Victor Norbury
Encyclopedia
Duncan Victor Norbury was an English all-round sportsman, who played football for Southampton
and cricket
for Hampshire
and Lancashire
.
in a County Championship at New Road, Worcester
in June 1905. He appeared regularly for Hampshire that summer, and twice in 1906, making a total of eleven appearances, scoring a total of 179 runs.
Between 1909 and 1913, he played minor counties cricket
with Northumberland
, making 24 appearances in total and establishing a reputation as a reliable opening batsman and slow right-arm bowler. From 1912 onwards, Norbury also played for East Lancashire
as a professional, claiming over 100 wickets for the 1912 and 1913 seasons.
After the First World War, he joined Lancashire
for whom he made eight appearances in 1919
. In a match against Surrey
, Norbury scored his only first-class century when he scored exactly 100 runs in a drawn match. Whilst on the books of the county club, he continued to turn out for East Lancashire in the Lancashire League until 1924.
His next county championship appearances came for Lancashire in 1922
, when he made a further six appearances. His swan song
as a professional cricketer came in 1935, when he played for Sir Lindsay Parkinson's XI against Leicestershire
.
. His youth football was played for the village team and later for Brockenhurst
, from where he joined Southampton
in 1905. Norbury spent most of his football career in the reserves, but made his debut for the first team as a replacement at left-back for Horace Glover
away to Brentford
on 29 September 1906. Norbury retained his place for the next match, in a 5–1 victory at home to Millwall
. This was the "Saints" first win of the season (having managed only two draws in the first five matches); despite this, Norbury lost his place back to Glover and made only one further first-team appearance, taking over from Jack Eastham
at right-back at home to Clapton Orient on 16 February 1907.
In the summer of 1907, he turned out for his local village team, Bartley Cross, but broke his leg, thus preventing him from playing cricket that summer.
, who also played cricket for Hampshire and football for Southampton.
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
and 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...
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...
and Lancashire
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
.
Cricket career
He made his first class cricket debut for HampshireHampshire 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 a County Championship at New Road, Worcester
New Road, Worcester
New Road, Worcester, England, has been the home cricket ground of Worcestershire County Cricket Club since 1896. Immediately to the northwest is a road called New Road, part of the A44, hence the name.- Overview :...
in June 1905. He appeared regularly for Hampshire that summer, and twice in 1906, making a total of eleven appearances, scoring a total of 179 runs.
Between 1909 and 1913, he played minor counties cricket
Minor Counties Cricket Championship
The Minor Counties Cricket Championship is a season-long competition in England that is contested by those county cricket clubs that do not have first-class status...
with Northumberland
Northumberland County Cricket Club
Northumberland 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 Northumberland and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy...
, making 24 appearances in total and establishing a reputation as a reliable opening batsman and slow right-arm bowler. From 1912 onwards, Norbury also played for East Lancashire
East Lancashire Cricket Club
East Lancashire Cricket Club is a cricket club in the Lancashire League, which plays its home games at Alexandra Meadows in Blackburn. For the 2011 season its captain will be Mark Bolton and its professional will be Ockert Erasmus...
as a professional, claiming over 100 wickets for the 1912 and 1913 seasons.
After the First World War, he joined Lancashire
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
for whom he made eight appearances in 1919
1919 English cricket season
The 1919 English cricket season was the first to stage first-class cricket since 1914. Yorkshire won the title but in their team as in everyone else's, the sense was of overwhelming loss. The county matches in this season were played over a course of two days...
. In a match against 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...
, Norbury scored his only first-class century when he scored exactly 100 runs in a drawn match. Whilst on the books of the county club, he continued to turn out for East Lancashire in the Lancashire League until 1924.
His next county championship appearances came for Lancashire in 1922
1922 English cricket season
The 1922 English cricket season saw Yorkshire recover the County Championship and begin a run of four successive titles.- Honours :*County Championship - Yorkshire*Minor Counties Championship - Buckinghamshire...
, when he made a further six appearances. His swan song
Swan song
"Swan song" is a metaphorical phrase for a final gesture, effort, or performance given just before death or retirement. The phrase refers to an ancient belief that the Mute Swan is completely silent during its lifetime until the moment just before death, when it sings one beautiful song...
as a professional cricketer came in 1935, when he played for Sir Lindsay Parkinson's XI against Leicestershire
Leicestershire County Cricket Club
Leicestershire 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 Leicestershire. It has also been representative of the county of Rutland....
.
Football career
Norbury was born in Bartley on the eastern edge of the New ForestNew Forest
The New Forest is an area of southern England which includes the largest remaining tracts of unenclosed pasture land, heathland and forest in the heavily-populated south east of England. It covers south-west Hampshire and extends into south-east Wiltshire....
. His youth football was played for the village team and later for Brockenhurst
Brockenhurst F.C.
Brockenhurst F.C. is a football club from Brockenhurst, near Lymington, in Hampshire, England. It was founded in 1898 and played mostly in friendlies before eventually joining the New Forest League. The club moved up to the Hampshire League in 1924 but after only two seasons at the higher level...
, from where he joined Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
in 1905. Norbury spent most of his football career in the reserves, but made his debut for the first team as a replacement at left-back for Horace Glover
Horace Glover
Horace Victor Glover was an English professional footballer who played at left-back for Southampton and West Ham United in the decade prior to World War I.-Football career:...
away to Brentford
Brentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
on 29 September 1906. Norbury retained his place for the next match, in a 5–1 victory at home to Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
. This was the "Saints" first win of the season (having managed only two draws in the first five matches); despite this, Norbury lost his place back to Glover and made only one further first-team appearance, taking over from Jack Eastham
Jack Eastham
John Bilborough "Jack" Eastham was an English footballer who spent most of his career with Blackburn Rovers and then Southampton playing as a full-back.-Blackburn Rovers:...
at right-back at home to Clapton Orient on 16 February 1907.
In the summer of 1907, he turned out for his local village team, Bartley Cross, but broke his leg, thus preventing him from playing cricket that summer.
Family
His brother-in-law was Henry SmokerHenry Smoker
Henry George Smoker was an English all-round sportsman, who played football for Southampton and cricket for Hampshire and Cheshire.-Football career:...
, who also played cricket for Hampshire and football for Southampton.