Billy Bates
Encyclopedia
Willie Bates, known as Billy (19 November 1855 – 8 January 1900) was an English
all-round
cricket
er. Excellent with both bat and ball, Bates scored over 10,000 first-class
runs, took more than 870 wickets and was always reliable in the field. A snappy dresser, Bates was also known as "The Duke".
Born to a humble family in Lascelles Hall, Huddersfield
, Yorkshire
, Bates became a professional cricketer
for Rochdale in 1873 and made his first-class debut for Yorkshire
four years later, taking four for 69 in Middlesex
's first innings
to begin a ten-year career in the first-class game. He played fifteen Test matches
for England between 1881–82 and 1886–87, all of them in Australia.
At the Melbourne Cricket Ground
in 1882–83, Bates excelled by scoring 55 in England's only innings before taking 7 for 28 (including a hat-trick
) to force Australia to follow on. He then claimed 7 for 74 in the second innings to help his team to the first-ever innings victory
in Test cricket. Bates set several individual records in this game as his hat-trick was the first for England in Test cricket, and his return of 7 for 28, and his match tally of 14 wickets, were then the best-ever by a Test match bowler. In addition, no Test bowler had previously taken 10 or more wickets and scored a half-century in the same match.
In domestic cricket, Bates topped 100 first-class wickets only once, when he took 121 in 1881, but he passed 80 on another 4 occasions. His best bowling of 8 for 21 was achieved in 1879 for Yorkshire against Surrey
at The Oval
. As a batsman he passed 1,000 runs in 5 seasons and scored 10 centuries, including 3 in 1884. He made his highest first-class score of 144 not out in 1882 for Under 30 v Over 30 at Lord's
, where he also returned an economical second-innings analysis
of 22-15-17-3.
The end of Bates' career came suddenly. On a non-Test tour of Australia with G.F. Vernon
's XI in 1887–88, he was bowling in the nets when he was hit in the eye by a ball struck by a team-mate. His eyesight was sufficiently impaired that he was never able to play first-class cricket again, although he did appear in club cricket
in the early 1890s and was still able to coach.
His enforced retirement caused him great depression. On the voyage home from Australia, he attempted suicide and, at the end of December 1899, caught a cold whilst attending the funeral of fellow Yorkshire player John Thewlis
. His condition quickly deteriorated and he died a few days later in Huddersfield, aged just 44.
His son William Bates
had a long first-class career with Yorkshire and Glamorgan
.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
all-round
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...
cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er. Excellent with both bat and ball, Bates scored over 10,000 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...
runs, took more than 870 wickets and was always reliable in the field. A snappy dresser, Bates was also known as "The Duke".
Born to a humble family in Lascelles Hall, Huddersfield
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, Bates became a professional cricketer
History of English amateur cricket
The history of English amateur cricket describes the concept and importance of amateur players in English cricket.-Co-development of amateur and professional cricket to 1800:...
for Rochdale in 1873 and made his first-class debut for 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....
four years later, taking four for 69 in Middlesex
Middlesex County Cricket Club
Middlesex 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 Middlesex. It was announced in February 2009 that Middlesex changed their limited overs name from the Middlesex Crusaders, to the...
's first innings
Innings
An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably cricket and baseball during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. In cricket, the term innings is both singular and plural and is...
to begin a ten-year career in the first-class game. He played fifteen Test matches
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
for England between 1881–82 and 1886–87, all of them in Australia.
At the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
in 1882–83, Bates excelled by scoring 55 in England's only innings before taking 7 for 28 (including a hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
) to force Australia to follow on. He then claimed 7 for 74 in the second innings to help his team to the first-ever innings victory
The result in cricket
The result in a game of cricket may be a win for one of the two teams playing, a draw or a tie. In the case of a limited overs game, the game can also end with no result...
in Test cricket. Bates set several individual records in this game as his hat-trick was the first for England in Test cricket, and his return of 7 for 28, and his match tally of 14 wickets, were then the best-ever by a Test match bowler. In addition, no Test bowler had previously taken 10 or more wickets and scored a half-century in the same match.
In domestic cricket, Bates topped 100 first-class wickets only once, when he took 121 in 1881, but he passed 80 on another 4 occasions. His best bowling of 8 for 21 was achieved in 1879 for Yorkshire against Surrey
Surrey County Cricket Club
Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions...
at The Oval
The Oval
The Kia Oval, still commonly referred to by its original name of The Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth. In the past it was also sometimes called the Kennington Oval...
. As a batsman he passed 1,000 runs in 5 seasons and scored 10 centuries, including 3 in 1884. He made his highest first-class score of 144 not out in 1882 for Under 30 v Over 30 at Lord's
Lord's Cricket Ground
Lord's Cricket Ground is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board , the European Cricket Council and, until August 2005, the...
, where he also returned an economical second-innings analysis
Bowling analysis
In the sport of cricket, a bowling analysis usually refers to a notation summarising a bowler's performance in terms of overs bowled, how many of those overs are maidens , total runs conceded and number of wickets taken...
of 22-15-17-3.
The end of Bates' career came suddenly. On a non-Test tour of Australia with G.F. Vernon
George Vernon
George Frederick Vernon was a cricketer who played first-class cricket for Middlesex County Cricket Club. He also played one Test match for England during the first-ever Ashes tour in 1882-83.Vernon was the son of George Vernon of 32 Montague Square...
's XI in 1887–88, he was bowling in the nets when he was hit in the eye by a ball struck by a team-mate. His eyesight was sufficiently impaired that he was never able to play first-class cricket again, although he did appear in club cricket
Club cricket
Club cricket is a mainly amateur, but still formal, form of the sport of cricket, usually involving teams playing in competitions at weekends or in the evening. There is a great deal of variation in game format although the Laws of Cricket are always observed...
in the early 1890s and was still able to coach.
His enforced retirement caused him great depression. On the voyage home from Australia, he attempted suicide and, at the end of December 1899, caught a cold whilst attending the funeral of fellow Yorkshire player John Thewlis
John Thewlis Senior
John Thewlis senior was an English first-class cricketer, who played in forty four matches for Yorkshire County Cricket Club, and fifty six first-class matches in all between 1862 and 1875...
. His condition quickly deteriorated and he died a few days later in Huddersfield, aged just 44.
His son William Bates
William Bates (cricketer)
William Ederick Bates was an English first-class cricketer who played for Yorkshire, Wales and most notably, Glamorgan, over a long career from 1907 to 1931...
had a long first-class career with Yorkshire and Glamorgan
Glamorgan County Cricket Club
Glamorgan 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 Glamorgan aka Glamorganshire . Glamorgan CCC is the only Welsh first-class cricket club. Glamorgan CCC have won the English County...
.