Bowling versus the strong counties in 1922

After having done tables of bowling against the “strong” counties of the “Big Six”, Essex and Hampshire for 1920 and 1921, I have now done the same for the 1922 season.

This was the fourth-last full season with no official international series, and the third-last after 1925 and 1970 (when the “Stop the Seventy Tour” movement prevented the scheduled South Africa tour) with no touring team whatsoever. Apart from a hot and dry period at the end of May and the beginning of June, the weather was cool and wet — similar to 1920.

My analysis of the results for 1920 and 1921 suggest that the radically different Australian pitches undoubtedly account for the majority of the failure of English spin bowlers there. With the several failed pace bowlers, my reasoning is less clear, although a definite contribution from weak batting can be detected in cases like Abe Waddington, who looked as much less good bowler when his analyses are restricted to bowling against the “Big Six”, Essex and Hampshire.

As for 1920 and 1921, in the table below spin bowlers are shaded in gold, and only bowlers who bowled minimally 1,000 balls (166.4 overs) against the “strong” counties have been included.

Bowling in 1922 Against Strong Counties (Qualification 1,000 Balls):

		O	M	R	W	Average	5 w/i	10 w/m
T.L. Richmond	Nottinghamshire	463.5	116	1,259	79	15.94	8	2
C.W.L. Parker	Gloucestershire	609.2	196	1,316	79	16.66	6	3
R. Kilner	Yorkshire	488	183	796	47	16.94	5	2
Mr. A.E.R. Gilligan	Sussex	452	78	1,180	68	17.35	5	0
G.C. Collins	Kent	327.4	49	943	53	17.79	5	1
G.G. Macaulay	Yorkshire	340.4	87	775	42	18.45	2	0
E. Robinson	Yorkshire	298.1	109	527	28	18.82	1	0
F. Barratt	Nottinghamshire	476.1	124	1,177	62	18.98	4	0
M.W. Tate	Sussex	505.2	149	1,086	56	19.39	4	0
Mr. G.M. Louden	Essex	207.1	44	546	28	19.50	3	0
Mr. E.R. Wilson	Yorkshire	170	73	258	13	19.85	1	0
A.S. Kennedy	Hampshire	587.2	158	1,557	78	19.96	8	1
A. Waddington	Yorkshire	400.1	90	975	48	20.31	5	3
L.W. Cook	Lancashire	600.1	143	1,343	65	20.66	5	0
Mr. J.S.B. Gentry	Surrey	241	82	434	21	20.67	0	0
J.V. Murdin	Northamptonshire	224.5	39	664	32	20.75	3	1
J.R. Gunn	Nottinghamshire	184.4	58	381	18	21.17	0	0
W. Rhodes	Yorkshire	341	126	635	30	21.17	0	0
A.P. Freeman	Kent	618.1	147	1,694	80	21.18	6	3
G.S. Boyes	Hampshire	331.5	77	976	45	21.69	5	1
Mr. G.T.S. Stevens	Middlesex	233.1	40	769	35	21.97	4	1
Mr. J.C. White	Somerset	459	142	1,034	46	22.48	3	1
F.J. Durston	Middlesex	348	99	884	39	22.67	1	0
J.W. Hearne	Middlesex	383.1	62	1,142	50	22.84	4	2
Mr. P.G.H. Fender	Surrey	643.1	131	1,857	80	23.21	6	1
Mr. N.E. Haig	Middlesex	538.2	164	1,163	49	23.73	2	0
Mr. W.T. Greswell	Somerset	326.2	101	721	29	24.86	1	0
H.E. Roberts	Sussex	249	48	687	27	25.44	1	0
E.H. Bowley	Sussex	294	56	714	28	25.50	0	0
R.K. Tyldesley	Lancashire	335.4	75	913	35	26.09	1	0
S.J. Staples	Nottinghamshire	398.3	123	915	35	26.14	1	0
C.H. Parkin	Lancashire	577.3	155	1,401	53	26.43	3	0
T.F. Shepherd	Surrey	311.3	82	771	29	26.59	2	0
A. Morton	Derbyshire	313.2	83	727	27	26.93	2	0
F.E. Woolley	Kent	571	176	1,385	51	27.16	3	1
P.T. Mills	Gloucestershire	353.2	81	927	34	27.26	1	0
E.G. Dennett	Gloucestershire	304	61	852	31	27.48	2	0
C.N. Woolley	Northamptonshire	205	56	475	17	27.94	1	0
W.E. Astill	Leicestershire	527	135	1,471	52	28.29	3	0
Mr. J.W.H.T. Douglas	Essex	464.3	70	1,501	51	29.43	2	1
G.R. Cox	Sussex	382.2	101	771	26	29.65	1	0
C.F. Root	Worcestershire	268.2	60	780	25	31.20	1	0
Hon. F.S.G. Calthorpe	Warwickshire	358.4	76	1,091	34	32.09	3	0
W.J. Abel	Surrey	210	56	546	17	32.12	0	0
Mr. J.G. Dixon	Essex	278.5	41	913	28	32.61	1	0
A. Skelding	Leicestershire	261.2	40	825	25	33.00	2	0
E. Robson	Somerset	309.1	89	798	24	33.25	0	0
Mr. H.A. Gilbert	Worcestershire	366.4	80	1,118	33	33.88	2	0
G. Geary	Leicestershire	307.5	79	826	24	34.42	0	0
W. Bestwick	Derbyshire	208.3	50	589	17	34.65	1	0
H.A. Peach	Surrey	471.3	133	1,121	32	35.03	1	0
J.G. Bessant	Gloucestershire	247.2	27	947	27	35.07	1	0
J.A. Newman	Hampshire	404.1	86	1,359	38	35.76	2	1
W.E. Benskin	Leicestershire	224	34	790	21	37.62	0	0
Mr. J.J. Bridges	Somerset	349	60	1,089	28	38.89	2	0
C.V. Tarbox	Worcestershire	190.3	23	774	19	40.74	0	0
Mr. L.C. Eastman	Essex	217.2	46	693	16	43.31	1	0
A. Nash	Glamorgan	226.2	49	625	14	44.64	1	0
H. Howell	Warwickshire	354.5	45	1,132	25	45.28	1	0
W.G. Quaife	Warwickshire	203	24	692	15	46.13	0	0
Mr. J.C. Clay	Glamorgan	171	18	662	11	60.18	0	0
C.A.G. Russell	Essex	167	29	484	8	60.50	0	0
W.H. Ashdown	Kent	196.1	31	631	8	78.88	0	0

