Dick Horsfall
Encyclopedia
Richard Horsfall, born at Todmorden
, Yorkshire
on 26 June 1920 and died at Halifax, Yorkshire on 25 August 1981, played first-class cricket
for Essex
between 1947 and 1955, and then played for a single season for Glamorgan
in 1956. He was a right-handed middle-order batsman.
Having played Lancashire League cricket for Todmorden
since 1936, Horsfall was recruited by Essex for the 1947 season and played in around half the team's first-class matches in his first season. In the game against Hampshire
at Bournemouth
, he scored 170, putting on 225 for the third wicket with Frank Vigar
, who made 125. The following season, though he did not improve on his highest score, he played in every Essex County Championship
match and made 1407 runs at an average
of 31.97. He was awarded his county cap, and was also picked for a team representing the South of England which played the new county champions, Glamorgan, in an end of season game.
In 1949, Horsfall's cricket was affected for the first time by the back injury that would plague the rest of his career. He appeared in only six first-class matches, and though he returned to just over half of Essex's matches in 1950, his batting was less successful. His only century in these two seasons came in a match against the Combined Services
. In 1951, however, he was fully fit and, playing in every Essex match, he made 1655 runs at an average of 35.21. His best score was 206, made in 270 minutes against Kent
at Blackheath, and he shared a third wicket partnership of 343 with Paul Gibb
which was the Essex county record until beaten by Mark Waugh
and Nasser Hussain
, who made an unbroken 347 against Lancashire
in 1992. The 206 remained Horsfall's highest first-class score and was his only double-century.
The 1952 and 1953 seasons were equally successful. In 1952, Horsfall made 1560 runs at an average of 33.91 and the 1953 return was his best: 1731 runs at an average of 37.63 and including five centuries. In its reports on the two seasons, Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
described Horsfall as "strong-driving"; he was a fast scorer throughout his career. The back injury returned, though, in 1954 and although he played regularly, he was not suited to slow pitches in a damp summer and his aggregate fell to 912 runs and an average of 21.20. Worse followed in 1955, with only 721 runs in 25 matches at an average of only 17.16, and at the end of the season he was not retained by Essex.
Horsfall was signed by Glamorgan for the 1956 season and made a promising start with an unbeaten 77 in a pre-season two-day friendly match against Gloucestershire
. But when the first-class cricket started he was out of form and managed only 76 runs in nine innings. After five matches, he was dropped from the side and his contract was cancelled. He returned to Lancashire League cricket with Todmorden in the 1957 season.
Todmorden
Todmorden is a market town and civil parish, located 17 miles from Manchester, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, in West Yorkshire, England. It forms part of the Upper Calder Valley and has a total population of 14,941....
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
on 26 June 1920 and died at Halifax, Yorkshire on 25 August 1981, 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...
for Essex
Essex County Cricket Club
Essex 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 Essex. Its limited overs team is called the Essex Eagles, their team colours this season are blue.The club plays most of its home games...
between 1947 and 1955, and then played for a single season for Glamorgan
Glamorgan County Cricket Club
Glamorgan 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 Glamorgan aka Glamorganshire . Glamorgan CCC is the only Welsh first-class cricket club. Glamorgan CCC have won the English County...
in 1956. He was a right-handed middle-order batsman.
Having played Lancashire League cricket for Todmorden
Todmorden Cricket Club
Todmorden Cricket Club is a cricket club in the Lancashire League, which plays its home games at Centre Vale in Todmorden, West Yorkshire. For the 2011 season its captain is Simon Newbitt, and its professional is Qaiser Abbas. The club has won the league on five occasions and won the cup eight times...
since 1936, Horsfall was recruited by Essex for the 1947 season and played in around half the team's first-class matches in his first season. In the game against 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...
at Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
, he scored 170, putting on 225 for the third wicket with Frank Vigar
Frank Vigar
Frank Henry Vigar was an English cricketer who played first class cricket for Essex between 1938 and 1954. A right-handed batsman, and leg break bowler, Vigar served as an all-rounder with 8,858 runs at 26.28 and 241 wickets at 37.90. From his rained-off debut in 1938, Vigar went on to play 257...
, who made 125. The following season, though he did not improve on his highest score, he played in every Essex County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
match and made 1407 runs at an average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
of 31.97. He was awarded his county cap, and was also picked for a team representing the South of England which played the new county champions, Glamorgan, in an end of season game.
In 1949, Horsfall's cricket was affected for the first time by the back injury that would plague the rest of his career. He appeared in only six first-class matches, and though he returned to just over half of Essex's matches in 1950, his batting was less successful. His only century in these two seasons came in a match against the Combined Services
Combined Services cricket team
The Combined Services cricket team represents the British armed forces. The team played at first-class level in England for more than forty years in the mid-twentieth century. Their first first-class match was against Gentlemen of England at Lord's in 1920, while their last was against Oxford...
. In 1951, however, he was fully fit and, playing in every Essex match, he made 1655 runs at an average of 35.21. His best score was 206, made in 270 minutes 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, and he shared a third wicket partnership of 343 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...
which was the Essex county record until beaten by Mark Waugh
Mark Waugh
Mark Edward Waugh AM is a former Australian cricketer, who represented Australia in Test matches from early 1991 to late 2002, and made his One-Day International debut in 1988. Waugh is regarded as one of the most elegant and gifted stroke makers to ever play the game. His nickname is "Junior" as...
and Nasser Hussain
Nasser Hussain
Nasser Hussain OBE is a former Essex and England cricketer.Beginning his career in a strong Essex side in the late 1980s, he was an outstanding fielder and a stylish but inconsistent batsman. In first-class cricket from 1987 to 2004 Hussain scored 20,698 runs in 334 matches at an average of 42.06,...
, who made an unbroken 347 against 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...
in 1992. The 206 remained Horsfall's highest first-class score and was his only double-century.
The 1952 and 1953 seasons were equally successful. In 1952, Horsfall made 1560 runs at an average of 33.91 and the 1953 return was his best: 1731 runs at an average of 37.63 and including five centuries. In its reports on the two seasons, Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
described Horsfall as "strong-driving"; he was a fast scorer throughout his career. The back injury returned, though, in 1954 and although he played regularly, he was not suited to slow pitches in a damp summer and his aggregate fell to 912 runs and an average of 21.20. Worse followed in 1955, with only 721 runs in 25 matches at an average of only 17.16, and at the end of the season he was not retained by Essex.
Horsfall was signed by Glamorgan for the 1956 season and made a promising start with an unbeaten 77 in a pre-season two-day friendly match against Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club
Gloucestershire 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 Gloucestershire. Its limited overs team is called the Gloucestershire Gladiators....
. But when the first-class cricket started he was out of form and managed only 76 runs in nine innings. After five matches, he was dropped from the side and his contract was cancelled. He returned to Lancashire League cricket with Todmorden in the 1957 season.