Hopper Read
Encyclopedia
Holcombe Douglas 'Hopper' Read (born January 28, 1910, Woodford Green
, Essex
, died January 5, 2000, Truro
, Cornwall
) was an English
cricket
er who played in one Test
in 1935.
Read was regarded as the fastest bowler in the world for the brief period he was able to play first-class cricket
, and though he could be extremely erratic in length he was still an extremely dangerous bowler on a lively pitch. Originally from Winchester College
, Read never went up to either Oxford or Cambridge University but his reputation as a fast bowler in club cricket was such that Surrey
gave him a trial against those two Universities in 1933 even though he never claimed qualification to represent Surrey in County Championship
matches. Although he took 4 for 26 in the second innings against Cambridge, Surrey did not think it worth having Read properly qualify for them and they raised no objections when Essex
asked if he might be available. Read was obviously qualified for Essex: not only was he born there but his father, Arthur Holcombe "Arnold" Read, had played 22 games for their first eleven between 1904 and 1910.
Read played only one match for Essex in 1933 and took none for 56, but the following year, coming into the team after Kent
has punished the Essex bowling for 803 runs at the cost of only four wickets, he caused a sensation. In his first over, he knocked off the cap of Jack Hobbs
- in his last season of first-class cricket - and then bowled him. On a good pitch, Read's speed caused him to carry all before him with seven wickets for 35. Although his training as a chartered accountant
made his appearances limited, he still took 69 wickets at an average better than any fast bowler except Larwood
and his Essex compatriot Ken Farnes
. For the Gentlemen against the Players at Folkestone in September Read took in two innings nine wickets for 171 runs.
In 1935, Read's profession prevented him playing any cricket until mid-June but when he entered the Essex side, he immediately clicked. Despite the fact that Farnes could not help him owing to injury, Read and Stan Nichols
stood alone as a pace-bowling duo and in a sensational match at Huddersfield, their sheer pace off the pitch bowled out the otherwise unbeaten Yorkshire
eleven for 31 and 99, giving Essex a win by an innings and 204 runs. This performance led to him being chosen for the last Test match
against a strong South African side. On a shirt-front pitch, Read bowled very well to take six wickets - all of recognised batsmen. He was chosen for a tour led by Errol Holmes
to Australia and New Zealand but his form there was variable - though he did take 11 for 100 against a New Zealand XI at Dunedin.
However, Read's employers at this time became so angry at his absence from duties as a chartered accountant that they threatened to sack him if he continued to play three-day cricket in the season of 1936. Consequently, the tour was the end of Read's career in first-class cricket apart from one match in 1948 for the MCC
against Ireland. Essex - who with Farnes and Read in tandem would have had the two fastest bowlers in the world and potentially the fastest attack of any county side in history - were never able to see what the potential of the two together would have been as they only were able to play together in one match on a slow wicket at the Wagon Works Ground against Gloucestershire
in late 1934.
Read did play in club cricket on Saturdays for Enfield Green and The Butterflies for many years after he was no longer able to play three-day matches.
Although a capable fast bowler, Hopper Read undoubtedly ranks as one of the worst batsmen in the history of first-class cricket. At one point in 1935 he played eight successive runless innings, and for his whole career his runs totalled almost thirty percent less than his aggregate of wickets at a batting average that is still the lowest of any cricketer ever to play for his country. The only other Test cricketers with a first-class average of under four runs an innings are South African Alf Hall and Glamorgan pacemen Jeff Jones
.
Woodford Green
Woodford Green, formerly in the county of Essex, is part of the North East London suburb of Woodford, on the edge of Epping Forest, mostly within the London Borough of Redbridge with a small part on the western side of the green within the London Borough of Waltham Forest .-History:Woodford Green...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, died January 5, 2000, Truro
Truro
Truro is a city and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The city is the centre for administration, leisure and retail in Cornwall, with a population recorded in the 2001 census of 17,431. Truro urban statistical area, which includes parts of surrounding parishes, has a 2001 census...
, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
) was an English
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 who played in one Test
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...
in 1935.
Read was regarded as the fastest bowler in the world for the brief period he was able to play 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...
