Miscellaneous Stories

Best Cricket Team for any School?

FRD'O Monro's book Repton Cricket (1901-1951) contains this statement:

"This side has been sometimes cited as the best cricket team that has ever taken the field for any school,
and there is no doubt that, taken man for man, there has never been, at any rate at Repton, such a
wonderful lot of fine cricketers in one side."

Harry S Altham's 1908 XI

HS Altham *    Oxford University, Surrey, Hampshire, Gentlemen of England, MCC
WT Greswell    Ceylon, Somerset, Gentlemen, MCC, Free Foresters, Europeans in the East (IND)
R Sale (Snr)   Oxford University, Derbyshire
AE Cardew
CE Squire
AT Sharp       Leicestershire**
IPF Campbell   India**, Oxford University**, Surrey, Gentlemen, MCC, Free Foresters, Indian XI (IND), Europeans (IND), Europeans in the East (IND)
JLS Vidler     Oxford University, Sussex, Free Foresters
DW Ellis
DF FitzGibbon  Ceylon, Europeans (IND) [both non first-class 1911-1912, 1910-1914]
WB Franklin †  Cambridge University, Minor Counties**, North, Gentlemen, MCC
** Captain
          

C Toppin wrote in his Schools' report in the 1909 Wisden:

Thousand Wickets in Ceylon

Did CB Fry catch his "fag"?

South Africa vs England

1. It was GH Shepstone's debut for South Africa
2. GH Shepstone and CB Fry were both in AFE Forman's House (The Cross) at Repton School
3. Fry was four years senior to Shepstone. Did he catch his "fag"?
4. Is this the only instance where a dismissal has occurred between two players on opposing sides, from the same house in the same school and who were there at the same time?

Unluckiest Cricketer not to be Capped by England?

John Human toured twice with the MCC and was considered unlucky not to be capped by England.

• His first tour was to India in 1933–34, while still an undergraduate at Cambridge University. He played in 10 matches on tour (scoring 181 in 13 innings) but did not play in any of the three Tests, which England won 2–0. BH Valentine (O'1921) was also on that tour and he played in the first two tests.
• His second tour was to Australia and New Zealand in 1935–36. This was a peace-keeping tour post the "Bodyline" series of 1932–33. He played in 4 matches of the Australia leg of the tour (scoring 291 in 7 innings) including a century (118) against Queensland. There were no Test matches played as the Australian team was on tour in South Africa.
• On the New Zealand leg of the tour he played in the 4 provincial matches, as well as in the 4 unofficial 'Test' matches. In the first match he scored 97 – all matches were drawn, presumably because they were three-day matches.

1st Class Cricketer holds FA Cup Goal Record!

Harry Cursham was an English footballer and cricketer. He played football mostly with Notts County, with spells at Corinthian, Grantham Town and Thursday Wanderers.

• Cursham holds the individual goal-scoring record for the FA Cup with 49 goals in 44 matches.
• He also won 8 caps for England scoring 5 goals, including a hat-trick against Ireland in his last match.

In cricket he played two first-class games for Nottinghamshire:

• In 1880 he played his first match in a drawn match against Surrey. He kept wicket, taking a catch in the 2nd Innings and scoring 4 runs in the 1st Innings.
• He played his second match 24 years later in 1904 against a touring South African team. He captained the side in a losing cause (an innings and 49 runs), scoring 12 and 25* and taking 0-43 in 13 overs in the South Africans 1st Innings of 611.
• In this match, his last, JP Fellows (H'1895) was making his debut for Nottinghamshire.

World War 1 Fighter Ace awarded DSC

At Repton he played in the 1908 (see above) and 1909 Cricket XIs, and in the Football XI in 1907, captaining the XI in 1908.
He also won the Personal Aggregate for Athletics in 1907.

He moved out to Ceylon as a tea-planter in October 1910, but returned to the UK and joined the Royal Naval Air Force in May 1916.
Fitzgibbon was eventually posted to No. 3 Wing RNAS, based at Luxeuil-les-Bains Aerodrome, in March 1917.
Fitzgibbon arrived in time to take part in its final mission, a raid on Freiburg on 14 April 1917 as a reprisal for the sinking of British hospital ships.
As part of "B" Flight, he dropped his bombs on the target in the face of heavy enemy anti-aircraft fire, observing several fires on the ground.
However, while heading home engine problems reduced his speed, and he lost contact with the rest of the wing, finally crossing the lines alone and landing at Ochey.

On 5th May 1917 he was posted to "C" Flight of No. 10 Squadron RNAS where he flew Sopwith Triplanes and Sopwith Camels and became a flying ace, gaining credit for eight aerial victories.
He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, and his citation appeared in The London Gazette on 2 November 1917 which read:

For exceptional courage and determination in leading offensive patrols against enemy formations, although often out-numbered by them.
On 14 September 1917, he and his patrol of seven machines attacked a hostile formation of eight enemy scouts.
In the combat that ensued three hostile machines were brought down completely out of control, one of these by Flt.-Lieut. Fitzgibbon, while the patrol suffered no casualties.
On 26 September 1917, he attacked with his patrol of eight machines fifteen hostile scouts.
He himself engaged four different machines, one after the other, finally driving one down completely out of control.

