STORIES From SUSSEX
Lillywhite of the Cricket Pitch
Frederick William Lillywhite
The one word Lillywhite is the entire inscription on the tombstone placed
by the Parliament of Cricket, the M.C.C., over the resting-place at Highgate
of a man of whom this village is proud, Frederick William Lillywhite.
The inscription is enough, for although he died in 1854 his name lives
in the Literature of our national game. Born at Westhampnett in1792, son
of a brickmaker, and later himself a foreman brickmaker in Sussex, he became
one of our greatest bowlers, and a batsman who could not only keep a last
wicket up but, going in first, would see the tenth man out.
He was not the first to bowl round-arm (that is, to deliver the ball from
shoulder height); that was the distinction of Tom Walker, a Hambledon player;
but it was Lillywhite who perfected the style; he was renowned for accuracy,
varied pace, and length.
Said never to have bowled six wides throughout his career, he had an average
of only seven runs a wicket, wonderful figures. Not until he was 35 did
he appear at Lord's, but he was supreme for 20 years.
He had two famous cricketing sons, Frederick, the younger, dying in 1866,
aged 37, and John in 1874, aged 47. A Lillywhite who sleeps here played
in the first test match against Australia; and here also rests the last
notable cricketing member of the family, whose bat and gloves passed out
of service in 1929.
One of the ironies of the game is that, whereas the father introduced
into first-class cricket the first improvement on underhand bowling, one
of his sons when umpiring created almost a riot in 1862 by no-balling Willsher
of Kent for another innovation, over-arm bowling, which all our bowlers
practise now.
Many literary men who love and play the game have diverted themselves
and their readers by drawing up perfect teams for the Elysian Fields. Their
labour is vain. Lillywhite, who knew best, left us his own formula of what
ideal cricket should be:
Me bawling, Pilch batting, and Box keeping wicket.
Top of Page main
page: www.yeoldesussexpages.com
