Frank Irish
Encyclopedia
Arthur Frank Irish, born at Dudley
, then in Worcestershire
, on 23 November 1918 and died at Sidmouth
, Devon
on 17 July 1997, played first-class
cricket
for Somerset
for one season, and Minor Counties cricket for Devon
for many years.
Irish was a right-handed middle-order batsman and an occasional right-arm medium pace bowler who played club cricket for Sidmouth and Minor Counties cricket for Devon from the mid-1930s. At the end of August 1939, in between Devon games, he also played for Somerset's second eleven in non-competitive matches against Glamorgan
's second eleven.
After successful seasons for Devon in the immediate post-war years, Irish was recruited as a professional by Somerset for the 1950 season and immediately became a regular in the side, batting at No 3. In his first first-class match, a friendly against Glamorgan, he made 76 and 25, and the 76 was to be his highest first-class score. Just a few days later, he top-scored for his side with 67 on his County Championship
debut against Sussex
. And a week later in Somerset's next match he made 36 and 70 against Middlesex
at Lord's.
As the season progressed, though, Irish found runs harder to come by and he passed 50 only once more in an innings, making an unbeaten 75 in the return match with Sussex at Worthing
. He was injured soon after this innings and, according to Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
, "after missing many matches he decided to give up full-time cricket".
Irish went back to Minor Counties' cricket with Devon for a few seasons, playing for the Minor Counties representative side against the 1952 Indian team
, a two-day match that was not first-class. He also continued to play for and captain the Sidmouth team. He ran a barber's shop and tobacconists in Sidmouth.
Dudley
Dudley is a large town in the West Midlands county of England. At the 2001 census , the Dudley Urban Sub Area had a population of 194,919, making it the 26th largest settlement in England, the second largest town in the United Kingdom behind Reading, and the largest settlement in the UK without...
, then in Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
, on 23 November 1918 and died at Sidmouth
Sidmouth
Sidmouth is a small town on the English Channel coast in Devon, South West England. The town lies at the mouth of the River Sid in the East Devon district, south east of Exeter. It has a population of about 15,000, of whom 40% are over 65....
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
on 17 July 1997, played 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...
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...
for Somerset
Somerset County Cricket Club
Somerset 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 Somerset...
for one season, and Minor Counties cricket for Devon
Devon County Cricket Club
Devon 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 Devon and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy....
for many years.
Irish was a right-handed middle-order batsman and an occasional right-arm medium pace bowler who played club cricket for Sidmouth and Minor Counties cricket for Devon from the mid-1930s. At the end of August 1939, in between Devon games, he also played for Somerset's second eleven in non-competitive matches against 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...
's second eleven.
After successful seasons for Devon in the immediate post-war years, Irish was recruited as a professional by Somerset for the 1950 season and immediately became a regular in the side, batting at No 3. In his first first-class match, a friendly against Glamorgan, he made 76 and 25, and the 76 was to be his highest first-class score. Just a few days later, he top-scored for his side with 67 on his County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
debut against 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 a week later in Somerset's next match he made 36 and 70 against 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...
at Lord's.
As the season progressed, though, Irish found runs harder to come by and he passed 50 only once more in an innings, making an unbeaten 75 in the return match with Sussex at Worthing
Worthing
Worthing is a large seaside town with borough status in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, forming part of the Brighton/Worthing/Littlehampton conurbation. It is situated at the foot of the South Downs, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester...
. He was injured soon after this innings and, according to Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
, "after missing many matches he decided to give up full-time cricket".
Irish went back to Minor Counties' cricket with Devon for a few seasons, playing for the Minor Counties representative side against the 1952 Indian team
Indian cricket team in England in 1952
The Indian cricket team toured England in the 1952 season. The team played four Test matches, losing three of them and drawing the other one. In all first-class matches, they played 29, winning four and losing five, with the rest drawn.-The Indian team:...
, a two-day match that was not first-class. He also continued to play for and captain the Sidmouth team. He ran a barber's shop and tobacconists in Sidmouth.