William Brain
Encyclopedia
William Henry Brain was an English
cricketer
and footballer
: a right-handed batsman and wicket-keeper who played for Gloucestershire
, Oxford University
and MCC
in the early 1890s; as well as keeping goal for Headington United
(later Oxford United). He is notable as the first man to perform the "wicket-keeper's hat-trick" (three dismissals off consecutive deliveries) and the only man to perform a hat-trick of stumpings.
Born in Clifton
, Bristol
, Brain was a member of the Clifton College
XI, captaining it in 1889. He made his first-class
debut for Oxford University in 1891 against Lancashire, in the same year hitting his only half-century by making 65 not out
(with no team-mate scoring more than 13) in his only appearance for MCC, against Somerset
. Playing for Gloucestershire in 1893, Brain made three stumpings from successive balls bowled by Charlie Townsend
, removing Arthur Newton
, George Nichols
and Ted Tyler
to finish off the Somerset second innings.
He played no more first-class games after that season, instead becoming involved with Glamorgan
and playing a number of minor matches for that county between 1894 and 1907, including two games in the Minor Counties Championship. The second of these against Lancashire
Second XI, was his last significant match; he did not keep wicket, this role being taken by his older brother Joseph. The two Brains opened the batting together in the second innings, but William was run out for a duck
.
Later, Brain was instrumental in helping Glamorgan's drive for first-class status, which they eventually achieved in 1921. He died at the age of 64 in Dinas Powys
, Glamorgan
, Wales
.
As well as the aforementioned brother Joseph, two of Brain's sons played first-class cricket. Pat
made a handful of appearances for Glamorgan in the 1920s, while Michael
had a single first-class outing for the same county, in 1930.
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...
cricketer
Cricketer
A cricketer is a person who plays the sport of cricket. Official and long-established cricket publications prefer the traditional word "cricketer" over the rarely used term "cricket player"....
and footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
: a right-handed batsman and wicket-keeper who played for Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Gloucestershire. Its limited overs team is called the Gloucestershire Gladiators....
, Oxford University
Oxford University Cricket Club
Oxford University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team, representing the University of Oxford. It plays its home games at the University Parks in Oxford, England...
and MCC
Marylebone 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...
in the early 1890s; as well as keeping goal for Headington United
Oxford United F.C.
Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. The club play in League Two, following promotion from the Conference National in May 2010. The club had been a non-League side since their relegation from the Football League in the 2005–06 season. The...
(later Oxford United). He is notable as the first man to perform the "wicket-keeper's hat-trick" (three dismissals off consecutive deliveries) and the only man to perform a hat-trick of stumpings.
Born in Clifton
Clifton, Bristol
Clifton is a suburb of the City of Bristol in England, and the name of both one of the city's thirty-five council wards. The Clifton ward also includes the areas of Cliftonwood and Hotwells...
, Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, Brain was a member of the Clifton College
Clifton College
Clifton College is a co-educational independent school in Clifton, Bristol, England, founded in 1862. In its early years it was notable for emphasising science in the curriculum, and for being less concerned with social elitism, e.g. by admitting day-boys on equal terms and providing a dedicated...
XI, captaining it in 1889. He made his 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...
debut for Oxford University in 1891 against Lancashire, in the same year hitting his only half-century by making 65 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...
(with no team-mate scoring more than 13) in his only appearance for MCC, against 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...
. Playing for Gloucestershire in 1893, Brain made three stumpings from successive balls bowled by Charlie Townsend
Charlie Townsend
Charles Lucas Townsend was a Gloucestershire cricketer. An all-round cricketer, Townsend was classically stylish, left-handed batsman, who was able to hit well despite his slender build...
, removing Arthur Newton
Arthur Newton (cricketer)
Arthur Edward Newton, born at Barton Grange, Corfe, Taunton, Somerset on 12 September 1862 and died at Dipford House, Trull, Somerset on 15 September 1952, played cricket for Somerset in the county's pre-first-class days and then for more than 20 years after the team entered the County Championship...
, George Nichols
George Nichols (cricketer)
George Benjamin Nichols was a professional first-class cricketer who played 134 matches for Somerset, after starting his career with five first-class appearances for Gloucestershire...
and Ted Tyler
Ted Tyler
Edwin James Tyler was a cricketer who played first-class cricket for Somerset County Cricket Club between 1891 and 1907...
to finish off the Somerset second innings.
He played no more first-class games after that season, instead becoming involved with Glamorgan
Glamorgan County Cricket Club
Glamorgan County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Glamorgan aka Glamorganshire . Glamorgan CCC is the only Welsh first-class cricket club. Glamorgan CCC have won the English County...
and playing a number of minor matches for that county between 1894 and 1907, including two games in the Minor Counties Championship. The second of these 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...
Second XI, was his last significant match; he did not keep wicket, this role being taken by his older brother Joseph. The two Brains opened the batting together in the second innings, but William was run out for a duck
Duck (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a duck refers to a batsman's dismissal for a score of zero.-Origin of the term:The term is a shortening of the term "duck's egg", the latter being used long before Test cricket began...
.
Later, Brain was instrumental in helping Glamorgan's drive for first-class status, which they eventually achieved in 1921. He died at the age of 64 in Dinas Powys
Dinas Powys
Dinas Powys is a large village and a community in the Vale of Glamorgan in South Wales which takes its name from the Dinas Powys hillfort that dates from the Iron Age...
, Glamorgan
Glamorgan
Glamorgan or Glamorganshire is one of the thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. It was originally an early medieval kingdom of varying boundaries known as Glywysing until taken over by the Normans as a lordship. Glamorgan is latterly represented by the three...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
.
As well as the aforementioned brother Joseph, two of Brain's sons played first-class cricket. Pat
Pat Brain
John Henry Patrick 'Pat' Brain was a Welsh cricketer. Brain was a right-handed batsman who played primarily as a wicketkeeper. He was born at Caerau, Glamorgan....
made a handful of appearances for Glamorgan in the 1920s, while Michael
Michael Brain
Michael Benjamin Brain was a Welsh cricketer. He was a right-handed batsman and wicket-keeper who played for Glamorgan...
had a single first-class outing for the same county, in 1930.
External links
- Statistical summary from CricketArchiveCricketArchiveCricketArchive is a website that aims to provide a comprehensive archive of records relating to the sport of cricket. It claims to be the most comprehensive cricket database on the internet, including scorecards for all matches of first-class cricket , List A cricket , Women's Test cricket and...