William Hamilton (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
William Drummond Hamilton (4 May 1859 in County Louth
, Ireland
– 4 March 1914 in Oxford
, England
) was an Irish cricketer
. A left-handed batsman and wicket-keeper
, he played fourteen times for the Ireland cricket team between 1883 and 1896, and also played first-class cricket
for Oxford University
and the MCC
.
and Surrey
, before gaining his blue
in June against Cambridge
. He was so nervous in the match that at one point he started to run the wrong way when called for a run
.
The following year, he played three first-class matches for the MCC, playing twice against Oxford University and once against Cambridge University. His top score in first-class cricket was 54 for the MCC against Oxford University.
. He did not play again for Ireland until July 1887 when he played two matches against Canada, then spending nine years in and out of the Irish side, mainly playing against I Zingari, but also playing against Scotland, Philadelphia
, South Africa and the MCC.
His last match for Ireland was against I Zingari in August 1896, in which he scored 93, his highest score for Ireland.
and took nine catches.
at football, against Wales
in 1885.
and Lowry
also represented Ireland at cricket.
County Louth
County Louth is a county of Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Louth. Louth County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
– 4 March 1914 in Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, England
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...
) was an Irish 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"....
. A left-handed batsman and wicket-keeper
Wicket-keeper
The wicket-keeper in the sport of cricket is the player on the fielding side who stands behind the wicket or stumps being guarded by the batsman currently on strike...
, he played fourteen times for the Ireland cricket team between 1883 and 1896, and also played first-class cricket
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...
for 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 the 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...
.
First-class career
Hamilton made his first-class debut for Oxford University against Australia in May 1882. He played five further matches for the University side that year against the MCC (twice), the Gentlemen of EnglandGentlemen 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...
and Surrey
Surrey County Cricket Club
Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions...
, before gaining his blue
University Sporting Blue
A Blue is an award earned by sportsmen and women at a university and some schools for competition at the highest level. The awarding of Blues began at Oxford and Cambridge Universities...
in June against Cambridge
Cambridge University Cricket Club
Cambridge University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team. It now plays all but one of its first-class cricket matches as part of the Cambridge University Centre of Cricketing Excellence , which includes Anglia Ruskin University...
. He was so nervous in the match that at one point he started to run the wrong way when called for a run
Run (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a run is the basic unit of scoring. Runs are scored by a batsman, and the aggregate of the scores of a team's batsmen constitutes the team's score. A batsman scoring 50 or 100 runs , or any higher multiple of 50 runs, is considered a particular achievement...
.
The following year, he played three first-class matches for the MCC, playing twice against Oxford University and once against Cambridge University. His top score in first-class cricket was 54 for the MCC against Oxford University.
Ireland career
Two months after his final first-class match, he made his debut for Ireland against I ZingariI Zingari
I Zingari are English and Australian amateur cricket clubs.-History:...
. He did not play again for Ireland until July 1887 when he played two matches against Canada, then spending nine years in and out of the Irish side, mainly playing against I Zingari, but also playing against Scotland, Philadelphia
Philadelphian cricket team
The Philadelphian cricket team was a team that represented Philadelphia in first-class cricket between 1878 and 1913. Even with the United States having played the first ever international cricket match against Canada in 1844, the sport began a slow decline in the country. This decline was...
, South Africa and the MCC.
His last match for Ireland was against I Zingari in August 1896, in which he scored 93, his highest score for Ireland.
Statistics
In all matches for Ireland, Hamilton scored 505 runs at an average of 28.06. He scored four half-centuriesCentury (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a batsman reaches his century when he scores 100 or more runs in a single innings. The term is also included in "century partnership" which occurs when two batsmen add 100 runs to the team total when they are batting together. A century is regarded as a landmark score for...
and took nine catches.
Other sports
Hamilton played once for IrelandIreland national football team (IFA)
The Ireland national football team represented Ireland at association football, it was organised by the Irish FA , and is the fourth oldest international team in the world. It mainly played in the British Home Championship against England, Scotland and Wales...
at football, against Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
in 1885.
Family
Two of Hamilton's brothers, BlayneyBlayney Hamilton
Blayney Hamilton was an Irish cricketer, badminton and tennis player. A right-handed batsman and left-arm spin bowler, he played nineteen times for the Ireland cricket team between 1891 and 1907, including one first-class match.-Cricket career:Hamilton made his debut for Ireland against I Zingari...
and Lowry
Lowry Hamilton
Francis Cole Lowry Hamilton was an Irish cricketer. He played four times for the Ireland cricket team between 1888 and 1893.-Cricketing career:...
also represented Ireland at cricket.