Hugo Yarnold
Encyclopedia
Henry Yarnold, known as Hugo, who was born at Worcester
on 6 July 1917 and died in a road accident at Leamington Spa
on 13 August 1974, was an English first-class cricket
er who became a Test
cricket umpire
.
Yarnold was a diminutive lower-order right-handed batsman and a wicketkeeper who played for Worcestershire
. He made his first-class debut in an end-of-season match in the 1938 season as the deputy for Syd Buller
, who would later be an umpiring colleague. He was then Buller's replacement for two months of the 1939 season after Buller was seriously injured in the car crash that took the life of opening batsman Charlie Bull
during the Whitsun match with Essex
.
Returning to Worcestershire after the Second World War, Yarnold again understudied Buller, who played in 25 of the county's 27 first-class matches. But Yarnold himself played in 17 games, mainly as a batsman. Early in the season, in the match against Sussex
at Hove, he made 64 in the first innings, his first score of more than 50. There were, however, to be only six other scores of more than 50 in his entire career and his season's batting average for 1946, at 15.45 runs per innings, was higher than he achieved in any other season. The 64 was surpassed only once: in 1947, playing for North against South in the traditional end-of-season fixture, he made 68.
Buller retired from first-class cricket at the end of the 1946 season, and the following year Yarnold stepped into his position as the regular Worcestershire wicketkeeper. He remained there for the next nine seasons until he himself retired at the end of the 1955 season. In his first season as regular wicketkeeper, he broke the Worcestershire record for the most dismissals in a season, with 85 (plus three more in the North v South match). Two years later, in 1949, he broke his own record and his 110 dismissals that season – 63 catches and 47 stumpings – put him third on the all-time list for the number of dismissals by a wicketkeeper in one season, exceeded only by Leslie Ames, who made 128 in 1929 and 122 in 1928. In the match against Hampshire
at Worcester, he made nine dismissals in the match, and was awarded a bonus of £100 by the county club. Many of the stumpings, and some catches, were made off the bowling of the unorthodox leg-spinner Roly Jenkins
, who took 183 wickets in the season and was named as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year.
The 1949 tally of dismissals remains a county record: in 1951 Yarnold achieved what may be a first-class cricket record. Playing against Scotland
in a first-class match at Dundee
, he equalled the then record for most dismissals in a first-class innings with seven and set what was claimed as a new world record with six stumpings among them.
After retiring from first-class cricket in 1955, he became an umpire from 1959 until his death in 1974. He umpired in three Test matches, one each against India
and Pakistan
in 1967 and one against Australia
the following year.
He died on the way home from umpiring in a rain-ruined three-day game between Northamptonshire and Essex at Wellingborough when his car crashed into a lorry.
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
on 6 July 1917 and died in a road accident at Leamington Spa
Leamington Spa
Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or Leamington or Leam to locals, is a spa town in central Warwickshire, England. Formerly known as Leamington Priors, its expansion began following the popularisation of the medicinal qualities of its water by Dr Kerr in 1784, and by Dr Lambe...
on 13 August 1974, was an English first-class cricket
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...
er who became a Test
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...
cricket 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...
.
Yarnold was a diminutive lower-order right-handed batsman and a wicketkeeper who played for 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...
. He made his first-class debut in an end-of-season match in the 1938 season as the deputy for Syd Buller
Syd Buller
John Sydney Buller, MBE was an English first-class cricketer, and notable international cricket umpire....
, who would later be an umpiring colleague. He was then Buller's replacement for two months of the 1939 season after Buller was seriously injured in the car crash that took the life of opening batsman Charlie Bull
Charlie Bull
Charles Harry Bull was an English cricketer who played 175 first-class matches between 1929 and 1939, first for Kent and later for Worcestershire....
during the Whitsun match with Essex
Essex County Cricket Club
Essex 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 Essex. Its limited overs team is called the Essex Eagles, their team colours this season are blue.The club plays most of its home games...
.
Returning to Worcestershire after the Second World War, Yarnold again understudied Buller, who played in 25 of the county's 27 first-class matches. But Yarnold himself played in 17 games, mainly as a batsman. Early in the season, in the match 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...
at Hove, he made 64 in the first innings, his first score of more than 50. There were, however, to be only six other scores of more than 50 in his entire career and his season's batting average for 1946, at 15.45 runs per innings, was higher than he achieved in any other season. The 64 was surpassed only once: in 1947, playing for North against South in the traditional end-of-season fixture, he made 68.
Buller retired from first-class cricket at the end of the 1946 season, and the following year Yarnold stepped into his position as the regular Worcestershire wicketkeeper. He remained there for the next nine seasons until he himself retired at the end of the 1955 season. In his first season as regular wicketkeeper, he broke the Worcestershire record for the most dismissals in a season, with 85 (plus three more in the North v South match). Two years later, in 1949, he broke his own record and his 110 dismissals that season – 63 catches and 47 stumpings – put him third on the all-time list for the number of dismissals by a wicketkeeper in one season, exceeded only by Leslie Ames, who made 128 in 1929 and 122 in 1928. In the match against Hampshire
Hampshire County Cricket Club
Hampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it...
at Worcester, he made nine dismissals in the match, and was awarded a bonus of £100 by the county club. Many of the stumpings, and some catches, were made off the bowling of the unorthodox leg-spinner Roly Jenkins
Roly Jenkins
Roly Jenkins was an English cricketer, almost exclusively for Worcestershire as a leg spinner in the period immediately after World War II...
, who took 183 wickets in the season and was named as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year.
The 1949 tally of dismissals remains a county record: in 1951 Yarnold achieved what may be a first-class cricket record. Playing against Scotland
Scottish cricket team
The Scotland national cricket team represents Scotland in the game of cricket. They compete in the Clydesdale Bank 40 as the Scottish Saltires...
in a first-class match at Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
, he equalled the then record for most dismissals in a first-class innings with seven and set what was claimed as a new world record with six stumpings among them.
After retiring from first-class cricket in 1955, he became an umpire from 1959 until his death in 1974. He umpired in three Test matches, one each against India
Indian cricket team
The Indian cricket team is the national cricket team of India. Governed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , it is a full member of the International Cricket Council with Test and One Day International status....
and Pakistan
Pakistani cricket team
The Pakistan cricket team is the national cricket team of Pakistan. Pakistan, represented by the Pakistan Cricket Board , is a full member of the International Cricket Council, and thus participates in , and cricket matches....
in 1967 and one against Australia
Australian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
the following year.
He died on the way home from umpiring in a rain-ruined three-day game between Northamptonshire and Essex at Wellingborough when his car crashed into a lorry.