Thomas Walker (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
Thomas "Tom" Walker was an English cricket
er who played for Hampshire
in the days of the Hambledon Club
and later for Surrey
. He was famous for his brilliant defensive batting. He is also credited with introducing, roundarm bowling
, the predecessor of modern overarm bowling
.
, near Frensham
, Surrey
. Known as "Old Everlasting", he was one of the greatest batsmen of the late 18th century and was also a very useful bowler. He is believed to have been the originator of the roundarm bowling style. Legend has it that he and some of his fellow players in the "Hambledon Era" used to practise in a barn during the winters. Walker worked out that he could generate more bounce and variation of pace if he bowled with his arm away from his body and soon realised that these deliveries gave the batsman added problems.. He failed to get the new style accepted during his career although he sowed the seeds of a bowling revolution that took place a generation later.
Walker was noted for his outstanding defensive play and was notoriously difficult to dismiss. On one occasion the frustrated bowler Lord Frederick Beauclerk
is reported to have thrown down his hat and shouted: "You confounded old beast!" at Walker whose laconic response to his team mates afterwards was: "I don't care what he says".
On another occasion he faced 170 deliveries from David Harris and scored one run.
In a match at Bishopsbourne Paddock
on 8-12 August 1796, playing for White Conduit Club
versus Kent
, Walker came very close to scoring two centuries in the match and would have been the first known achiever of this feat if he had scored five more in his first innings. He made 95* and 102. White Conduit won the game by 164 runs.
Walker played for the Players in the inaugural and second Gentlemen v Players
matches in 1806.
, who was a very good player, and John
, an occasional player, also represented Surrey.
Tom Walker died in Chiddingfold
, Surrey.
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 played 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...
in the days of 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:...
and later for Surrey
Surrey county cricket teams
Surrey county cricket teams have been traced back to the 17th century but the county's involvement in cricket goes back much further than that. The first definite mention of cricket anywhere in the world is dated c.1550 in Guildford.-17th century:...
. He was famous for his brilliant defensive batting. He is also credited with introducing, 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...
, the predecessor of modern overarm bowling
Overarm bowling
In cricket, overarm bowling refers to a delivery in which the bowler's hand is above shoulder height. This is in contrast to a roundarm delivery, where the hand is between shoulder height and waist height; and an underarm delivery where the bowler's hand is below waist height.After roundarm was...
.
Career
Walker was born in ChurtChurt
Churt is a village and civil parish in the borough of Waverley in Surrey, England. It is located on the A287 road between Hindhead and Farnham, and is split by the Surrey–Hampshire borders. Its origins date back to the Saxon period. The original boundary stones are visible at the junction of Green...
, near Frensham
Frensham
Frensham is a village in Surrey, England, beside the A287, south west of Guildford. Neighbouring villages include Millbridge, Shortfield Common, Dockenfield, Spreakley, Batt's Corner and Rushmoor. Frensham lies on the River Wey. Farnham is the nearest main town and it is to the north. The...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. Known as "Old Everlasting", he was one of the greatest batsmen of the late 18th century and was also a very useful bowler. He is believed to have been the originator of the roundarm bowling style. Legend has it that he and some of his fellow players in the "Hambledon Era" used to practise in a barn during the winters. Walker worked out that he could generate more bounce and variation of pace if he bowled with his arm away from his body and soon realised that these deliveries gave the batsman added problems.. He failed to get the new style accepted during his career although he sowed the seeds of a bowling revolution that took place a generation later.
Walker was noted for his outstanding defensive play and was notoriously difficult to dismiss. On one occasion the frustrated bowler Lord Frederick Beauclerk
Lord Frederick Beauclerk
Lord Frederick Beauclerk was an outstanding but controversial English first-class cricketer for 35 years from 1791 to 1825. On his retirement, he served as president of Marylebone Cricket Club in 1826.Beauclerk was the fourth son of the 5th Duke of St Albans and became a clergyman. He was Vicar...
is reported to have thrown down his hat and shouted: "You confounded old beast!" at Walker whose laconic response to his team mates afterwards was: "I don't care what he says".
On another occasion he faced 170 deliveries from David Harris and scored one run.
In a match at Bishopsbourne Paddock
Bishopsbourne Paddock
Bishopsbourne Paddock was a cricket ground at Bourne House, seat of Sir Horatio Mann, near Canterbury in Kent. It was a popular venue for first-class matches from 1766 to 1790.-Matches:...
on 8-12 August 1796, playing for White Conduit Club
White Conduit Club
The White Conduit Club, although short-lived, was perhaps the most significant club in cricket history for it bridged the gulf between the rural and rustic Hambledon era and the new, modern and metropolitan era of MCC and Lord's, the two entities that it spawned.We do not know for certain when the...
versus Kent
Kent county cricket teams
Kent county cricket teams have been traced back to the 17th century but the county's involvement in cricket goes back much further than that. Kent, jointly with Sussex, is the birthplace of the sport...
, Walker came very close to scoring two centuries in the match and would have been the first known achiever of this feat if he had scored five more in his first innings. He made 95* and 102. White Conduit won the game by 164 runs.
Walker played for the Players in the inaugural and second 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...
matches in 1806.
Family
His brothers HarryHarry Walker (cricketer)
Harry Walker was a noted English cricketer who played mainly for Surrey...
, who was a very good player, and John
John Walker (Surrey cricketer)
John Walker , was a noted professional cricketer in the late 18th century. His career spanned the 1789 to 1806 seasons and he played mainly for Surrey and various representative sides, including MCC....
, an occasional player, also represented Surrey.
Tom Walker died in Chiddingfold
Chiddingfold
Chiddingfold is a village and civil parish in the heart of The Weald in the Waverley district of Surrey, England. It lies on the A283 between Milford and Petworth...
, Surrey.