, and though he could be extremely erratic in length he was still an extremely dangerous bowler on a lively pitch. Originally from Winchester College
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
, Read never went up to either Oxford or Cambridge University but his reputation as a fast bowler in club cricket was such that 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...
gave him a trial against those two Universities in 1933 even though he never claimed qualification to represent Surrey in County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
matches. Although he took 4 for 26 in the second innings against Cambridge, Surrey did not think it worth having Read properly qualify for them and they raised no objections when 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...
asked if he might be available. Read was obviously qualified for Essex: not only was he born there but his father, Arthur Holcombe "Arnold" Read, had played 22 games for their first eleven between 1904 and 1910.
Read played only one match for Essex in 1933 and took none for 56, but the following year, coming into the team after 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...
has punished the Essex bowling for 803 runs at the cost of only four wickets, he caused a sensation. In his first over, he knocked off the cap of Jack Hobbs
Jack Hobbs
Sir John Berry "Jack" Hobbs was an English professional cricketer who played for Surrey from 1905 to 1934 and for England in 61 Test matches from 1908 to 1930....
- in his last season of first-class cricket - and then bowled him. On a good pitch, Read's speed caused him to carry all before him with seven wickets for 35. Although his training as a chartered accountant
Chartered Accountant
Chartered Accountants were the first accountants to form a professional body, initially established in Britain in 1854. The Edinburgh Society of Accountants , the Glasgow Institute of Accountants and Actuaries and the Aberdeen Society of Accountants were each granted a royal charter almost from...
made his appearances limited, he still took 69 wickets at an average better than any fast bowler except Larwood
Harold Larwood
Harold Larwood was an English cricket player, an extremely accurate fast bowler best known for his key role as the implementer of fast leg theory in the infamous "bodyline" Ashes Test series of 1932–33....
and his Essex compatriot Ken Farnes
Ken Farnes
Kenneth Farnes was an English cricketer. He played in 15 Tests from 1934 to 1939.Farnes was born in Leytonstone, Essex, and was educated at the Royal Liberty School in Gidea Park. He made his first-class debut for Essex in 1930, aged only 19. He took 5-36 in his second county match against Kent...
. For the Gentlemen against the Players at Folkestone in September Read took in two innings nine wickets for 171 runs.
In 1935, Read's profession prevented him playing any cricket until mid-June but when he entered the Essex side, he immediately clicked. Despite the fact that Farnes could not help him owing to injury, Read and Stan Nichols
Stan Nichols
Stan Nichols was the leading all-rounder in English cricket for much of the 1930s.-Career:In his youth primarily a football goalkeeper who played for some time with Queen's Park Rangers,...
stood alone as a pace-bowling duo and in a sensational match at Huddersfield, their sheer pace off the pitch bowled out the otherwise unbeaten Yorkshire
Yorkshire County Cricket Club
Yorkshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Yorkshire as one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure....
eleven for 31 and 99, giving Essex a win by an innings and 204 runs. This performance led to him being chosen for the last Test match
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...
against a strong South African side. On a shirt-front pitch, Read bowled very well to take six wickets - all of recognised batsmen. He was chosen for a tour led by Errol Holmes
Errol Holmes
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....
to Australia and New Zealand but his form there was variable - though he did take 11 for 100 against a New Zealand XI at Dunedin.
However, Read's employers at this time became so angry at his absence from duties as a chartered accountant that they threatened to sack him if he continued to play three-day cricket in the season of 1936. Consequently, the tour was the end of Read's career in first-class cricket apart from one match in 1948 for 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...
against Ireland. Essex - who with Farnes and Read in tandem would have had the two fastest bowlers in the world and potentially the fastest attack of any county side in history - were never able to see what the potential of the two together would have been as they only were able to play together in one match on a slow wicket at the Wagon Works Ground 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....
in late 1934.
Read did play in club cricket on Saturdays for Enfield Green and The Butterflies for many years after he was no longer able to play three-day matches.
Although a capable fast bowler, Hopper Read undoubtedly ranks as one of the worst batsmen in the history of first-class cricket. At one point in 1935 he played eight successive runless innings, and for his whole career his runs totalled almost thirty percent less than his aggregate of wickets at a batting average that is still the lowest of any cricketer ever to play for his country. The only other Test cricketers with a first-class average of under four runs an innings are South African Alf Hall and Glamorgan pacemen Jeff Jones
Jeff Jones (cricketer)
Jeff Jones is a former Welsh cricketer, who took forty-four wickets in fifteen Tests for England from 1964 to 1968....
.