Pat Vaulkhard
Encyclopedia
Patrick Vaulkhard was an English
cricket
er who played first-class cricket for Nottinghamshire
in 1934 and for Derbyshire
between 1946 and 1952, being captain in 1950.
Vaulkhard was born in Nottingham
. He debuted for Nottinghamshire Second XI in the Minor Counties Championship at the age of nineteen in June 1931. He made his first-class debut for Nottinghamshire in the County Championship in 1934, and played a total of nine matches in the season without much success. He took his sole first-class wicket as a bowler against Sussex
in June of that year.
Vaulkhard was a protégé of Sir Julien Cahn
playing in several of his teams in the 1930s. In 1939 he played one season for Northumberland
.
Vaulkhard returned to first-class cricket in the 1946 season
, becoming one of the first post-war debutants for Derbyshire. During this season, he hit his first and only first-class century, a spectacular innings of 264 against his former club Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge, when he batted seven hours. This was the highest score of any Derbyshire player of the season, and at the time when the 1995 Wisden Cricketers' Almanack was published it was the third highest score in first-class history by a player who never hit another century during their career. This innings was part of a fourth-wicket partnership with Denis Smith
, which, at 328, remains a record for the team, and second in the list of single innings tallies for Derbyshire, only to George Davidson
's innings of 274 in 1896.
Vaulkhard saw less involvement in first-class cricket in the 1947 season
, and his averages tailed off to just five in the 1949 season
. However Derbyshire had difficulties finding a committed captain in the post-war years, and Vaulkhard was called upon for the job in the 1950 season
.. He played more first-class games during this season than in any other, averaging 21 and scoring five first-class half centuries, while Derbyshire finished fifth in the County Championship under his leadership. During his final two years in first-class cricket, he played only five times, retiring from a first-class career spanning eighteen years in the 1952 season
.
Vaulkhard was a middle-order batsman throughout his Derbyshire career, immediately prior to the emergence of Guy Willatt
as a strong first-team player. He was a right-handed batsman and played 122 innings in 77 first-class matches with an average of 21.39 and a top score of 264. A powerful batsman, he regularly hit sixes, and once sent the ball over the football stand at Bradford. He had almost no backlift and so he relied on the punched straight drive. Vaulkhard occasionally kept wicket. As a bowler he took one first class wicket at a cost of 124 runs.
Vaulkhard died in Cambridge
at the age of 83. Vaulkhard's brother, Geoffrey, represented Nottinghamshire's Second XI in 1949, while another brother, Denis, represented the same team in 1931.
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 first-class cricket for 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 1934 and for Derbyshire
Derbyshire County Cricket Club
Derbyshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the England and Wales domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Derbyshire...
between 1946 and 1952, being captain in 1950.
Vaulkhard was born in Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
. He debuted for Nottinghamshire Second XI in the Minor Counties Championship at the age of nineteen in June 1931. He made his first-class debut for Nottinghamshire in the County Championship in 1934, and played a total of nine matches in the season without much success. He took his sole first-class wicket as a bowler 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...
in June of that year.
Vaulkhard was a protégé of Sir Julien Cahn
Julien Cahn
Sir Julien Cahn, 1st Baronet was an entrepreneur, philanthropist and supporter of cricket.-His cricket XI:...
playing in several of his teams in the 1930s. In 1939 he played one season for Northumberland
Northumberland County Cricket Club
Northumberland 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 Northumberland and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy...
.
Vaulkhard returned to first-class cricket in the 1946 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1946
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1946 represents the first cricket season after a six year break from first class cricket during World War II. The English club Derbyshire had been playing for seventy five years...
, becoming one of the first post-war debutants for Derbyshire. During this season, he hit his first and only first-class century, a spectacular innings of 264 against his former club Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge, when he batted seven hours. This was the highest score of any Derbyshire player of the season, and at the time when the 1995 Wisden Cricketers' Almanack was published it was the third highest score in first-class history by a player who never hit another century during their career. This innings was part of a fourth-wicket partnership with Denis Smith
Denis Smith (cricketer)
Denis Smith was a cricketer who played for Derbyshire between 1927 and 1952 and in two Test matchs for England in 1935. He scored over 21,000 runs in first class cricket.Smith was born in Somercotes, Derbyshire...
, which, at 328, remains a record for the team, and second in the list of single innings tallies for Derbyshire, only to George Davidson
George Davidson (cricketer)
George Arthur Davidson was an English cricketer who played for Derbyshire between 1886 and 1898 and for Marylebone Cricket Club between 1888 and 1898. A useful all-rounder, he scored over 5500 runs and took 621 wickets in his first class career.Davidson was born in Brimington, Derbyshire, the son...
's innings of 274 in 1896.
Vaulkhard saw less involvement in first-class cricket in the 1947 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1947
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1947 represents the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for seventy-six years. It was their forty-third season in the County Championship and they won twelve matches and lost ten to finish fifth in the County Championship.-1947...
, and his averages tailed off to just five in the 1949 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1949
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1949 represents the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for seventy-eight years. It was their forty-fifth season in the County Championship and they won six matches in the County Championship to finish in fifteenth place.-1949...
. However Derbyshire had difficulties finding a committed captain in the post-war years, and Vaulkhard was called upon for the job in the 1950 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1950
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1950 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for seventy-nine years. It was their forty-sixth season in the County Championship and they won eight matches in the County Championship to finish in fifth place.-1950...
.. He played more first-class games during this season than in any other, averaging 21 and scoring five first-class half centuries, while Derbyshire finished fifth in the County Championship under his leadership. During his final two years in first-class cricket, he played only five times, retiring from a first-class career spanning eighteen years in the 1952 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1952
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1952 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for eighty one years. It was their forty-eighth season in the County Championship and they won eleven matches and lost eight to finish fourth in the County Championship.-1952...
.
Vaulkhard was a middle-order batsman throughout his Derbyshire career, immediately prior to the emergence of Guy Willatt
Guy Willatt
Guy Longfield Willatt was an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Cambridge University from 1938 to 1947, for Nottinghamshire from 1939 to 1948, for Scotland from 1948 to 1950 and for Derbyshire from 1950 to 1956. He was captain of Derbyshire from 1951 to 1954 and also played for...
as a strong first-team player. He was a right-handed batsman and played 122 innings in 77 first-class matches with an average of 21.39 and a top score of 264. A powerful batsman, he regularly hit sixes, and once sent the ball over the football stand at Bradford. He had almost no backlift and so he relied on the punched straight drive. Vaulkhard occasionally kept wicket. As a bowler he took one first class wicket at a cost of 124 runs.
Vaulkhard died in Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
at the age of 83. Vaulkhard's brother, Geoffrey, represented Nottinghamshire's Second XI in 1949, while another brother, Denis, represented the same team in 1931.