Errol Holmes
Encyclopedia
Errol Reginald Thorold Holmes, born at Calcutta on 21 August 1905 and died in London
on 16 August 1960, was a cricketer
who played for Oxford University
, Surrey
and England
.
A dashing right-handed batsman, Holmes believed that cricket was to be enjoyed and was an important figure in restoring the reputation of English cricket after the Bodyline
controversy of the early 1930s. He succeeded the Bodyline captain Douglas Jardine
as captain of Surrey in 1934 and resolutely refused to use short-pitched bowling in county matches. He also captained the unofficial "goodwill" MCC
tour to Australia and New Zealand in 1935-36.
Holmes came to prominence as a hard-hitting batsman for Oxford University from 1925 to 1927 and played a few matches for Surrey in those seasons. He also bowled fast-medium, though it was reported that his run-up tended to be rather more fearsome than the bowling that resulted from it.
After Oxford, Holmes left first-class cricket
for six seasons to pursue a business career before being called back to captain Surrey from 1934. He was an instant success, making 1,000 runs in each of the next four seasons and being appointed vice-captain on the MCC tour of the West Indies where he played four Test matches
. He also played one Test at Lord's in the 1935 series against South Africa
, but business commitments led him to pull out of the 1936-37 tour to Australia under Gubby Allen
, and he retired from the Surrey captaincy to resume his business career in 1938.
After the Second World War, Holmes was persuaded back to Surrey as captain for two further seasons from 1947, and as late as 1955, at the age of 49, he came back to captain Surrey in one match against Oxford University, batting at number nine and scoring 49 runs. He was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1936. In retirement, he sat on MCC and Surrey committees.
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...
on 16 August 1960, was a 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 for 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...
, 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...
and England
English cricket team
The England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end...
.
A dashing right-handed batsman, Holmes believed that cricket was to be enjoyed and was an important figure in restoring the reputation of English cricket after the Bodyline
Bodyline
Bodyline, also known as fast leg theory bowling, was a cricketing tactic devised by the English cricket team for their 1932–33 Ashes tour of Australia, specifically to combat the extraordinary batting skill of Australia's Don Bradman...
controversy of the early 1930s. He succeeded the Bodyline captain Douglas Jardine
Douglas Jardine
Douglas Robert Jardine was an English cricketer and captain of the England cricket team from 1931 to 1933–34.When describing cricket seasons, the convention used is that a single year represents an English cricket season, while two years represent a southern hemisphere cricket season because it...
as captain of Surrey in 1934 and resolutely refused to use short-pitched bowling in county matches. He also captained the unofficial "goodwill" 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...
tour to Australia and New Zealand in 1935-36.
Holmes came to prominence as a hard-hitting batsman for Oxford University from 1925 to 1927 and played a few matches for Surrey in those seasons. He also bowled fast-medium, though it was reported that his run-up tended to be rather more fearsome than the bowling that resulted from it.
After Oxford, Holmes left 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 six seasons to pursue a business career before being called back to captain Surrey from 1934. He was an instant success, making 1,000 runs in each of the next four seasons and being appointed vice-captain on the MCC tour of the West Indies where he played four Test matches
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...
. He also played one Test at Lord's in the 1935 series against South Africa
South African cricket team
The South African national cricket team represent South Africa in international cricket. They are administrated by Cricket South Africa.South Africa is a full member of the International Cricket Council, also known as ICC, with Test and One Day International, or ODI, status...
, but business commitments led him to pull out of the 1936-37 tour to Australia under Gubby Allen
Gubby Allen
Sir George Oswald Browning "Gubby" Allen, CBE was a cricketer who played for Middlesex, Cambridge University, MCC and England. Australian-born, Allen was a fast bowler and hard-hitting lower-order batsman, who captained England in eleven Test matches...
, and he retired from the Surrey captaincy to resume his business career in 1938.
After the Second World War, Holmes was persuaded back to Surrey as captain for two further seasons from 1947, and as late as 1955, at the age of 49, he came back to captain Surrey in one match against Oxford University, batting at number nine and scoring 49 runs. He was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1936. In retirement, he sat on MCC and Surrey committees.