Frank Cobden
Encyclopedia
Frank Carroll Cobden was an English
cricket
er who played for Cambridge University
and the MCC
. In the University Match
of 1870 he famously took a hat-trick comprising the last three Oxford University
batsmen when Oxford required only three more runs to win. Thus Cambridge University won by two runs a match which they had seemed certain to lose. This feat led to the 1870 match becoming known as "Cobden's Match".
and Harrow
before entering Trinity College, Cambridge
in 1869. He transferred to Downing College
in 1871. In later life he was a Justice of the Peace
for Radnorshire
.
career lasted only from 1870 to 1872, for he played no more at first-class level after leaving Cambridge. As well as the university, he also appeared for MCC
. He was a right-arm roundarm
fast bowler and a right-handed batsman. In 22 matches he took 65 wickets at an average of 17.20, with best innings figures of 6/35. He took five or more wickets in an innings four times and ten or more wickets in a match once. He made 471 runs at an average of 14.27. He passed fifty only once, when he scored 73 not out. According to Wisden
he was a "free and powerful hitter".
His brother, H.S. Cobden, also played first-class cricket.
then came in to join J.W. Dale
, and they added 116 for the sixth wicket. Yardley made exactly 100, the first hundred ever made in the fixture. Dale scored 67. Cambridge finished with 206, with Francis taking 7/102.
Oxford needed 179 to win. Cobden took the wicket of W.H. Hadow for a duck
and Oxford were 0/1. However they recovered and reached 153/3 at one point, needing only another 26, thanks to 69 from C.J. Ottaway
and 44 from A.T. Fortescue. Though wickets then began to fall, they progressed to 175/6, and their victory seemed assured. At that point E.E. Ward dismissed Francis. Ward had taken six of the seven wickets to fall. He finished with the fine figures of 6/29 from 32 four ball overs.
When Cobden began what proved to be the final over, the score was still 175/7, with four runs needed to win. From the first ball, F.H. Hill played a shot which seemed sure to reach the boundary
and thus to win the match. However it was brilliantly fielded and the batsmen could only run one. Hill then had to watch the tail-enders try to cope with Cobden in poor light. S.E. Butler
was caught off the second ball of the over and T.H. Belcher was bowled by the third. With four ball overs at that time, Cobden had one ball left. If the batsman, W.A. Stewart, could survive it, then Hill would face the next over and would probably see Oxford home. But Cobden made no mistake and Stewart was bowled. Cobden finished with figures of 4/35, and 8/76 in the match.
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...
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 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...
and 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...
. In the University Match
The University Match (cricket)
The University Match in a cricketing context is generally understood to refer to the annual fixture between Oxford University Cricket Club and Cambridge University Cricket Club...
of 1870 he famously took a hat-trick comprising the last three 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...
batsmen when Oxford required only three more runs to win. Thus Cambridge University won by two runs a match which they had seemed certain to lose. This feat led to the 1870 match becoming known as "Cobden's Match".
Early life and education
Cobden was educated at Brighton CollegeBrighton College
Brighton College is an institution divided between a Senior School known simply as Brighton College, the Prep School and the Pre-Prep School. All of these schools are co-educational independent schools in Brighton, England, sited immediately next to each another. The Senior School caters for...
and Harrow
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
before entering Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
in 1869. He transferred to Downing College
Downing College, Cambridge
Downing College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college was founded in 1800 and currently has around 650 students.- History :...
in 1871. In later life he was a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
for Radnorshire
Radnorshire
Radnorshire is one of thirteen historic and former administrative counties of Wales. It is represented by the Radnorshire area of Powys, which according to the 2001 census, had a population of 24,805...
.
Cricket career
His first-classFirst-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...
career lasted only from 1870 to 1872, for he played no more at first-class level after leaving Cambridge. As well as the university, he also appeared for 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...
. He was a right-arm 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...
fast bowler and a right-handed batsman. In 22 matches he took 65 wickets at an average of 17.20, with best innings figures of 6/35. He took five or more wickets in an innings four times and ten or more wickets in a match once. He made 471 runs at an average of 14.27. He passed fifty only once, when he scored 73 not out. According to Wisden
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
he was a "free and powerful hitter".
His brother, H.S. Cobden, also played first-class cricket.
The 1870 University Match
The match, scheduled for three days, was finished in two. Cambridge scored 147 in their first innings. Oxford made 175 in reply, with Cobden taking 4/41. Cambridge slumped to 40/5 in their second innings, only 12 runs ahead, with C.K. Francis doing most of the damage. W. YardleyWilliam Yardley (cricketer)
William Yardley was an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Kent from 1868 to 1878 and for Cambridge University from 1869 to 1872. In the early 1870s, only WG Grace was reckoned his superior amongst amateur batsmen...
then came in to join J.W. Dale
John Dale (cricketer)
John William Dale was an English rower and cricketer who played for Cambridge University from 1868 to 1870, for MCC from 1869 to 1882 and for Middlesex from 1874 to 1878....
, and they added 116 for the sixth wicket. Yardley made exactly 100, the first hundred ever made in the fixture. Dale scored 67. Cambridge finished with 206, with Francis taking 7/102.
Oxford needed 179 to win. Cobden took the wicket of W.H. Hadow for a duck
Duck (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a duck refers to a batsman's dismissal for a score of zero.-Origin of the term:The term is a shortening of the term "duck's egg", the latter being used long before Test cricket began...
and Oxford were 0/1. However they recovered and reached 153/3 at one point, needing only another 26, thanks to 69 from C.J. Ottaway
Cuthbert Ottaway
Cuthbert John Ottaway , one of the most talented and versatile sportsmen of the 1870s, was the first captain of the England football team and led his side in the first official international football match....
and 44 from A.T. Fortescue. Though wickets then began to fall, they progressed to 175/6, and their victory seemed assured. At that point E.E. Ward dismissed Francis. Ward had taken six of the seven wickets to fall. He finished with the fine figures of 6/29 from 32 four ball overs.
When Cobden began what proved to be the final over, the score was still 175/7, with four runs needed to win. From the first ball, F.H. Hill played a shot which seemed sure to reach the boundary
Boundary (cricket)
Boundary has two distinct meanings in the sport of cricket:# the edge or boundary of the playing field, and# a manner of scoring runs.-Edge of the field:...
and thus to win the match. However it was brilliantly fielded and the batsmen could only run one. Hill then had to watch the tail-enders try to cope with Cobden in poor light. S.E. Butler
Samuel Butler (cricketer)
Samuel Evan Butler was an English cricketer...
was caught off the second ball of the over and T.H. Belcher was bowled by the third. With four ball overs at that time, Cobden had one ball left. If the batsman, W.A. Stewart, could survive it, then Hill would face the next over and would probably see Oxford home. But Cobden made no mistake and Stewart was bowled. Cobden finished with figures of 4/35, and 8/76 in the match.