Fred Holland
Encyclopedia
Frederick Charles 'Fred' Holland (10 February, 1876 - 5 February, 1957) was an English
cricket
er who played for Surrey
between 1894 and 1908. He was a batsman, a very occasional slow bowler, and a slip fielder
. His Wisden
obituary said of his batting: "Of graceful style, he showed to special advantage in cutting and hitting to leg..." He exceeded one thousand runs in a season on four occasions. During his time with Surrey they won the County Championship
in 1894, 1895, and 1899, though only in 1895 did he make a significant contribution.
He had seven elder brothers who encouraged him to join in their games of cricket from when he was only three years old. He joined the Surrey ground staff when he was 17. He made a successful debut for the county, aged 18, in his only first-class
appearance of the 1894 season, in a non-Championship fixture. He scored 76 in his only innings.
The following season, he played in 22 matches and scored 832 runs at an average of 33.28. This would prove to be one of only two times that his season's batting average exceeded 30. He made his first two centuries, including his career highest score of 171 against Cambridge University
. He and Bobby Abel
added 306 for the third wicket.
In 1896 he made two more hundreds, but his average declined to 24.26. In 1897 he played in only nine matches, but 1898 was his best year. He passed one thousand runs for the first time, recorded his best average of 34.25, and made two more hundreds. However the following season he played in only four fixtures. He was a regular in the side once more in 1900, but in 20 fixtures he managed only 571 runs at an average of 20.39.
1901 was a better year, with two centuries in 16 matches, and a total of 701 runs at 25.96. However the next season he appeared only seven times.
From 1903 until the end of his career, he was no longer in and out of the side but appeared in almost every fixture, even though his seasonal average never rose above the twenties. He scored 1129 runs in 30 matches in 1903, his highest aggregate, but his highest score was only 97 and his average 23.52. His next season scores were worse, with 848 runs from 25 matches at 20.68, but he did manage one century.
During his last four seasons (1905 to 1908) he managed to keep his average in the upper twenties. His slip catching also came to the fore. Having never previously held more than 18 catches in a season, he now managed 30, 30, 23 and 32. In 1905, 26 matches yielded 1079 runs at 27.66, with one hundred. His figures the next season were very similar: 26 matches, 968 runs at 28.47 and two hundreds. In 1907 he played as many as 31 matches, scoring 1081 runs. Though his highest score was only 72, he was consistent enough to average 26.36. In his final season, he scored 664 runs in 21 matches at 28.86. again failed to make a century, but in scoring 87 against Somerset
he assisted Jack Crawford
(who made 232) to put on 308 for the fifth wicket. This stood as the Surrey record for this wicket until Mark Ramprakash
and Azhar Mahmood
had a partnership of 311 in 2005.
Following his departure from Surrey he became the cricket coach at Oundle School
. His son-in-law, H.O. Bloomfield, also played for Surrey.
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 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...
between 1894 and 1908. He was a batsman, a very occasional slow bowler, and a slip fielder
Slip (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a slip fielder is placed behind the batsman on the off side of the field. They are placed with the aim of catching an edged ball which is beyond the wicket-keeper's reach. Many teams employ two or three slips...
. His Wisden
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
obituary said of his batting: "Of graceful style, he showed to special advantage in cutting and hitting to leg..." He exceeded one thousand runs in a season on four occasions. During his time with Surrey they won the County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
in 1894, 1895, and 1899, though only in 1895 did he make a significant contribution.
He had seven elder brothers who encouraged him to join in their games of cricket from when he was only three years old. He joined the Surrey ground staff when he was 17. He made a successful debut for the county, aged 18, in his only 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...
appearance of the 1894 season, in a non-Championship fixture. He scored 76 in his only innings.
The following season, he played in 22 matches and scored 832 runs at an average of 33.28. This would prove to be one of only two times that his season's batting average exceeded 30. He made his first two centuries, including his career highest score of 171 against 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...
. He and Bobby Abel
Bobby Abel
Robert Abel , nicknamed "The Guv'nor", was a Surrey and England opening batsman who was one of the most prolific run-getters in the early years of the County Championship...
added 306 for the third wicket.
In 1896 he made two more hundreds, but his average declined to 24.26. In 1897 he played in only nine matches, but 1898 was his best year. He passed one thousand runs for the first time, recorded his best average of 34.25, and made two more hundreds. However the following season he played in only four fixtures. He was a regular in the side once more in 1900, but in 20 fixtures he managed only 571 runs at an average of 20.39.
1901 was a better year, with two centuries in 16 matches, and a total of 701 runs at 25.96. However the next season he appeared only seven times.
From 1903 until the end of his career, he was no longer in and out of the side but appeared in almost every fixture, even though his seasonal average never rose above the twenties. He scored 1129 runs in 30 matches in 1903, his highest aggregate, but his highest score was only 97 and his average 23.52. His next season scores were worse, with 848 runs from 25 matches at 20.68, but he did manage one century.
During his last four seasons (1905 to 1908) he managed to keep his average in the upper twenties. His slip catching also came to the fore. Having never previously held more than 18 catches in a season, he now managed 30, 30, 23 and 32. In 1905, 26 matches yielded 1079 runs at 27.66, with one hundred. His figures the next season were very similar: 26 matches, 968 runs at 28.47 and two hundreds. In 1907 he played as many as 31 matches, scoring 1081 runs. Though his highest score was only 72, he was consistent enough to average 26.36. In his final season, he scored 664 runs in 21 matches at 28.86. again failed to make a century, but in scoring 87 against 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...
he assisted Jack Crawford
Jack Crawford (cricketer)
John Neville Crawford was an English first-class cricketer who played mainly for Surrey. An amateur, he played as an all-rounder and was highly regarded from an unusually early age before a disagreement with his county curtailed his career. A right-handed batsman, Crawford had a reputation for...
(who made 232) to put on 308 for the fifth wicket. This stood as the Surrey record for this wicket until Mark Ramprakash
Mark Ramprakash
Mark Ravin Ramprakash is an English cricketer, playing for Surrey and England. A right-handed batsman, he initially made his name playing for Middlesex, and was selected for England aged 21...
and Azhar Mahmood
Azhar Mahmood
Azhar Mahmood Sagar is a Pakistani cricketer, . Originally his father objected to his interest in cricket, but later started to appreciate it seeing his accomplishments. As a teenager, Azhar was mentored by Irfan Bhatti who played a One Day International for Pakistan in the early 90’s...
had a partnership of 311 in 2005.
Following his departure from Surrey he became the cricket coach at Oundle School
Oundle School
Oundle School is a co-educational British public school located in the ancient market town of Oundle in Northamptonshire. The school has been maintained by the Worshipful Company of Grocers of the City of London since its foundation in 1556. Oundle has eight boys' houses, five girls' houses, a day...
. His son-in-law, H.O. Bloomfield, also played for Surrey.