Sidney Martin
Encyclopedia
Sidney Hugh Martin was a South Africa
n cricketer
who played 267 first-class
games in both South African and English
cricket. He was the uncle of South Africa Test cricket
er Hugh Tayfield
.
Martin made his first-class debut in the Currie Cup for Natal against Eastern Province
in March 1926, taking two second-innings wickets including that of Arthur Ochse.
He played two more games (both also against Natal) the following season, taking six wickets in the first match and scoring 64 not out
in the first innings of the second game.
In 1929 Martin made his debut in England, playing for MCC
against Oxford University
at Lord's
,
and although he returned to Natal during the English winters,
he played no further cricket outside England until after the Second World War.
He appeared quite regularly for MCC in 1929 and 1930; his best bowling return for them was the 7-43 he claimed in the first innings against the Royal Navy in July 1929,
while his highest score was the 97 he made against the Army
in August 1930.
In 1931 Martin made a rather low-key Worcestershire
debut, taking two wickets and scoring 4 against the New Zealanders
.
He began his County Championship
career the following season, and remained a stalwart of the side until the outbreak of war. He just failed to score his thousand first-class runs for the season in 1932, but reached the landmark every year from 1933 to 1939, while in both 1937 and 1939 he achieved the double
.
His most productive year with the bat was 1935, in which he hit five centuries, including his career best: a first-innings 191*
versus Northamptonshire
; at one stage Worcestershire had been 26/4.
As a bowler, he three times took eight wickets in an innings, the best of these returns (and the best of his career) being the 8-24 he claimed against Sussex
in August 1939; his match figures were 13-88.
The war then intervened, and indeed he never played first-class cricket in England again. His next appearance was back with Natal, playing against Transvaal
in a match starting on Boxing Day
1945; Martin scored 67 but took only one wicket.
He played a full Currie Cup campaign with Natal in 1946/47, and in November 1946 took 5-32 against Griqualand West
.
From 1947/48 until the end of his career in 1949/50, Martin represented Rhodesia, now having moved to live there.
For them, his best performance was the 6-49 he took against a touring MCC side at Salisbury in February 1949.
He captained the Rhodesia team on four occasions.
Although he never acted as an umpire
in a first-class match, he did stand (with Paul Gibb
) in Worcestershire's centenary single-innings game against MCC in 1965.
Other than his nephew Hugh Tayfield (mentioned above) three of Martin's other relatives played first-class cricket: his son Hugh Martin, and two other nephews Arthur Tayfield and Cyril Tayfield.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n cricketer
Cricketer
A cricketer is a person who plays the sport of cricket. Official and long-established cricket publications prefer the traditional word "cricketer" over the rarely used term "cricket player"....
who played 267 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...
games in both South African and English
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. He was the uncle of South Africa Test cricket
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...
er Hugh Tayfield
Hugh Tayfield
Hugh Joseph Tayfield was a cricketer. He played 37 Test matches for South Africa from 1949 to 1960 and was one of the best off spinners the game has seen. He was the fastest South African to take 100 wickets in Tests until Dale Steyn claimed the record in March 2008...
.
Martin made his first-class debut in the Currie Cup for Natal against Eastern Province
Eastern Province cricket team
Eastern Province cricket team is the team representing the Eastern Province in domestic first-class cricket in South Africa.-Honours:* Currie Cup - 1988–89, 1991–92; shared - 1989–90* Standard Bank Cup - 1989–90, 1991–92...
in March 1926, taking two second-innings wickets including that of Arthur Ochse.
He played two more games (both also against Natal) the following season, taking six wickets in the first match and scoring 64 not out
Not out
In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress...
in the first innings of the second game.
In 1929 Martin made his debut in England, playing 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...
against 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...
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...
,
and although he returned to Natal during the English winters,
he played no further cricket outside England until after the Second World War.
He appeared quite regularly for MCC in 1929 and 1930; his best bowling return for them was the 7-43 he claimed in the first innings against the Royal Navy in July 1929,
while his highest score was the 97 he made against the Army
British Army cricket team
The Army cricket team is a cricket side representing the British Army. The team played a number of first-class matches between 1912 and 1939, although a combined "Army and Navy" side had played two games against a combined Oxford and Cambridge team in 1910 and 1911...
in August 1930.
In 1931 Martin made a rather low-key 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...
debut, taking two wickets and scoring 4 against the New Zealanders
New Zealand cricket team
The New Zealand cricket team, nicknamed the Black Caps, are the national cricket team representing New Zealand. They played their first in 1930 against England in Christchurch, New Zealand, becoming the fifth country to play Test cricket. It took the team until 1955–56 to win a Test, against the...
.
He began his County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
career the following season, and remained a stalwart of the side until the outbreak of war. He just failed to score his thousand first-class runs for the season in 1932, but reached the landmark every year from 1933 to 1939, while in both 1937 and 1939 he achieved the double
Double (cricket)
A cricketer is said to achieve the double if he scores a thousand or more runs and also takes a hundred or more wickets in first-class matches during the course of a single season. The feat is extremely rare outside England because of the smaller number of first-class matches played in most other...
.
His most productive year with the bat was 1935, in which he hit five centuries, including his career best: a first-innings 191*
Not out
In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress...
versus Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire County Cricket Club
Northamptonshire 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 Northamptonshire. Its limited overs team is called the Northants Steelbacks. The traditional club colour is Maroon. During the...
; at one stage Worcestershire had been 26/4.
As a bowler, he three times took eight wickets in an innings, the best of these returns (and the best of his career) being the 8-24 he claimed 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...
in August 1939; his match figures were 13-88.
The war then intervened, and indeed he never played first-class cricket in England again. His next appearance was back with Natal, playing against Transvaal
Transvaal cricket team
Gauteng cricket team is the first-class cricket team of the province of Gauteng in South Africa....
in a match starting on Boxing Day
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
1945; Martin scored 67 but took only one wicket.
He played a full Currie Cup campaign with Natal in 1946/47, and in November 1946 took 5-32 against Griqualand West
Griqualand West cricket team
The Griqualand West cricket team is the first-class cricket team that represents the province of Griqualand West in South Africa. For the purposes of the SuperSport Series, Griqualand West has merged with Free State to form the Eagles from October 2004....
.
From 1947/48 until the end of his career in 1949/50, Martin represented Rhodesia, now having moved to live there.
For them, his best performance was the 6-49 he took against a touring MCC side at Salisbury in February 1949.
He captained the Rhodesia team on four occasions.
Although he never acted as an 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...
in a first-class match, he did stand (with Paul Gibb
Paul Gibb
Paul Gibb was an English cricketer, who played in eight Tests for England from 1938 to 1946. He also played first-class cricket for Cambridge University and Yorkshire, mostly as a batsman but occasionally also keeping wicket.Gibb was educated at St Edward's School, Oxford, and played first-class...
) in Worcestershire's centenary single-innings game against MCC in 1965.
Other than his nephew Hugh Tayfield (mentioned above) three of Martin's other relatives played first-class cricket: his son Hugh Martin, and two other nephews Arthur Tayfield and Cyril Tayfield.