Edgar Willsher
Encyclopedia
Edgar "Ned" Willsher was an English cricket
er who is famous for being the catalyst in the shift from roundarm
to overarm bowling
.
By the early 1860s, roundarm had replaced underarm
as the standard form of bowling but overarm was still illegal, even though it was in use. On 26 August 1862 at The Oval
, Willsher became the first cricketer to be no-balled for bowling overarm. Playing for an England XI
against Surrey he was called six times by umpire
John Lillywhite
for delivering the ball with his hand above his shoulder. Willsher left the field with eight of his professional colleagues (the two amateurs in the England team remained on the field) and play was abandoned for the rest of the day. When Lillywhite refused to accept the legality of Willsher's action, he was replaced as umpire so that the game could continue. Willsher went on to take 6 for 49.
As a result of this incident, which may well have been planned in advance to force the issue, the laws
were changed and overarm was legalised from the beginning of the 1864 season
. Ironically, Ned Willsher himself became an umpire after he finished playing.
In late 1868, he led a side on a tour of Canada
and the United States
.
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 is famous for being the catalyst in the shift from roundarm
Roundarm bowling
In cricket, roundarm bowling is a style that was introduced in the first quarter of the 19th century and had largely superseded underarm bowling by the 1830s. Using a roundarm action, the bowler has his arm extended at about 90 degrees from his body at the point where he releases the ball...
to overarm bowling
Overarm bowling
In cricket, overarm bowling refers to a delivery in which the bowler's hand is above shoulder height. This is in contrast to a roundarm delivery, where the hand is between shoulder height and waist height; and an underarm delivery where the bowler's hand is below waist height.After roundarm was...
.
By the early 1860s, roundarm had replaced underarm
Underarm bowling
In cricket, underarm bowling is as old as the sport itself. Until the introduction of the roundarm style in the first half of the 19th century, bowling was performed in the same way as in bowls, the ball being delivered with the hand below the waist...
as the standard form of bowling but overarm was still illegal, even though it was in use. On 26 August 1862 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...
, Willsher became the first cricketer to be no-balled for bowling overarm. Playing for an England XI
All-England Eleven
In cricket, the term All-England has been used for various non-international teams that have been formed for short-term purposes since the 1739 English cricket season and it indicates that the "Rest of England" is playing against, say, MCC or an individual county team...
against Surrey he was called six times by 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...
John Lillywhite
John Lillywhite
John Lillywhite was an English cricketer during the game's roundarm era....
for delivering the ball with his hand above his shoulder. Willsher left the field with eight of his professional colleagues (the two amateurs in the England team remained on the field) and play was abandoned for the rest of the day. When Lillywhite refused to accept the legality of Willsher's action, he was replaced as umpire so that the game could continue. Willsher went on to take 6 for 49.
As a result of this incident, which may well have been planned in advance to force the issue, the laws
Laws of cricket
The laws of cricket are a set of rules established by the Marylebone Cricket Club which describe the laws of cricket worldwide, to ensure uniformity and fairness. There are currently 42 laws, which outline all aspects of how the game is played from how a team wins a game, how a batsman is...
were changed and overarm was legalised from the beginning of the 1864 season
1864 English cricket season
The 1864 English cricket season was an important year in cricket history, as it saw the legalisation of overarm bowling and the first edition of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack.-Inter-county cricket:...
. Ironically, Ned Willsher himself became an umpire after he finished playing.
In late 1868, he led a side on a tour of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.