Albert Relf
Encyclopedia
Albert Edward Relf, born at Burwash, East Sussex
on 26 June 1874, and died at Wellington College, Berkshire
on 26 March 1937, was a cricketer
who played for Sussex
and England
.
Relf was an all-rounder
who batted in the middle order and bowled off-breaks at medium pace with great accuracy. He played Minor Counties cricket for Norfolk
before, at the age of 25, joining Sussex where he was an instant success. Initially played as a batsman, his bowling developed in 1903 to the point where he was picked for the MCC
tour to Australia under Plum Warner
. He played in two Tests, helping Tip Foster
add 115 for the ninth wicket in his first match at Sydney
.
Most of Relf's 13-match Test career, though, was played on two tours to South Africa in 1905-06 and 1913-14, and he played only once against Australia
in England, taking five wickets for 85 in a total of 350 at Lord's in 1909, but then being dropped to accommodate Sydney Barnes
for the remainder of the series. In the first Test at Johannesburg
in 1905-06, he bowled the ball, allegedly down the leg-side, that enabled South Africa to record the first-ever victory over England. Warner, again his captain, was reported to have sighed: "Oh, Albert. How could you?"
In county cricket, Relf was prolific, achieving the "double" of 1000 runs and 100 wickets eight times, with a best in 1913 of 1846 runs and 141 wickets. He was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1914 where his batting "style" excited comment which was largely repeated in his obituary in Wisden
24 years later. "No one seeing him for the first time would suppose him capable of getting his hundreds in high-class company," Wisden said. "He has a way of letting the ball hit the bat that is certainly not impressive to the eye. Still, the fact remains, that season after season he makes as many runs as men who look twice as good as he is."
Relf played on after the First World War, scoring 153 against Leicestershire
at Horsham
in his final season, 1921. By this time, Relf's appearances were limited as he had succeeded his father as cricket coach at Wellington College, and he played later for Berkshire
in the Minor Counties.
Relf shot himself at Wellington, apparently depressed by the illness of his wife.
His two younger brothers, Robert and Ernest, also played first-class cricket
.
Burwash, East Sussex
Burwash is a rural village and civil parish in the Rother District of East Sussex, England. Situated fifteen miles inland from the South Coast port of Hastings, it is located five miles south-west of Hurst Green, on the A265 road, and on the River Dudwell, a tributary of the River Rother...
on 26 June 1874, and died at Wellington College, Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
on 26 March 1937, was a 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"....
who played for 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 England
English cricket team
The England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end...
.
Relf was an all-rounder
All-rounder
An all-rounder is a cricketer who regularly performs well at both batting and bowling. Although all bowlers must bat and quite a few batsmen do bowl occasionally, most players are skilled in only one of the two disciplines and are considered specialists...
who batted in the middle order and bowled off-breaks at medium pace with great accuracy. He played Minor Counties cricket for Norfolk
Norfolk County Cricket Club
Norfolk County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Norfolk and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy...
before, at the age of 25, joining Sussex where he was an instant success. Initially played as a batsman, his bowling developed in 1903 to the point where he was picked for the MCC
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
tour to Australia under Plum Warner
Plum Warner
Sir Pelham Francis Warner MBE , affectionately and better known as Plum Warner, or even "the Grand Old Man" of English cricket was a Test cricketer....
. He played in two Tests, helping Tip Foster
Tip Foster
Reginald Erskine Foster, nicknamed Tip Foster, commonly designated R. E. Foster in sporting literature was an English cricketer and football player...
add 115 for the ninth wicket in his first match at Sydney
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
.
Most of Relf's 13-match Test career, though, was played on two tours to South Africa in 1905-06 and 1913-14, and he played only once against Australia
Australian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
in England, taking five wickets for 85 in a total of 350 at Lord's in 1909, but then being dropped to accommodate Sydney Barnes
Sydney Barnes
Sydney Francis Barnes was an English professional cricketer who is generally regarded as one of the greatest bowlers in the sport's history...
for the remainder of the series. In the first Test at Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
in 1905-06, he bowled the ball, allegedly down the leg-side, that enabled South Africa to record the first-ever victory over England. Warner, again his captain, was reported to have sighed: "Oh, Albert. How could you?"
In county cricket, Relf was prolific, achieving the "double" of 1000 runs and 100 wickets eight times, with a best in 1913 of 1846 runs and 141 wickets. He was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1914 where his batting "style" excited comment which was largely repeated in his obituary in Wisden
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
24 years later. "No one seeing him for the first time would suppose him capable of getting his hundreds in high-class company," Wisden said. "He has a way of letting the ball hit the bat that is certainly not impressive to the eye. Still, the fact remains, that season after season he makes as many runs as men who look twice as good as he is."
Relf played on after the First World War, scoring 153 against Leicestershire
Leicestershire County Cricket Club
Leicestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Leicestershire. It has also been representative of the county of Rutland....
at Horsham
Horsham
Horsham is a market town with a population of 55,657 on the upper reaches of the River Arun in the centre of the Weald, West Sussex, in the historic County of Sussex, England. The town is south south-west of London, north-west of Brighton and north-east of the county town of Chichester...
in his final season, 1921. By this time, Relf's appearances were limited as he had succeeded his father as cricket coach at Wellington College, and he played later for Berkshire
Berkshire County Cricket Club
Berkshire County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Berkshire and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and MCCA Knockout Trophy....
in the Minor Counties.
Relf shot himself at Wellington, apparently depressed by the illness of his wife.
His two younger brothers, Robert and Ernest, also played first-class cricket
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...
.