Thomas Brett
Encyclopedia
Thomas Brett was one of first-class cricket
's earliest well-known fast bowlers and a leading player for Hampshire
when its team was organised by the Hambledon Club
in the 1770s.
in The Cricketers of my Time.
An unusual feature of Brett's career at a time when players freely swapped sides as "given men" was that he always played for Hampshire. In fact, he did not even play for Hambledon per se because he resided at Catherington and so was ineligible to represent Hambledon's Parish XI.
Brett featured in the Monster Bat Incident 1771
as the bowler who led the protest; and it is almost certain that he wrote out the formal objection to Thomas White
's huge bat. This document, which has been preserved, was countersigned by his captain Richard Nyren
and Hampshire's senior batsman John Small. The protest resulted in the maximum width of the bat being set at four and one quarter inches in the Laws of Cricket
.
Cricket's statistical record from the 1772 season
gives proof of Brett's ability, bearing in mind that all his known wickets were bowled. It is reasonable to assume that a third or more of catches taken by Hampshire fielders were off his bowling. Brett made 31 known first-class appearances for Hampshire from 1772 to 1778 and his known wicket tally was 102, but the bowling details in every game are either unknown or incomplete. It is known that he took 29 wickets (i.e., bowled only) in just five matches in the 1777 season
; with catches, the true figure could well be 40-plus.
His last recorded match was for Hampshire v Surrey at Laleham Burway
in October 1778 when he was still only 31. It seems he went to live in Portsmouth so a change of occupation may have been the reason for his apparently early retirement.
who was also noted for his accuracy despite bowling at high pace. Statham once expressed a philosophy that Brett might well have shared: "If they miss, I hit".
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...
's earliest well-known fast bowlers and a leading player for 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...
when its team was organised by the Hambledon Club
Hambledon Club
The Hambledon Club was a social club that is famous for its organisation of 18th century cricket matches. By the late 1770s it was the foremost cricket club in England.-Foundation:...
in the 1770s.
Career
Noted for his pace and his accuracy, Brett was a leading wicket taker in the 1770s and was lauded by John NyrenJohn Nyren
John Nyren was an English cricketer and author. Nyren made 16 known appearances in first-class cricket from 1787 to 1817...
in The Cricketers of my Time.
An unusual feature of Brett's career at a time when players freely swapped sides as "given men" was that he always played for Hampshire. In fact, he did not even play for Hambledon per se because he resided at Catherington and so was ineligible to represent Hambledon's Parish XI.
Brett featured in the Monster Bat Incident 1771
Monster Bat Incident 1771
The Monster Bat Incident 1771 concerns an attempt to use a bat that was as wide as the wicket, during a cricket match between Chertsey and Hambledon at Laleham Burway that lasted from 23 September to 24 September 1771. Controversy arose when Chertsey's Thomas White attempted to use the bat, while...
as the bowler who led the protest; and it is almost certain that he wrote out the formal objection to Thomas White
Thomas White (cricketer)
Thomas "Daddy" White was a noted English cricketer.White played in the 1760s and 1770s; details of his early career are largely unknown but he retired in 1779. He is known to have appeared frequently for Surrey and All-England since recorded scorecards first became commonplace in 1772...
's huge bat. This document, which has been preserved, was countersigned by his captain Richard Nyren
Richard Nyren
Richard "Dick" Nyren was an English professional cricketer who played first-class cricket during the 1760s and 1770s in the heyday of the Hambledon Club...
and Hampshire's senior batsman John Small. The protest resulted in the maximum width of the bat being set at four and one quarter inches in 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...
.
Cricket's statistical record from the 1772 season
1772 English cricket season
The 1772 English cricket season was notable in English cricket history because it is from then that surviving scorecards are common. There are three scorecards from 1772, all recording matches that were organised by the Hambledon Club...
gives proof of Brett's ability, bearing in mind that all his known wickets were bowled. It is reasonable to assume that a third or more of catches taken by Hampshire fielders were off his bowling. Brett made 31 known first-class appearances for Hampshire from 1772 to 1778 and his known wicket tally was 102, but the bowling details in every game are either unknown or incomplete. It is known that he took 29 wickets (i.e., bowled only) in just five matches in the 1777 season
1777 English cricket season
In the 1777 English cricket season, James Aylward made his world record score of 167 that stood until 1820.- Matches :^ The Dorset v Mann fixtures of the period were essentially two Kent teams plus given men...
; with catches, the true figure could well be 40-plus.
His last recorded match was for Hampshire v Surrey at Laleham Burway
Laleham Burway
Laleham Burway is a tract of meadow land on the River Thames near Chertsey in Surrey. Part of it was a famous major cricket venue in the 18th century and the home of Chertsey Cricket Club.-Earliest known matches:...
in October 1778 when he was still only 31. It seems he went to live in Portsmouth so a change of occupation may have been the reason for his apparently early retirement.
Modern equivalent
In The Cricketers of my Time, it is said of Thomas Brett that he was the "fastest and straightest" of all bowlers. A similar view prevails re Brian StathamBrian Statham
John Brian "George" Statham, CBE was one of the leading English fast bowlers in 20th-century English cricket. Initially a bowler of a brisk fast-medium pace, Statham was able to remodel his action to generate enough speed to become genuinely fast...
who was also noted for his accuracy despite bowling at high pace. Statham once expressed a philosophy that Brett might well have shared: "If they miss, I hit".
External links
Further reading
- H S AlthamHarry AlthamHarry Surtees Altham, CBE, DSO, MC was an English cricketer who became an important figure in the game as an administrator, historian and coach. His Wisden obituary described him as "among the best known personalities in the world of cricket"...
, A History of Cricket, Volume 1 (to 1914), George Allen & Unwin, 1962 - John NyrenJohn NyrenJohn Nyren was an English cricketer and author. Nyren made 16 known appearances in first-class cricket from 1787 to 1817...
, The Cricketers of my Time (ed. Ashley MoteAshley MoteAshley Mote was a non-inscrit Member of the European Parliament for South East England. An outspoken critic of fraud in the European Institutions, he himself was convicted of benefit fraud in 2007 for which he served a nine-month prison sentence and was described by the trial judge as "a truly...
), Robson, 1998 - Ashley MoteAshley MoteAshley Mote was a non-inscrit Member of the European Parliament for South East England. An outspoken critic of fraud in the European Institutions, he himself was convicted of benefit fraud in 2007 for which he served a nine-month prison sentence and was described by the trial judge as "a truly...
, The Glory Days of Cricket, Robson, 1997 - David UnderdownDavid UnderdownDavid E. Underdown was a historian of 17th-century English politics and culture and Professor Emeritus at Yale University. Born at Wells, Somerset, Underdown was educated at the Blue School and Exeter College, Oxford...
, Start of Play, Allen Lane, 2000