He returned to Ceylon in 1925 with interests in tea and rubber, but then joined the RAF Voluntary Reserve on 1st September 1939 and received a 'mention in despatches' on 1st January 1945.

Last lob (underarm) bowler to play 1st Class Cricket

He represented Surrey in three matches in 1921 and is considered as the last lob-bowler (underarm) to play first-class cricket.

• He played his first match, against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge on 14th–16th May at the recommendation of the Surrey captain Percy Fender. Surrey was dismissed for 76 and Notts reached 170 for 5 when Molony was introduced into bowling. The Cricketer reported that Molony "is a lob bowler who bowls leg theory and bowls it accurately, too. He varies the flight of the ball excellently and bowls an exceedingly good full-toss at awkward height".
• Bowling with eight men on the leg side, Molony went on to take three wickets for 11 runs in seven overs, Notts being all-out for 201. Cricketer recorded that "the attempts of the last few batsmen were ludicrous, which evinced much laughter from the crowd, which showed their unmistakable delight in seeing a lob bowler go on".
• Molony took one wicket in his next match against Leicestershire at Aylestone Road, Leicester on 18th–20th May. Albert Lord, having scored 86, being caught by the Surrey wicket-keeper Herbert Strudwick who "had to catch it or be almost decapitated".
• His last match was against Warwickshire at Edgbaston on the 11th, 13th, 14th June. He scored 0 in Surrey's first innings of 347 and did not bowl in Warwickshire's first innings of 140. Following on, Warwickshire scored 298 with Molony bowling 0-21 in 6 overs. Surrey lost 5 wickets in scoring 92 to win the match by 5 wickets, with Molony not batting.

He was never again selected for Surrey or their Second XI.

Oldest Debutant in 1st Class Cricket!

At Repton, the Reverend Alfred Green-Price played in the 1877 and 1878 cricket XIs and went on to gain a football blue at Cambridge University in 1882.

Living at Norton Manor, near Presteigne, he played for Herefordshire CCC and Radnorshire CCC in the early part of his cricketing career.

However, the Reverend Alfred Green-Price's greatest, and only, claim to cricketing fame is that in his one first-class match against Worcestershire on the 15th/16th August 1919, he was 59 years and 185 days old, the oldest person to make his first-class debut by almost ten years.

• In Worcestershire's 1st Innings of 341-5 dec, he caught a catch in the slips but did not bowl.
• In reply HK Foster's XI made 203 and Green-Price did not trouble the scorers.
• Worcestershire batted again making 183-7 dec, with Green-Price neither bowling nor taking a catch.
• In HK Foster's XI second innings of 182-4, he was the last wicket to fall (having scored 10).

Alfred Green-Price truly was the oldest British one-match wonder of them all - and the oldest one-match wonder to play through an entire first-class match, anywhere in the world.

Thus ended one of the shortest first-class records of all time.

Olympic Gold Medal in 'Alpinism'

At Repton he played in the 1883 and 1884 Cricket XIs; in both years Repton beat their main rivals Uppingham and Malvern.
His scores against Uppingham were 2 and 11 in 1883 and 67 in 1884 – wins by 7 wickets and an innings and 141 runs.
His scores against Malvern were 8 and 9 in 1883 and 4 and 15 in 1884 – wins by 5 wickets and 66 runs.

After leaving school, Bruce entered military college. He had huge physical strength, was an enthusiastic boxer and 300-yard runner, and in the 1880s represented England against France in an international running meeting.

He joined the Oxford Light Infantry in 1887 and entered the Imperial Service College in 1888. Bruce joined the Indian Army and became a career soldier serving with the 5th Gurkha Rifles from 1889 to 1920.

He took part in the 1889 Burmese Expedition, winning a Medal with Clasp, then went on the Mirauzai Expedition (North West Frontier) in 1891 (Despatches and Clasp). In 1897–98 he went with the Tirah Expedition, being mentioned in Despatches and winning a Medal with 2 Clasps. He rose to the rank of Brigadier-General in September 1916.

Bruce's climbing experience was impressive. He spent ten climbing seasons in the European Alps and took part in three of the earliest climbing expeditions to the Himalayas.

• In 1892 he went to the Baltoro region of the Karakorum, visiting Muztagh Tower, Broad Peak and K2.
• In 1893 he was with Francis Younghusband on a mission to the Hindu Kush. They were probably the first to discuss mounting an expedition to climb Everest.
• In 1895, Bruce joined Albert F. Mummery and Collie in their attempt on Nanga Parbat, but he had to leave early because his army leave was up.

In 1915, Bruce went to Gallipoli, in command of the 1st Battalion the 6th Gurkha Rifles. After two months in the front line he was severely wounded and was transferred back to India, where he commanded the Bannu Brigade on the North West Frontier from 1916 to 1919.

