Walter Richards (umpire)
Encyclopedia
Walter Richards was an English
first-class
cricket
er and Test match
umpire
.
Richards was born in Balsall Heath
in Worcestershire
(now part of Birmingham
). A right-handed batsman, he played cricket for Warwickshire
from 1883 until 1896. He made three centuries, against Yorksshire in 1889, against Hampshire in 1889, and against Cheshire in 1890, but all before Warwickshire achieved first-class status in 1894. He played seven games of first-class cricket after Warwickshire became a first-class county, six in 1895 and one in 1886. He achieved his highest first-class score of 61 not out against Lancashire
in July 1895, his only first-class half century.http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/4/4407.html He also took 4 catches in first-class matches.
He was an umpire in the University Match
in 1985, and in the County Championship
match between Yorkshire
and Middlesex
at Bramall Lane
in August 1897. He was a regular first-class umpire from 1898 to 1914. He umpired 10 Test matches between 1899 and 1912, all played in England, six involving Australia and four South Africa
He made his debut as a Test umpire in the 5th Ashes
Test in August 1899, played at the Oval
, standing with Archibald White
. His second Test as umpire was the 3rd Ashes Test in July 1902, the only Test match played at Bramall Lane. He umpired the 2nd Ashes Test, at Lord's, in June 1905, and then the 3rd Test, at the Oval, against South Africa in August 1907. He was umpire in the 3rd, 4th and 5th Ashes Tests in 1909, at Headingley
, Old Trafford
and the Oval, and umpired three matches between England and South Africa in the 1912 Triangular Tournament
, at Headingley, Lord's and the Oval.
He died in Hollywood, Worcestershire, near Birmingham.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
first-class
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...
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 and Test match
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...
.
Richards was born in Balsall Heath
Balsall Heath
Balsall Heath is a working class, inner-city area of Birmingham, England. It is home to a diverse cultural mix of people and the location of the Balti Triangle.-History:...
in Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
(now part of Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
). A right-handed batsman, he played cricket for Warwickshire
Warwickshire County Cricket Club
Warwickshire 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 Warwickshire. Its limited overs team is called the Warwickshire Bears. Their kit colours are black and gold and the shirt sponsor...
from 1883 until 1896. He made three centuries, against Yorksshire in 1889, against Hampshire in 1889, and against Cheshire in 1890, but all before Warwickshire achieved first-class status in 1894. He played seven games of first-class cricket after Warwickshire became a first-class county, six in 1895 and one in 1886. He achieved his highest first-class score of 61 not out against Lancashire
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
in July 1895, his only first-class half century.http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/4/4407.html He also took 4 catches in first-class matches.
He was an umpire in the University Match
The University Match (cricket)
The University Match in a cricketing context is generally understood to refer to the annual fixture between Oxford University Cricket Club and Cambridge University Cricket Club...
in 1985, and in the County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
match between Yorkshire
Yorkshire County Cricket Club
Yorkshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Yorkshire as one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure....
and Middlesex
Middlesex County Cricket Club
Middlesex 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 Middlesex. It was announced in February 2009 that Middlesex changed their limited overs name from the Middlesex Crusaders, to the...
at Bramall Lane
Bramall Lane
-Cricket at the Lane:Bramall Lane opened as a cricket ground in 1855, having been leased by Michael Ellison from the Duke of Norfolk at an annual rent of £70. The site was then away from the town's industrial area, and relatively free from smoke. It was built to host the matches of local cricket...
in August 1897. He was a regular first-class umpire from 1898 to 1914. He umpired 10 Test matches between 1899 and 1912, all played in England, six involving Australia and four South Africa
He made his debut as a Test umpire in the 5th Ashes
The Ashes
The Ashes is a Test cricket series played between England and Australia. It is one of the most celebrated rivalries in international cricket and dates back to 1882. It is currently played biennially, alternately in the United Kingdom and Australia. Cricket being a summer sport, and the venues...
Test in August 1899, played at the Oval
The Oval
The Kia Oval, still commonly referred to by its original name of The Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth. In the past it was also sometimes called the Kennington Oval...
, standing with Archibald White
Archibald White
Sir Archibald Woollaston White, 4th Bart was an English amateur first-class cricketer, who captained Yorkshire County Cricket Club from 1911 to 1914. He led the team to the County Championship title in 1912...
. His second Test as umpire was the 3rd Ashes Test in July 1902, the only Test match played at Bramall Lane. He umpired the 2nd Ashes Test, at Lord's, in June 1905, and then the 3rd Test, at the Oval, against South Africa in August 1907. He was umpire in the 3rd, 4th and 5th Ashes Tests in 1909, at Headingley
Headingley Stadium
Headingley Stadium is a sporting complex in the Leeds suburb of Headingley in West Yorkshire, England. It is the home of Yorkshire County Cricket Club, rugby league team Leeds Rhinos and rugby union team Leeds Carnegie ....
, Old Trafford
Old Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
and the Oval, and umpired three matches between England and South Africa in the 1912 Triangular Tournament
1912 Triangular Tournament
The 1912 Triangular Tournament was a Test cricket competition played between Australia, England and South Africa, the only Test-playing nations at the time....
, at Headingley, Lord's and the Oval.
He died in Hollywood, Worcestershire, near Birmingham.