Henry Martyn (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
Henry Martyn was an English cricket
er who made 97 first-class
appearances for Oxford University
and Somerset
between 1899 and 1908. He is described in his Wisden
obituary as "one of the finest wicket-keepers ever seen in first-class cricket". In his 1981 article, John Arlott
selected Martyn as the best English wicket-keeper never to play for England.
against the MCC
in August 1896 and 1897, Martyn attended Oxford University. He played in the freshman's match in 1897, and played as part of the University eleven in 1899 and 1900. His performance in his first match for the University, against A J Webbe's XI, led Wisden to note that "it was obvious that a great wicketkeeper had been discovered". In this match, which Oxford University won by an innings and 85 runs, Martyn made two stumpings and took two catches. While at Oxford, Martyn made his first appearance for the Gentlemen in the Gentlemen v Players
fixture, taking two catches. In total, Martyn made 15 appearances for Oxford University, making four half-centuries
and making twelve stumpings. He made two performances against Oxford University in 1901, representing AJ Webbe's XI in May, and a few weeks later made his debut for Somerset
against his old team.
Martyn didn't appear again for Somerset until July 1902, when he was part of the team to face the touring Australians, a match in which he played as a specialist batsman, making a half-century in the first-innings. He played regular county cricket
for Somerset from 1902 until 1906, averaging 24.86 with the bat in 74 matches. Martyn's top-score in first-class cricket came in a 1905 match against the Australians, when opening the batting
whilst following-on
, he made an unbeaten
130. He was praised for his performance in the Gentlemen v Players match in 1906, when he was behind the wicket for fast bowlers
Walter Brearley
and Neville Knox
. Although he retired from first-class cricket at the conclusion of the 1906 season, he returned to play one last match for the county in 1908 for Len Braund
's benefit match.
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 made 97 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...
appearances 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...
and Somerset
Somerset County Cricket Club
Somerset 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 Somerset...
between 1899 and 1908. He is described in his Wisden
Wisden
The Wisden Group was a group of companies formed by John Wisden & Co Ltd, publishers of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. As well as John Wisden & Co, the group included the The Wisden Cricketer magazine, Cricinfo – the world's highest traffic cricket website – and the Hawk-Eye computerised...
obituary as "one of the finest wicket-keepers ever seen in first-class cricket". In his 1981 article, John Arlott
John Arlott
Leslie Thomas John Arlott OBE was an English journalist, author and cricket commentator for the BBC's Test Match Special. He was also a poet, wine connoisseur and former police officer in Hampshire...
selected Martyn as the best English wicket-keeper never to play for England.
Cricket career
After an education at Exeter Grammar School, where he played two matches for DevonDevon County Cricket Club
Devon 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 Devon and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy....
against the 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...
in August 1896 and 1897, Martyn attended Oxford University. He played in the freshman's match in 1897, and played as part of the University eleven in 1899 and 1900. His performance in his first match for the University, against A J Webbe's XI, led Wisden to note that "it was obvious that a great wicketkeeper had been discovered". In this match, which Oxford University won by an innings and 85 runs, Martyn made two stumpings and took two catches. While at Oxford, Martyn made his first appearance for the Gentlemen 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, taking two catches. In total, Martyn made 15 appearances for Oxford University, making four half-centuries
Century (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a batsman reaches his century when he scores 100 or more runs in a single innings. The term is also included in "century partnership" which occurs when two batsmen add 100 runs to the team total when they are batting together. A century is regarded as a landmark score for...
and making twelve stumpings. He made two performances against Oxford University in 1901, representing AJ Webbe's XI in May, and a few weeks later made his debut for Somerset
Somerset County Cricket Club
Somerset 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 Somerset...
against his old team.
Martyn didn't appear again for Somerset until July 1902, when he was part of the team to face the touring Australians, a match in which he played as a specialist batsman, making a half-century in the first-innings. He played regular county cricket
County cricket
County cricket is the highest level of domestic cricket in England and Wales. For the 2010 season, see 2010 English cricket season.-First-class counties:...
for Somerset from 1902 until 1906, averaging 24.86 with the bat in 74 matches. Martyn's top-score in first-class cricket came in a 1905 match against the Australians, when opening the batting
Batting order (cricket)
In cricket, the batting order is the sequence in which batsmen play through their team's innings, there always being two batsmen taking part at any one time...
whilst following-on
Follow-on
Follow-on is a term used in the sport of cricket to describe a situation where the team that bats second is forced to take its second batting innings immediately after its first, because the team was not able to get close enough to the score achieved by the first team batting in the first innings...
, he made an unbeaten
Not out
In cricket, a batsman will be not out if he comes out to bat in an innings and has not been dismissed by the end of the innings. One may similarly describe a batsman as not out while the innings is still in progress...
130. He was praised for his performance in the Gentlemen v Players match in 1906, when he was behind the wicket for fast bowlers
Fast bowling
Fast bowling, sometimes known as pace bowling, is one of the two main approaches to bowling in the sport of cricket. The other is spin bowling...
Walter Brearley
Walter Brearley
Walter Brearley, born March 11, 1876, at Bolton, Lancashire; died January 30, 1937, at the Middlesex Hospital, Marylebone, London was a cricketer who played for Lancashire and England....
and Neville Knox
Neville Knox
Neville Alexander Knox was an English fast bowler of the late 1900s and effectively the successor to Tom Richardson and William Lockwood in the Surrey team...
. Although he retired from first-class cricket at the conclusion of the 1906 season, he returned to play one last match for the county in 1908 for Len Braund
Len Braund
Leonard Charles Braund, born October 18, 1875, at Clewer, Berkshire, and died December 23, 1955, Putney Common, London, was a cricketer who played for Surrey, Somerset and England....
's benefit match.