Thomas Barker (Nottinghamshire cricketer)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Barker was an English
professional cricket
er, who played first-class cricket
from 1826 to 1845. He was a right-handed batsman and a roundarm
fast bowler. He became an umpire
when his playing career ended.
Barker was born in Carlton, Nottinghamshire
, England
. He was a member of the former Nottingham Cricket Club which evolved into Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club
during his career and he was mainly associated with these two clubs. He also played for Marylebone Cricket Club
(MCC) and he represented the Players in the Gentlemen v Players
fixture. He bowled at an extremely fast pace, using a roundarm action. William Denison
wrote of his style: "So violent was it, that he sometimes ran up to the crease and propelled his instrument of attack as though his head would follow the ball."
Barker made 72 known appearances in first-class cricket. He scored 1269 runs at 10.57 with a highest score of 58, that being his sole half-century. He took 34 catches. His bowling statistics are incomplete because for much of his career, bowlers were not credited with wickets faloing to catches. Even so he averaged nearly three wickets per match, with 210 known wickets at 14.77 with a best performance of seven in an innings. He took ten wickets in a match four times.
In 1843, Barker was badly injured in an accident involving a horse-drawn cab in London
. As a result, he had to stop playing in 1845 and was engaged by MCC as an umpire
. He stood in 70 first-class matches until 1865. During the winter months, he worked in Nottingham
as a stockinger.
He died in Nottingham, aged 78.
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...
professional 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 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...
from 1826 to 1845. He was a right-handed batsman and a roundarm
Roundarm bowling
In cricket, roundarm bowling is a style that was introduced in the first quarter of the 19th century and had largely superseded underarm bowling by the 1830s. Using a roundarm action, the bowler has his arm extended at about 90 degrees from his body at the point where he releases the ball...
fast bowler. He became 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...
when his playing career ended.
Barker was born in Carlton, Nottinghamshire
Carlton, Nottinghamshire
Carlton is a suburb to the east of the city of Nottingham in the borough of Gedling. It is close to Sneinton, Bakersfield, Mapperley, and St Anns. It is near the River Trent and has an NG4 postcode...
, England
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...
. He was a member of the former Nottingham Cricket Club which evolved into Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club
Nottinghamshire 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 Nottinghamshire, and the current county champions. Its limited overs team is called the Nottinghamshire Outlaws...
during his career and he was mainly associated with these two clubs. He also played for Marylebone Cricket Club
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...
(MCC) and he represented the Players in the Gentlemen v Players
Gentlemen v Players
The Gentlemen v Players game was a first-class cricket match that was generally played on an annual basis between one team consisting of amateurs and one of professionals . The first two games took place in 1806 but the fixture was not revived until 1819. It was more or less annual thereafter...
fixture. He bowled at an extremely fast pace, using a roundarm action. William Denison
William Denison (cricketer)
William Denison was involved in English cricket in the mid-19th century as a player, administrator and writer....
wrote of his style: "So violent was it, that he sometimes ran up to the crease and propelled his instrument of attack as though his head would follow the ball."
Barker made 72 known appearances in first-class cricket. He scored 1269 runs at 10.57 with a highest score of 58, that being his sole half-century. He took 34 catches. His bowling statistics are incomplete because for much of his career, bowlers were not credited with wickets faloing to catches. Even so he averaged nearly three wickets per match, with 210 known wickets at 14.77 with a best performance of seven in an innings. He took ten wickets in a match four times.
In 1843, Barker was badly injured in an accident involving a horse-drawn cab in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. As a result, he had to stop playing in 1845 and was engaged by MCC 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...
. He stood in 70 first-class matches until 1865. During the winter months, he worked in Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
as a stockinger.
He died in Nottingham, aged 78.
External links
Further reading
- Arthur HaygarthArthur HaygarthArthur Haygarth was a noted amateur cricketer who became one of cricket's most significant historians....
, Scores & Biographies, Volumes 2-3 (1827-1848), Lillywhite, 1862 - William North, Nottingham Old Club Match Scores, 1832