Tom Clark (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Henry 'Tom' Clark (5 October 1924 - 14 June 1981) was an English
cricket
er. He played for Surrey
as an opening batsman. His career with them took in the period from 1952 to 1958 when they won an unequalled seven successive County Championship
titles.
He began with the Minor County Bedfordshire
, that being the county of his birth, and played three matches for them in August, 1946. He then joined Surrey. He played in only six first-class
matches in total between 1947 and 1949, but made a big advance in 1950 when he played in 19 matches, scored his maiden century and averaged 31.37. He had a poor season the following year and appeared in only 11 matches, but in 1952 he reached 1,000 runs in a season for the first time, averaged 36.15 and was awarded his county cap. From then on he was a regular member of the side until worsening arthritis
meant that after 1959 he was no longer fit enough for first-class cricket. He had two poor seasons in 1955 and 1958, but otherwise reached 1,000 runs every year, making six times in all. When he made his highest score of 191 against Kent
at Blackheath
in 1956, he put on 174 in two hours with Peter May for the third wicket.
He was a useful off-spinner, but his opportunities with the ball were limited by the presence in the Surrey side of Jim Laker
and Eric Bedser
.
Before concentrating on cricket, he played football
for Aston Villa
, appearing in their reserve team. In May 1948 he moved to Walsall
, for whom he scored 3 goals in 9 first team games in the Third Division (South)
.
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. He 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...
as an opening batsman. His career with them took in the period from 1952 to 1958 when they won an unequalled seven successive County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
titles.
He began with the Minor County Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire County Cricket Club
Bedfordshire County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Bedfordshire and competing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy. The Minor Counties play three-day...
, that being the county of his birth, and played three matches for them in August, 1946. He then joined Surrey. He played in only six 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...
matches in total between 1947 and 1949, but made a big advance in 1950 when he played in 19 matches, scored his maiden century and averaged 31.37. He had a poor season the following year and appeared in only 11 matches, but in 1952 he reached 1,000 runs in a season for the first time, averaged 36.15 and was awarded his county cap. From then on he was a regular member of the side until worsening arthritis
Arthritis
Arthritis is a form of joint disorder that involves inflammation of one or more joints....
meant that after 1959 he was no longer fit enough for first-class cricket. He had two poor seasons in 1955 and 1958, but otherwise reached 1,000 runs every year, making six times in all. When he made his highest score of 191 against Kent
Kent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
at Blackheath
Rectory Field
Rectory Field is a playing field in Blackheath, London. It was developed in the 1880s by Blackheath Cricket, Football and Lawn Tennis Company and became the home of Kent County Cricket Club and rugby union team Blackheath F.C....
in 1956, he put on 174 in two hours with Peter May for the third wicket.
He was a useful off-spinner, but his opportunities with the ball were limited by the presence in the Surrey side of Jim Laker
Jim Laker
James "Jim" Charles Laker was a cricketer who played for England in the 1950s, known for "Laker's match" in 1956 at Old Trafford, when he took nineteen wickets in England's victory against Australia...
and Eric Bedser
Eric Bedser
Eric Arthur Bedser was a cricket player for Surrey County Cricket Club. He was the elder identical twin brother of Sir Alec , widely regarded as one of England's top bowlers of the 20th century...
.
Before concentrating on cricket, he played football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
for Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
, appearing in their reserve team. In May 1948 he moved to Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
, for whom he scored 3 goals in 9 first team games in the Third Division (South)
Football League Third Division South
The Football League Third Division South was a level of English professional football which ran in parallel to Third Division North from 1921 to 1958....
.