William Taylor (Worcestershire cricketer)
Encyclopedia
William Herbert Taylor was an English
cricketer
: a right-handed batsman and right-arm fast-medium bowler who played 107 times for Worcestershire
between 1909 and 1925, captaining the county in 1914, 1919 and 1922. He also made three first-class
appearances for HK Foster's XI.
Born in Sale
, Cheshire
, Taylor made his debut in Worcestershire's County Championship
game against Kent
on 14 June 1909, making 19 and 0. He did not bowl in that game; his first wicket was that of Harry Altham
in Worcestershire's next game, against Oxford University
. For the next few years, with the exception of 1910 when he made 11 appearances, Taylor played only a few times a season.
He was made captain in 1914, replacing Henry Foster, and appeared in 21 matches. He scored what was to be his career best of 59 not out
against Essex
in August of that year, and took 26 wickets at 44.69
. The First World War then intervened, but on the resumption of first-class cricket in 1919, Taylor continued as captain. Worcestershire did not participate in the County Championship that summer but instead played a series of friendly matches; it was in one of these, against HK Foster's XI, that he took his first five-wicket innings haul, claiming 5-56.
For 1920, and Worcestershire's return to Championship cricket, Taylor was replaced as captain by his brother-in-law, Maurice Jewell
, but Taylor continued to play a significant number of matches for the county. 1921 was the most productive season of his career, as he took 35 wickets at 28.28 including five in an innings three times; the best of these being his career-best of 7-64 against Glamorgan
at Kidderminster
.
Taylor regained the captaincy for 1922, but had a wretched season: despite playing 17 games, he could manage a mere four wickets costing over 131 runs apiece, to go with 214 runs at 8.23
. Maurice Foster
took over the reins for 1923, and it was almost the end for Taylor as a first-class player: after 1922 he played only one more first-class match — though he captained Worcestershire in that game too — against Oxford University in 1925. He made 1 and 0 and took 2-79 in the second innings.
He died in Birlingham
, Worcestershire
at the age of 73.
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"....
: a right-handed batsman and right-arm fast-medium bowler who played 107 times for Worcestershire
Worcestershire County Cricket Club
Worcestershire 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 Worcestershire...
between 1909 and 1925, captaining the county in 1914, 1919 and 1922. He also made three 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...
appearances for HK Foster's XI.
Born in Sale
Sale, Greater Manchester
Sale is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. Historically part of Cheshire, the town lies on flat ground on the south bank of the River Mersey, south of Stretford, northeast of Altrincham, and southwest of the city of Manchester...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, Taylor made his debut in Worcestershire's County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
game 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...
on 14 June 1909, making 19 and 0. He did not bowl in that game; his first wicket was that of Harry Altham
Harry Altham
Harry Surtees Altham, CBE, DSO, MC was an English cricketer who became an important figure in the game as an administrator, historian and coach. His Wisden obituary described him as "among the best known personalities in the world of cricket"...
in Worcestershire's next game, against 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...
. For the next few years, with the exception of 1910 when he made 11 appearances, Taylor played only a few times a season.
He was made captain in 1914, replacing Henry Foster, and appeared in 21 matches. He scored what was to be his career best of 59 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...
against Essex
Essex County Cricket Club
Essex 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 Essex. Its limited overs team is called the Essex Eagles, their team colours this season are blue.The club plays most of its home games...
in August of that year, and took 26 wickets at 44.69
Bowling average
Bowling average is a statistic measuring the performance of bowlers in the sport of cricket.A bowler's bowling average is defined as the total number of runs conceded by the bowlers divided by the number of wickets taken by the bowler, so the lower the average the better. It is similar to earned...
. The First World War then intervened, but on the resumption of first-class cricket in 1919, Taylor continued as captain. Worcestershire did not participate in the County Championship that summer but instead played a series of friendly matches; it was in one of these, against HK Foster's XI, that he took his first five-wicket innings haul, claiming 5-56.
For 1920, and Worcestershire's return to Championship cricket, Taylor was replaced as captain by his brother-in-law, Maurice Jewell
Maurice Jewell
Maurice Frederick Stewart Jewell, CBE was an English cricketer: a right-handed batsman and slow left arm bowler who played the bulk of his first-class cricket for Worcestershire between the wars...
, but Taylor continued to play a significant number of matches for the county. 1921 was the most productive season of his career, as he took 35 wickets at 28.28 including five in an innings three times; the best of these being his career-best of 7-64 against 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...
at Kidderminster
Kidderminster
Kidderminster is a town, in the Wyre Forest district of Worcestershire, England. It is located approximately seventeen miles south-west of Birmingham city centre and approximately fifteen miles north of Worcester city centre. The 2001 census recorded a population of 55,182 in the town...
.
Taylor regained the captaincy for 1922, but had a wretched season: despite playing 17 games, he could manage a mere four wickets costing over 131 runs apiece, to go with 214 runs at 8.23
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
. Maurice Foster
Maurice Foster (English cricketer)
Maurice Kirshaw Foster was an English cricketer who played 170 first-class matches. The great bulk of these were for Worcestershire, which county he captained for three seasons from 1923 to 1925...
took over the reins for 1923, and it was almost the end for Taylor as a first-class player: after 1922 he played only one more first-class match — though he captained Worcestershire in that game too — against Oxford University in 1925. He made 1 and 0 and took 2-79 in the second innings.
He died in Birlingham
Birlingham
Birlingham is a village and civil parish in the Wychavon district of Worcestershire, England, about three miles south of Pershore. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 325...
, 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...
at the age of 73.
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...