Sport, ancient and modern: Cricket, Harrow School Cricket

A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 2, General; Ashford, East Bedfont With Hatton, Feltham, Hampton With Hampton Wick, Hanworth, Laleham, Littleton. Originally published by Victoria County History, London, 1911.

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'Sport, ancient and modern: Cricket, Harrow School Cricket', in A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 2, General; Ashford, East Bedfont With Hatton, Feltham, Hampton With Hampton Wick, Hanworth, Laleham, Littleton, (London, 1911) pp. 275. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/middx/vol2/p275 [accessed 16 April 2024]

HARROW SCHOOL CRICKET

Space will not permit adequate treatment of the cricket of Harrow. Unlike Eton, the cricket has not been mainly in charge of masters but of such old Harrovians as the Hon. Robert Grimston, Mr. I. D. Walker, and Mr. A. J. Webbe in conjunction with Mr. M. C. Kemp. The great feature, of course, is the annual match at Lord's with Eton. Of the eighty-three encounters up to 1910, Harrow has won thirty-five and lost thirty-one, seventeen having been drawn, but Harrovians object very strongly to the game in 1805 (when Lord Byron played) being treated as a regular match between the two schools, contending that it is no more correct to count it than the fixture in 1857 for boys under twenty, which has been rejected.

The centuries scored for Harrow against Eton are, 142 by T. G. O. Cole in 1897, 135 by A. K. Watson in 1885, 124 by J. H. Stogden in 1895, 112 not out by A. W. T. Daniel in 1860, 108 by R. B. Hoare in 1888 and 100 by E. Crawley in 1885, as well as the unparalleled double century in 1907 of M. C. Bird who grandly obtained 100 not out and 131. The largest totals are 388 in 1900, 385 in 1898, 376 in 1901, 326 in 1895 and 324 in 1885.

Winchester only once played at Harrow, in 1837. Harrow had the double satisfaction of winning both matches against Eton and Winchester in 1842.

The following old Harrovians have played in test matches in England:-A. N. Hornby, A. C. Maclaren and the Hon. F. S. Jackson. Old Harrovians who have been to the Antipodes are: A. N. Hornby, F. A. MacKinnon (who was never given his colours), A. C. Maclaren, E. M. Dowson, and M. C. Bird. The following since 1878 have represented the Gentlemen against the Players at Lord's: A. N. Hornby, M. C. Kemp, H. T. Hewett, A. C. Maclaren, the Hon. F. S. Jackson, and E. M. Dowson; while for the Gentlemen against the Australians were selected A. N. Hornby, W. H. Patterson, R. C. Ramsey, M. C. Kemp, and A. C. Maclaren.

Since 1878 the following Old Harrovians have found places in the Oxford eleven: A. Haskett Smith, W. H. Patterson, H. T. Hewet, M. C. Kemp, W. E. Bolitho, A. K. and H. D. Watson, H. J. Wyld, W. S. Medlicot, R. G. Barnes, M. J. Dauglish, D. R. Brandt and K. M. Carlisle. Harrovians in the Cambridge eleven have been P. J. T. Henery, C. D. Buxton, R. C. Ramsey, D. G. Spiro, F. C. C. Rowe, R. Spencer, E. M. Butler, E. Crawley, the Hon. F. S. Jackson, E. M. Dowson, W. P. Robertson, F. B. Wilson, C. H. Eyre, F. J. V. Hopley, E. W. Mann, R. E. H. Bailey and M. Falcon-a list that may well be remembered with pride by anyone reared in the great school on the Hill.