The table above shows some improvement in averages amongst the pace bowlers. Amongst bowlers above medium pace, only Durston or Howell averaged under 20 against the strong counties in either 1920 or 1921. Both failed severely against Australia both at home and abroad, but McLaren’s England Eleven performed in such as way as to imply that these were in no way the best existing bowlers for facing the Australians. During the 1922 season George Louden, rated by some critics as the best bowler England possessed in 1921, was so rated much more firmly after his seven for 84 on a perfect Oval pitch against the wonderful Surrey batting. Louden’s figures are less outstanding than I expected. Maurice Tate, who originated his fast-medium style with pace off the pitch in this season, is already more highly placed than i expected.

George Collins, a fast-medium bowler who was the only real support for Freeman and Woolley, is surprisingly the leading non-spinner here — although his figures are substantially (not so much as the 1923 Wisden implied) due to his flukish 16 for 83 against Nottinghamshire at Dover in August. Tich Richmond — who headed the averages against strong counties — was a sensitive and small figure who in this season bowled with an amount of spin observers say he never equalled later as he put on weight. Surrey, however, did knock off Richmond on a good Trent Bridge wicket where Fender took nine for 146. Roy Kilner — in 1924/1925 unusually successful for an English spinner in Australia — was rated by critics as the best professional bowler in England. Contrariwise, Harry Howell, the leading paceman in the 1921 table, was hopeless against the strong counties apart from his 6 for 7 in Hampshire’s amazing debacle at Birmingham when they were bowled out for 15 — which observers say could have been all out for 7.

Om the whole, the table does suggest some improvement in pace bowling — though probably slight — vis-à-vis 1920 and 1921.

What is notable is the inconsistency of the bowlers at the top of table, as noted for Howell. In fact, apart from Kilner and Rockley Wilson no bowler averaged under 20 against the “strong” counties in both 1920 and 1921. This does imply that even the best regular English bowlers were not of inherently high quality, although the relatively small sample size (numbers of overs) is certain to make bowling records more erratic, especially with the variety of pitches found without covering.

What is also somewhat notable is that bowlers from the weakest counties look, in general, to have gained falser reputations than bowlers from not merely “strong” but also mid-table counties like Sussex or Somerset. This is notable for Howell in 1920 and 1922, and also Billy Bestwick of Derbyshire, who despite being the worst “rabbit” with the bat of his generation and equally awful as a fieldsman, was apparently considered for England in 1921.