Wally Luckes
Encyclopedia
Walter Thomas "Wally" Luckes, born in Lambeth
, London
on 1 January 1901 and died at Bridgwater
, Somerset
on 27 October 1982, was a cricket
er who played for Somerset
.
Born on the first day of the 20th century, Luckes was a lower-order right-handed batsman and a sound wicketkeeper who played for Somerset for a quarter of a century. An undemonstrative player who made his reputation by conceding very few byes in large totals compiled by stronger teams, Luckes started slowly in terms of the numbers of dismissals, but developed into one of the leading keepers of his day, high in the fielding statistics tables for several seasons.
Luckes made his debut in 1924, and became Somerset's regular wicketkeeper in 1927. But after two seasons, he suffered nearly four years of ill-health, and was able to play in only a few matches in 1929 and 1930, and none at all in 1931. The high regard that Somerset had for Luckes was reflected by the fact that he was maintained on the staff during this long absence: for one of the perennially more cash-strapped counties, with one of the smaller playing staffs, this was a rare degree of commitment. Somerset used a variety of amateur and professional wicketkeepers in Luckes' absence, including Seymour Clark
, the ultimate non-batsman, and Frank Lee
, the opening batsman who later became a Test
umpire
. And Luckes was able to return for the second half of the 1932 season.
He then remained as the regular wicketkeeper for the county up to and beyond the Second World War, standing up at the wicket to all but the fastest deliveries from Arthur Wellard
and Bill Andrews
and even in his last match, at the age of 48, managing a stumping off the quick bowler Jim Redman
.
Luckes was a useful batsman, but after his illness Somerset appear to have decided that he should not be subjected to the stress of batting high in the order, despite an at-times lack of depth to the county's batting. That decision accounts for the very high proportion of "not out
" innings – 212 out of 564 innings in all – in Luckes' career figures. Occasionally, he was allowed to bat higher and in 1937, against Kent
at Bath, batting at No 5, he made 121 not out, the only first-class century of his career.
Luckes returned to first-class cricket after the Second World War and set a county record with 77 dismissals in 1946. But at the end of the 1948 season, with Luckes now 47, Somerset recruited Harold Stephenson
from Durham, and Stephenson took over the wicketkeeping role after a few games of the 1949 season, going on to break Luckes' county record in his first year.
Lambeth
Lambeth is a district of south London, England, and part of the London Borough of Lambeth. It is situated southeast of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on 1 January 1901 and died at Bridgwater
Bridgwater
Bridgwater is a market town and civil parish in Somerset, England. It is the administrative centre of the Sedgemoor district, and a major industrial centre. Bridgwater is located on the major communication routes through South West England...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
on 27 October 1982, was a cricket
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 Somerset
Somerset County Cricket Club
Somerset 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 Somerset...
.
Born on the first day of the 20th century, Luckes was a lower-order right-handed batsman and a sound wicketkeeper who played for Somerset for a quarter of a century. An undemonstrative player who made his reputation by conceding very few byes in large totals compiled by stronger teams, Luckes started slowly in terms of the numbers of dismissals, but developed into one of the leading keepers of his day, high in the fielding statistics tables for several seasons.
Luckes made his debut in 1924, and became Somerset's regular wicketkeeper in 1927. But after two seasons, he suffered nearly four years of ill-health, and was able to play in only a few matches in 1929 and 1930, and none at all in 1931. The high regard that Somerset had for Luckes was reflected by the fact that he was maintained on the staff during this long absence: for one of the perennially more cash-strapped counties, with one of the smaller playing staffs, this was a rare degree of commitment. Somerset used a variety of amateur and professional wicketkeepers in Luckes' absence, including Seymour Clark
Seymour Clark
Arthur Henry Seymour Clark, , was a first-class cricketer who played five times for Somerset in the 1930 English cricket season and set a record that appears not to have been surpassed....
, the ultimate non-batsman, and Frank Lee
Frank Lee (cricketer)
Frank Stanley Lee, born at St. John's Wood on July 24, 1905 and died in Westminster on March 30, 1982 was an English first-class cricketer and an umpire who officiated in Test matches....
, the opening batsman who later became a Test
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...
umpire
Umpire (cricket)
In cricket, an umpire is a person who has the authority to make judgements on the cricket field, according to the Laws of Cricket...
. And Luckes was able to return for the second half of the 1932 season.
He then remained as the regular wicketkeeper for the county up to and beyond the Second World War, standing up at the wicket to all but the fastest deliveries from Arthur Wellard
Arthur Wellard
Arthur William Wellard was a cricketer who played for Somerset and England. A late starter in county cricket, having been told by his native county, Kent, that he would be better off taking up a career as a policeman, Wellard played on into his late 40s...
and Bill Andrews
Bill Andrews (cricketer)
Bill Andrews was an English cricketer who played for Somerset. He was a right-arm fast-medium pace bowler and useful middle-order right-handed batsman...
and even in his last match, at the age of 48, managing a stumping off the quick bowler Jim Redman
Jim Redman (cricketer)
James Redman, born at Bath, Somerset on 1 March 1926 and died at Salisbury, Wiltshire, on 24 September 1981, played first-class cricket for Somerset as a fast-medium bowler between 1948 and 1953.-First-class cricket career:...
.
Luckes was a useful batsman, but after his illness Somerset appear to have decided that he should not be subjected to the stress of batting high in the order, despite an at-times lack of depth to the county's batting. That decision accounts for the very high proportion of "not out
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...
" innings – 212 out of 564 innings in all – in Luckes' career figures. Occasionally, he was allowed to bat higher and in 1937, against Kent
Kent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
at Bath, batting at No 5, he made 121 not out, the only first-class century of his career.
Luckes returned to first-class cricket after the Second World War and set a county record with 77 dismissals in 1946. But at the end of the 1948 season, with Luckes now 47, Somerset recruited Harold Stephenson
Harold Stephenson
Harold William Stephenson was an English first-class cricketer who played for Somerset. He captained Somerset from 1960 until his retirement in 1964....
from Durham, and Stephenson took over the wicketkeeping role after a few games of the 1949 season, going on to break Luckes' county record in his first year.