Maurice Tremlett
Encyclopedia
Maurice Fletcher Tremlett (5 July 1923 – 30 July 1984) was an English
cricket
er, who played for Somerset
, Central Districts and England.
For a couple of years in the late 1940s, Tremlett looked as though he might be the answer to some of England's post-war
cricketing woes. A tall, curly-haired all-rounder
, Tremlett had a whippy fast-medium bowling action that moved the ball off the pitch and was a pugnacious right-handed batsman, strong at driving.
, Cheshire
.
His first-class
debut was sensational. Having been on the Somerset staff since before World War II
, he was finally picked for the first game of the 1947 season, at Lord's
against Middlesex
, the team that would dominate that season's County Championship
. Tremlett took three wickets in the first innings, and then five in the space of five overs in the second, to finish with match figures of 8 for 86. He then followed that up by making an undefeated 19, and sharing in a last-wicket partnership that enabled Somerset to win the match by one wicket.
By the end of that first season, Tremlett had 656 runs and 65 wickets and he was chosen, with several other young cricketers, for the MCC
tour to the West Indies, where he opened the bowling in three of the four Test matches
. He was not a success, taking only four wickets and scoring just 20 runs in the Tests, and on the tour as a whole, his wickets were expensive and he scored few runs.
Yet after another successful county season in 1948 – 1056 runs and 86 wickets, both at an improved average – he was picked for a second MCC tour in 1948-49, this time to South Africa
. Though he scored his maiden century in the match against a Natal side at Pietermaritzburg
, Tremlett was never in contention for a Test place and Wisden
's report on the tour said that his "bowling lacked control".
Over the next few years, Tremlett's batting developed to the point where, in 1951, he scored more than 2,000 runs. In all, he scored 1,000 runs in a season ten times. But his bowling became more and more erratic until, by the mid 1950s, he was used only as an occasional change bowler. From 1956, he captained
Somerset, their first professional skipper, charged with the job of restoring the fortunes of a county that had finished bottom of the Championship table for each of the preceding four seasons. As a captain, he was a great success, leading the side in 1958 to third position in the Championship, its highest placing ever. He stood down from the captaincy after the 1959 season and, after a few games in 1960, he retired to a job with Guinness
.
His son, Tim Tremlett
, was a fast-medium bowler for Hampshire
in the 1970s and 1980s, and later the county's coach. Tim's son (and Maurice's grandson), Chris Tremlett
, also a fast-medium bowler for Hampshire and later for Surrey
, has played international cricket for England in both Tests and One Day Internationals.
Maurice Tremlett died in Southhampton in 1984, at the age of 61.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
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 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...
, Central Districts and England.
For a couple of years in the late 1940s, Tremlett looked as though he might be the answer to some of England's post-war
Post-war
A post-war period or postwar period is the interval immediately following the ending of a war and enduring as long as war does not resume. A post-war period can become an interwar period or interbellum when a war between the same parties resumes at a later date...
cricketing woes. A tall, curly-haired all-rounder
All-rounder
An all-rounder is a cricketer who regularly performs well at both batting and bowling. Although all bowlers must bat and quite a few batsmen do bowl occasionally, most players are skilled in only one of the two disciplines and are considered specialists...
, Tremlett had a whippy fast-medium bowling action that moved the ball off the pitch and was a pugnacious right-handed batsman, strong at driving.
Life and career
Tremlett was born in StockportStockport
Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
.
His 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...
debut was sensational. Having been on the Somerset staff since before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he was finally picked for the first game of the 1947 season, at Lord's
Lord's Cricket Ground
Lord's Cricket Ground is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board , the European Cricket Council and, until August 2005, the...
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...
, the team that would dominate that season's County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
. Tremlett took three wickets in the first innings, and then five in the space of five overs in the second, to finish with match figures of 8 for 86. He then followed that up by making an undefeated 19, and sharing in a last-wicket partnership that enabled Somerset to win the match by one wicket.
By the end of that first season, Tremlett had 656 runs and 65 wickets and he was chosen, with several other young cricketers, for 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...
tour to the West Indies, where he opened the bowling in three of the four Test matches
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...
. He was not a success, taking only four wickets and scoring just 20 runs in the Tests, and on the tour as a whole, his wickets were expensive and he scored few runs.
Yet after another successful county season in 1948 – 1056 runs and 86 wickets, both at an improved average – he was picked for a second MCC tour in 1948-49, this time to South Africa
English cricket team in South Africa in 1948-49
The England national cricket team toured South Africa in the 1948-49 season. The tour was organised by the Marylebone Cricket Club and the side played five Test matches as England and 16 other first-class matches as "MCC". Two of the first-class matches took place in Rhodesia...
. Though he scored his maiden century in the match against a Natal side at Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg is the capital and second largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was founded in 1838, and is currently governed by the Msunduzi Local Municipality. Its "purist" Zulu name is umGungundlovu, and this is the name used for the district municipality...
, Tremlett was never in contention for a Test place and Wisden
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
's report on the tour said that his "bowling lacked control".
Over the next few years, Tremlett's batting developed to the point where, in 1951, he scored more than 2,000 runs. In all, he scored 1,000 runs in a season ten times. But his bowling became more and more erratic until, by the mid 1950s, he was used only as an occasional change bowler. From 1956, he captained
Captain (cricket)
The captain of a cricket team often referred to as the skipper is the appointed leader, having several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player...
Somerset, their first professional skipper, charged with the job of restoring the fortunes of a county that had finished bottom of the Championship table for each of the preceding four seasons. As a captain, he was a great success, leading the side in 1958 to third position in the Championship, its highest placing ever. He stood down from the captaincy after the 1959 season and, after a few games in 1960, he retired to a job with Guinness
Guinness
Guinness is a popular Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin. Guinness is directly descended from the porter style that originated in London in the early 18th century and is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost...
.
His son, Tim Tremlett
Tim Tremlett
Timothy Maurice Tremlett is a former English cricketer and current director of cricket of Hampshire County Cricket Club. He is the father of current England Test cricketer Chris Tremlett who also played for Hampshire and later, Surrey...
, was a fast-medium bowler for 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...
in the 1970s and 1980s, and later the county's coach. Tim's son (and Maurice's grandson), Chris Tremlett
Chris Tremlett
Christopher Timothy "Chris" Tremlett is an English cricketer who plays for Surrey County Cricket Club. He is 6 ft 8 in tall and is a fast bowler able to extract bounce on most surfaces. He is a competent number 8 or 9 batsman, with seven first-class fifties to his name...
, also a fast-medium bowler for Hampshire and later 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...
, has played international cricket for England in both Tests and One Day Internationals.
Maurice Tremlett died in Southhampton in 1984, at the age of 61.