Charles Palmer
Encyclopedia
Charles Henry Palmer was an English
cricket
er, who played for Leicestershire
and Worcestershire
from 1938 to 1959. Palmer also played one Test match
for England
. He later went on to become a respected cricket administrator.
. This did not stop him becoming a fine batsman and bowler. Palmer first played cricket for Worcestershire in 1938, before World War II
and a teaching career intervened, although he still played a few games for the Bombay Europeans in Indian domestic cricket in 1946, with some games for Worcestershire. However, he joined Leicestershire as captain
and secretary in 1950, and passed 1,000 runs in each of the eight full seasons he played for them. In 1953, Leicestershire finished third in the County Championship
, the highest they had achieved at that stage since entering the competition in 1895, and Wisden
praised Palmer's "inspiring captaincy".
On the back of this, he was appointed player-manager of the England tour side to the West Indies
in 1953-54, which was captained by Len Hutton
, and it was here that he won his only Test cap, making 22 and 0 and taking no wickets in the five overs he bowled. The series was played in bad temper, but Palmer's good-natured style helped the situation.
In 1955, Palmer was responsible for one of the most remarkable spells of bowling in cricketing history. Putting himself on to bowl against Surrey
to allow his main two bowlers to change ends, he took 8 wickets for 7 runs, with his figures at one stage being 12-12-0-8. Another catch was dropped off his bowling too. However, Surrey still went on to win by seven wickets.
After retiring as a cricketer, Palmer was appointed chairman of Leicestershire, he became a member of the MCC
committee, was President of the MCC in 1978/9, and chairman of the Test and County Cricket Board
between 1983 and 1985.
Palmer died, at the age of 85, in March 2005.
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...
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, who played for 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....
and 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...
from 1938 to 1959. Palmer also played one Test match
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
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...
. He later went on to become a respected cricket administrator.
Life and career
Palmer was a small man with poor eyesight and played wearing glassesGlasses
Glasses, also known as eyeglasses , spectacles or simply specs , are frames bearing lenses worn in front of the eyes. They are normally used for vision correction or eye protection. Safety glasses are a kind of eye protection against flying debris or against visible and near visible light or...
. This did not stop him becoming a fine batsman and bowler. Palmer first played cricket for Worcestershire in 1938, before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and a teaching career intervened, although he still played a few games for the Bombay Europeans in Indian domestic cricket in 1946, with some games for Worcestershire. However, he joined Leicestershire as captain
Captain (cricket)
The captain of a cricket team often referred to as the skipper is the appointed leader, having several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player...
and secretary in 1950, and passed 1,000 runs in each of the eight full seasons he played for them. In 1953, Leicestershire finished third in the County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
, the highest they had achieved at that stage since entering the competition in 1895, and Wisden
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
praised Palmer's "inspiring captaincy".
On the back of this, he was appointed player-manager of the England tour side to the West Indies
English cricket team in West Indies in 1953-54
The English Cricket Team in the West Indies in 1953-54 played five Test matches, five other first-class matches and seven other games, three of them on a two-week stop-over in Bermuda that included Christmas....
in 1953-54, which was captained by Len Hutton
Len Hutton
Sir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
, and it was here that he won his only Test cap, making 22 and 0 and taking no wickets in the five overs he bowled. The series was played in bad temper, but Palmer's good-natured style helped the situation.
In 1955, Palmer was responsible for one of the most remarkable spells of bowling in cricketing history. Putting himself on to bowl 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...
to allow his main two bowlers to change ends, he took 8 wickets for 7 runs, with his figures at one stage being 12-12-0-8. Another catch was dropped off his bowling too. However, Surrey still went on to win by seven wickets.
After retiring as a cricketer, Palmer was appointed chairman of Leicestershire, he became a member of 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...
committee, was President of the MCC in 1978/9, and chairman of the Test and County Cricket Board
England and Wales Cricket Board
The England and Wales Cricket Board is the governing body of cricket in England and Wales. It was created on 1 January 1997 combining the roles of the Test and County Cricket Board, the National Cricket Association and the Cricket Council...
between 1983 and 1985.
Palmer died, at the age of 85, in March 2005.