Albert Bird (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
Albert Bird was an English
cricketer
: a right-arm off-break bowler and lower-order right-handed batsman who played for Worcestershire
for the first ten years of their existence as a first-class
county.
Born in Moseley
, Birmingham
, Bird was 31 by the time he played in his - and indeed Worcestershire's - first County Championship
match, against Yorkshire
in May 1899
. He scored 14 and nought, and bowled eight overs without reward. He again went wicketless in his second match, against Sussex
, and his third against Warwickshire
was ruined by the weather. Bird finally broke his duck in his fourth game, when he bowled Oxford University
's Lionel Collins for 42.
The years between 1901
and 1904
saw Bird's best performances, as he took around 50 wickets each summer, and claimed a total of 16 five-wicket hauls. These included an outstanding performance against Hampshire
in 1901 when he took 7-53 in the first innings and 7-56 in the second for a match return of 14-109; as well as his career-best figures of 7-41, taken in 1903
against Oxford University. His only two first-class fifties were made in 1902
(64*
against Lancashire
), and in 1904 (63* against Yorkshire), and he passed a thousand runs in both 1903 and 1904.
1905
was a poor year for Bird as he could manage only eight wickets at over 32 runs apiece
, and though in 1906
he took 35, from then onwards he gradually became less of a force in the Worcestershire team, playing his final game in July 1908
against Somerset
. He died in Worcester
at the age of 59.
Bird stood as umpire
in one match: Worcestershire's game against Cambridge University
in June 1903, although he was replaced by G Watts after the first day.
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-arm off-break bowler and lower-order right-handed batsman who played 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...
for the first ten years of their existence as a 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...
county.
Born in Moseley
Moseley
Moseley is a suburb of Birmingham, England, two miles south of the city centre. The area is a popular cosmopolitan residential location and leisure destination, with a number of bars and restaurants...
, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, Bird was 31 by the time he played in his - and indeed Worcestershire's - first County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
match, against Yorkshire
Yorkshire County Cricket Club
Yorkshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Yorkshire as one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure....
in May 1899
1899 English cricket season
In the 1899 English cricket season, Surrey won the County Championship for the first time in four years, and the title turned out to be their last until 1914. Surrey's season was dominated by draws, with fourteen out of 26 games drawn, just like the season in general - especially the Australian...
. He scored 14 and nought, and bowled eight overs without reward. He again went wicketless in his second match, against Sussex
Sussex County Cricket Club
Sussex County Cricket Club is the oldest of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Sussex. The club was founded as a successor to Brighton Cricket Club which was a representative of the county of Sussex as a...
, and his third against Warwickshire
Warwickshire County Cricket Club
Warwickshire 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 Warwickshire. Its limited overs team is called the Warwickshire Bears. Their kit colours are black and gold and the shirt sponsor...
was ruined by the weather. Bird finally broke his duck in his fourth game, when he bowled 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...
's Lionel Collins for 42.
The years between 1901
1901 English cricket season
Yorkshire defended their County Championship title in the 1901 English cricket season, though, unlike in 1900, they lost one game during the season, to 12th-placed Somerset....
and 1904
1904 English cricket season
In the 1904 English cricket season Lancashire went through the County Championship unbeaten, which was enough to clinch the Championship title. Lancashire drew ten games, but their 16 wins were still more than any other team could muster...
saw Bird's best performances, as he took around 50 wickets each summer, and claimed a total of 16 five-wicket hauls. These included an outstanding performance against Hampshire
Hampshire County Cricket Club
Hampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it...
in 1901 when he took 7-53 in the first innings and 7-56 in the second for a match return of 14-109; as well as his career-best figures of 7-41, taken in 1903
1903 English cricket season
In the 1903 English cricket season Middlesex won their first County Championship title, winning eight and losing one of their 18 games in the season. Yorkshire, the defending champions and the only team to have won the Championship thus far in the 20th century, finished third after losing five...
against Oxford University. His only two first-class fifties were made in 1902
1902 English cricket season
The 1902 English cricket season saw the first Ashes series in England since 1899, when Australia had won a series in England for the first time since 1882. Australia won again, this time 2–1, with the first two Tests rained off...
(64*
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 Lancashire
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
), and in 1904 (63* against Yorkshire), and he passed a thousand runs in both 1903 and 1904.
1905
1905 English cricket season
Yorkshire pipped defending champions Lancashire to the County Championship title in the 1905 English cricket season, which also included a tour by the Australian cricket team...
was a poor year for Bird as he could manage only eight wickets at over 32 runs apiece
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...
, and though in 1906
1906 English cricket season
The 1906 English cricket season saw the Championship decided on the very last day with Kent just pipping Yorkshire for the title. George Hirst achieved the unique feat of a "double Double", i.e...
he took 35, from then onwards he gradually became less of a force in the Worcestershire team, playing his final game in July 1908
1908 English cricket season
The 1908 English cricket season was the year in which American John Barton "Bart" King topped the bowling averages as a member of the touring Philadelphian cricket team.-Honours:*County Championship - Yorkshire...
against Somerset
Somerset County Cricket Club
Somerset 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 Somerset...
. He died in Worcester
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
at the age of 59.
Bird stood as umpire
Umpire (cricket)
In cricket, an umpire is a person who has the authority to make judgements on the cricket field, according to the Laws of Cricket...
in one match: Worcestershire's game against Cambridge University
Cambridge University Cricket Club
Cambridge University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team. It now plays all but one of its first-class cricket matches as part of the Cambridge University Centre of Cricketing Excellence , which includes Anglia Ruskin University...
in June 1903, although he was replaced by G Watts after the first day.
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...