Bruce was the leader of the second and third British expeditions to Mount Everest in 1922 and 1924. In recognition of the former he was awarded a special prize at the conclusion of the first ever Winter Olympics at Chamonix (France) in 1924 – an Olympic Gold medal for 'Alpinism'.

Only 1st Class Cricketer to win a VC!

JG Smyth is the only person to have played first-class cricket and have been awarded the Victoria Cross.
He was also the Conservative MP for Norwood in South London, and a Privy Councillor.

He played for the Europeans in the 1922/1923 Lahore Tournament at Lawrence Gardens.

• On 2nd–4th March 1923 he played against the Hindus, scoring 3 and 19, and bowled in the 2nd Innings (2.2 overs, 1 maiden, 2 runs, 1 wicket). The Europeans won by 306 runs.
• In the Final, on 5th–7th March 1923 he played against the Muslims, scoring 51 and 27, and took a catch in the 2nd Innings. The Europeans won by 169 runs.

An extract from The London Gazette, 29/06/1915, about the award of his VC reads:

'For most conspicuous bravery near Richebourg L'Avoue on 18th May 1915. With a bombing party of 10 men, who voluntarily undertook this duty, he conveyed a supply of 96 bombs to within 20 yards of the enemy's position over exceptionally dangerous ground, after the attempts of two other parties had failed. Lt. Smyth succeeded in taking the bombs to the desired position with the aid of 2 of his men (the other 8 having been killed or wounded), and to effect his purpose he had to swim a stream, being exposed the whole time to howitzer, shrapnel, machine-gun and rifle fire.'

Repton's Finest Tennis Player?

Henry Wilfred Austin was given his nickname by school friends after a character called Wilfred in a Bert Lamb popular cartoon in the Daily Mirror. The cartoon was called 'Pip, Squeak and Wilfred' – Pip being a dog, Squeak a penguin and Wilfred a rabbit – hence Bunny.

At Repton he played in the 1924 and 1925 1st XI teams, opening the batting with Bryan Valentine, who went on to play cricket for Kent and England. Austin was reputed to have said that his finest achievement was his 102* in the 2nd Innings against Malvern in 1925, a match which Repton won by 260 runs.

However, his main calling was Lawn Tennis. He played at Wimbledon in 1926 when an undergraduate at Pembroke College, Cambridge and reached the semi-finals of the men's doubles.

In 1932, he decided that the traditional tennis attire, cricket flannels, weighed him down too much. He bought a pair of shorts to use at Forest Hills and subsequently became the first player to wear them at Wimbledon.

He reached six finals (three singles and three mixed doubles) in the Major tournaments, but failed to win any of them.

• French Open:
  Singles in 1937 losing to Henner Henkel (Germany) 6-1, 6-4, 6-3
  Mixed Doubles, with Dorothy Shepherd-Barron (GB), in 1931 losing to Betty Nuttall (GB) and Pat Spence (SA) 6-3, 5-7, 6-3
• Wimbledon:
  Singles in 1932 losing to Ellsworth Vines (USA) 6-4, 6-2, 6-0
  Singles in 1938 losing to Don Budge (USA) 6-1, 6-0, 6-3
  Mixed Doubles, with Dorothy Shepherd-Barron (GB), in 1934 losing to Ryuki Miki (JAP) and Dorothy Round (GB) 3-6, 6-4, 6-0
• US Open:
  Mixed Doubles, with Phyllis Covell (GB), in 1929 losing to Betty Nuthall (GB) and George Lott (USA) 6-3, 6-3

His greatest tennis achievements came in the Davis Cup. Fred Perry and Bunny were members of the GB Davis Cup team that won the Competition from 1933 to 1936 inclusive. They each played two Singles matches whilst the one Doubles match was played by Pat Hughes & Harry Lee (1933/4) and by Pat Hughes & Raymond Tuckey (1935/36).

• 1933: France 2 Great Britain 3 – Stade Roland Garros, Paris, 28th–30th July
• 1934: Great Britain 4 USA 1 – Centre Court, Wimbledon, 28th–31st July
• 1935: Great Britain 5 USA 0 – Centre Court, Wimbledon, 27th–30th July
• 1936: Great Britain 3 Australia 2 – Centre Court, Wimbledon, 25th–28th July

Six 6s in One Over!

On 23 July 2017, Ross Whiteley (Repton 2003–08) hit six sixes in a single over for Worcestershire against Yorkshire in a T20 Blast match at New Road, Worcester. He became only the sixth player to achieve this feat in professional cricket.

• Bowler: Karl Carver (Yorkshire)
• Whiteley's sequence: 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6
• He finished 65* off 26 balls
• Worcestershire 196-7 (20 overs), Yorkshire 198-7 (20 overs) — Yorkshire won by 1 run

This achievement put Whiteley in the company of legends such as Sir Garfield Sobers, Ravi Shastri, Herschelle Gibbs, Yuvraj Singh, and Alex Hales.