, and scored 4,936 runs at an average of 11.95 with a highest score of 79. He scored 8 half-centuries. He bowled very rarely, style unknown, and took just 8 wickets but with a best analysis of 5-45.
As a wicketkeeper, he was highly successful and his known career record of 236 catches and 162 stumpings is outstanding.
. This had the Royal New Ground
(aka Hanover Ground) attached and Box was called upon to manage the matches taking place there. As a result, it became popularly known as "Box's Ground". Sussex CCC used it until September 1847, after which Box leased the Royal Brunswick Ground
, also in Hove, and the club moved there.
Box relinquished the lease of the Brunswick Ground to the club in 1863. In 1864, on the death of his wife, Box moved to London where he became a publican again but without success. His final employment was as an attendant at the Prince's Cricket Ground
in Chelsea. On 12 July 1876, during a Middlesex v Nottinghamshire match, he collapsed and died three hours later.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er who is remembered as one of the most outstanding wicketkeepers of the 19th century.
Player
Box played major cricket from 1826 to 1856. Although he played several matches for MCCMarylebone 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...
, Hampshire
Hampshire county cricket teams
Hampshire county cricket teams have been traced back to the 18th century but the county's involvement in cricket goes back much further than that...
and Surrey, he has always been associated with cricket in his native county of Sussex. He played for the Sussex team during the early years of roundarm bowling
Roundarm bowling
In cricket, roundarm bowling is a style that was introduced in the first quarter of the 19th century and had largely superseded underarm bowling by the 1830s. Using a roundarm action, the bowler has his arm extended at about 90 degrees from his body at the point where he releases the ball...
when his colleagues included Jem Broadbridge
Jem Broadbridge
James "Jem" Broadbridge was an English professional cricketer who is widely accounted the outstanding all-rounder in England during the 1820s. He is best remembered for his part in the introduction of roundarm bowling...
and William Lillywhite
William Lillywhite
Frederick William Lillywhite was a famous English cricketer during the game's roundarm era...
. He was a member of the Sussex team when the county club was founded in 1839 and continued to play for the club until he retired.
In all, Box is known to have played in 248 major or first-class matches. He was a right-handed batsman who occasionally made useful scores. He had 456 innings, in 43 of which he was not out, and scored 4,936 runs at an average of 11.95 with a highest score of 79. He scored 8 half-centuries. He bowled very rarely, style unknown, and took just 8 wickets but with a best analysis of 5-45.
As a wicketkeeper, he was highly successful and his known career record of 236 catches and 162 stumpings is outstanding.
Groundsman
In 1843 Sussex CCC granted Box a benefit match and the proceeds enabled him to lease the Hanover Arms in Lewes Road, HoveHove
Hove is a town on the south coast of England, immediately to the west of its larger neighbour Brighton, with which it forms the unitary authority Brighton and Hove. It forms a single conurbation together with Brighton and some smaller towns and villages running along the coast...
. This had the Royal New Ground
Royal New Ground
The Royal New Ground, also known as "Box's Ground", in Brighton, Sussex was a venue for first-class cricket matches from 1814 to 1847.The ground was the home of Brighton Cricket Club and became the county ground of Sussex CCC when this was formed in 1839...
(aka Hanover Ground) attached and Box was called upon to manage the matches taking place there. As a result, it became popularly known as "Box's Ground". Sussex CCC used it until September 1847, after which Box leased the Royal Brunswick Ground
Royal Brunswick Ground
The Royal Brunswick Ground, also known as "C H Gausden's Ground", in Brighton, Sussex was a venue for first-class cricket matches from 1848 to 1871....
, also in Hove, and the club moved there.
Box relinquished the lease of the Brunswick Ground to the club in 1863. In 1864, on the death of his wife, Box moved to London where he became a publican again but without success. His final employment was as an attendant at the Prince's Cricket Ground
Prince's Cricket Ground
Prince's Cricket Ground in Chelsea, London was a cricket ground, created by two brothers by the name of Prince, on which 37 first-class matches were played between 1872 and 1878. The ground was built on in 1883...
in Chelsea. On 12 July 1876, during a Middlesex v Nottinghamshire match, he collapsed and died three hours later.
External sources
Further reading
- Arthur HaygarthArthur HaygarthArthur Haygarth was a noted amateur cricketer who became one of cricket's most significant historians....
, Scores & Biographies, Volume 1-5, Lillywhite, 1862