John Shuter
Encyclopedia
John Shuter was a cricket
er who played for England
and Surrey
in the late 19th century. He is best remembered for captaining Surrey to a string of wins in the County Championship around the time it became official in 1890, aided by the bowler George Lohmann
and back up by John Sharpe
and William Lockwood
. Shuter first led Surrey to the County Championship in 1887. They then came first in 1888, tied with Lancashire
and Nottinghamshire
in 1889, and won again in 1890, 1891 and 1892. Shuter was a batsman and chiefly an off-side player.
Shuter was born in Thornton Heath, Surrey, England, the son of Leonard Shuter, a stave timber merchant, and Caroline. John went to Winchester School, playing in its cricket eleven from 1871 to 1873. Though a Surrey man by birth, Shuter had played much club cricket in Bexley and was thus qualified by residence for Kent
. After a single match in 1874, Shuter was rejected by Kent. He first played for his native county in 1877 and the following year jumped abruptly to the front rank of batsmen. He scored a century (then an exceptional feat due to the primitive pitches) against Sussex
at Hove the following year and in 1880 became captain of Surrey.
At first, rewards for this move were slow and Surrey entered a crisis around 1883 - by which time Shuter had become established as one of the best batsmen in England despite a number of failures for the Gentlemen against the Players in the years since 1879. However, after overcoming the crisis Surrey rapidly developed into a top-flight county side through Lohmann's bowling, which headed the list of first-class wicket-takers for seven successive years from 1885 to 1891. Shuter had his best seasons in batting from 1882 to 1887, though he never reached 1,000 runs in a season. He played one Test on his home ground in 1888, but by 1890, with only one score of over fifty, it was clear his best days as a batsman were over. He continued though, to play a major role as captain of Surrey until 1893, when owing to the failure of Abel
and their other top batsmen, they declined from first to sixth among nine counties.
Shuter made no score above 44 that season and owing to business resigned the captaincy. His only subsequent first-class match was for Surrey against Oxford University in 1909 at the age of fifty-four - with a team including Bill Hitch
, over thirty-one years younger.
Long after he retired he was appointed as a Test
selector (for the triangular tournament held in 1912) and secretary of Surrey in 1919 - a role which he did not hold for long as a stroke caused his sudden death in 1920. Although most noted for his cricketing exploits, Shuter joined his father in business as a stave timber merchant and cooper.
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 for 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...
and 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...
in the late 19th century. He is best remembered for captaining Surrey to a string of wins in the County Championship around the time it became official in 1890, aided by the bowler George Lohmann
George Lohmann
George Alfred Lohmann is regarded as one of the greatest bowlers of all time...
and back up by John Sharpe
John Sharpe (cricketer)
John Sharpe was a bowler who was George Lohmann's partner in the formidable Surrey sides that dominated the first years of the official cricket County Championship...
and William Lockwood
William Lockwood
William 'Bill' Lockwood William 'Bill' Lockwood William 'Bill' Lockwood (William Henry Lockwood; born 25 March 1868, Radford, Nottingham; died 26 April 1932, Radford, Nottingham was a fast bowler and the unpredictable, occasionally devastating counterpart to the amazingly hard-working Tom...
. Shuter first led Surrey to the County Championship in 1887. They then came first in 1888, tied with 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...
and Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club
Nottinghamshire 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 Nottinghamshire, and the current county champions. Its limited overs team is called the Nottinghamshire Outlaws...
in 1889, and won again in 1890, 1891 and 1892. Shuter was a batsman and chiefly an off-side player.
Shuter was born in Thornton Heath, Surrey, England, the son of Leonard Shuter, a stave timber merchant, and Caroline. John went to Winchester School, playing in its cricket eleven from 1871 to 1873. Though a Surrey man by birth, Shuter had played much club cricket in Bexley and was thus qualified by residence for 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...
. After a single match in 1874, Shuter was rejected by Kent. He first played for his native county in 1877 and the following year jumped abruptly to the front rank of batsmen. He scored a century (then an exceptional feat due to the primitive pitches) against Sussex
Sussex County Cricket Club
Sussex County Cricket Club is the oldest of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Sussex. The club was founded as a successor to Brighton Cricket Club which was a representative of the county of Sussex as a...
at Hove the following year and in 1880 became captain of Surrey.
At first, rewards for this move were slow and Surrey entered a crisis around 1883 - by which time Shuter had become established as one of the best batsmen in England despite a number of failures for the Gentlemen against the Players in the years since 1879. However, after overcoming the crisis Surrey rapidly developed into a top-flight county side through Lohmann's bowling, which headed the list of first-class wicket-takers for seven successive years from 1885 to 1891. Shuter had his best seasons in batting from 1882 to 1887, though he never reached 1,000 runs in a season. He played one Test on his home ground in 1888, but by 1890, with only one score of over fifty, it was clear his best days as a batsman were over. He continued though, to play a major role as captain of Surrey until 1893, when owing to the failure of Abel
Bobby Abel
Robert Abel , nicknamed "The Guv'nor", was a Surrey and England opening batsman who was one of the most prolific run-getters in the early years of the County Championship...
and their other top batsmen, they declined from first to sixth among nine counties.
Shuter made no score above 44 that season and owing to business resigned the captaincy. His only subsequent first-class match was for Surrey against Oxford University in 1909 at the age of fifty-four - with a team including Bill Hitch
Bill Hitch
John William "Bill" Hitch, born Radcliffe, Greater Manchester, on 7 May 1886, and died at Cardiff on 7 July 1965, was a cricketer who played for Surrey and England....
, over thirty-one years younger.
Long after he retired he was appointed as a 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...
selector (for the triangular tournament held in 1912) and secretary of Surrey in 1919 - a role which he did not hold for long as a stroke caused his sudden death in 1920. Although most noted for his cricketing exploits, Shuter joined his father in business as a stave timber merchant and cooper.