Thomas Armstrong (cricketer, born 1909)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Riley Armstrong was an English cricket
er who played first class cricket for Derbyshire
from 1929 to 1950
Armstrong was born at Clay Cross
, Derbyshire
. He made his debut for Derbyshire in the 1929 season
against Worcestershire
in June when he bowled without taking a wicket and made 1 run in each innings. That was his only game that year and he only played two games in the 1930 season
season but took 4 wickets in them. In the 1931 season
he began to play more regularly and in the 1932 season
managed 5 for 27 against Warwickshire
. In the 1933 season
he reached a peak with 36 wickets and 7 for 57 against Somerset
and 7 for 87 against Northamptonshire
. He made his top score of 28 not out against Worcestershire in the 1934 season
and took 5 for 72 against Nottinghamshire
. In the 1935 season
he made just one appearance which was against Lancashire
when he took 5 for 13. He only turned out twice in the 1936 Championship winning season
and in the match against Somerset at Wells he had Arthur Wellard
dropped on one run before Wellard went on to strike him for seven sixes, including five from successive balls. In two games in the 1937 season
he took 7 for 36 against Gloucestershire
. He did not appear in 1938 and in the 1939 season
took no wickets in three matches.
Armstrong was an accountant with Jaguar cars in Coventry and during the war he played a number of miscellaneous games for Coventry. He returned to the Derbyshire side in the 1946 season
, another good season when he took 5 for 32 against Yorks. He then played one game in each of his final seasons 1949
and 1950
, both against Lancashire. Armstrong was a league professional in the north and midlands, but never won a Derbyshire cap. His last game was with Smethwick in the Birmingham League.
Armstrong was a slow left-arm orthodox bowler and took 133 first class wickets with an average of 24.35 and a best performance of 7 for 36. He was a left-hand batsman and played 83 innings in 58 first class matches with a top score of 28 not out and an average of 6.28.
Armstrong died at Marfield Court Nursing Home, Leicestershire
at the age of 90.
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 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...
from 1929 to 1950
Armstrong was born at Clay Cross
Clay Cross
Clay Cross is a former mining town and civil parish in the North East Derbyshire district of Derbyshire, England, about six miles south of Chesterfield. It is directly on the A61, the former Roman road Ryknield Street...
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
. He made his debut for Derbyshire in the 1929 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1929
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1929 represents the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for fifty eight years. It was their thirty-first season in the County Championship and they came seventh in the competition after winning ten matches in the championship.-1929...
against Worcestershire
Worcestershire County Cricket Club
Worcestershire 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 Worcestershire...
in June when he bowled without taking a wicket and made 1 run in each innings. That was his only game that year and he only played two games in the 1930 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1930
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1930 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for fifty nine years. It was their thirty-second season in the County Championship and they won seven matches to finish ninth in the County Championship..-1930 season:Derbyshire played...
season but took 4 wickets in them. In the 1931 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1931
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1931 represents the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for sixty years. It was their thirty-third season in the County Championship and they won seven matches to finish seventh.-1931 season:...
he began to play more regularly and in the 1932 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1932
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1932 represents the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for sixty one years. It was their thirty-fourth season in the County Championship and they won six matches to finish tenth-1932 season:...
managed 5 for 27 against Warwickshire
Warwickshire County Cricket Club
Warwickshire 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 Warwickshire. Its limited overs team is called the Warwickshire Bears. Their kit colours are black and gold and the shirt sponsor...
. In the 1933 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1933
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1933 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for sixty two years. It was their thirty-fifth season in the County Championship and they won eleven matches to finish sixth.-1933 season:...
he reached a peak with 36 wickets and 7 for 57 against 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...
and 7 for 87 against Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire County Cricket Club
Northamptonshire 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 Northamptonshire. Its limited overs team is called the Northants Steelbacks. The traditional club colour is Maroon. During the...
. He made his top score of 28 not out against Worcestershire in the 1934 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1934
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1934 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for sixty-three years. It was their thirty-sixth season in the County Championship and they won ten matches in the County Championship, to finish third.-1934 season:Derbyshire played...
and took 5 for 72 against 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 the 1935 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1935
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club' in 1935 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire were runners up in the County Championship for the first time, as a prelude to winning the Championship in the 1936 season. They had been playing for sixty four years and it was their thirty-seventh...
he made just one appearance which was against 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...
when he took 5 for 13. He only turned out twice in the 1936 Championship winning season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1936
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1936 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire won the County Championship for the first and only time. They had been playing for sixty five years and it was their thirty-eighth season in the County Championship....
and in the match against Somerset at Wells he had Arthur Wellard
Arthur Wellard
Arthur William Wellard was a cricketer who played for Somerset and England. A late starter in county cricket, having been told by his native county, Kent, that he would be better off taking up a career as a policeman, Wellard played on into his late 40s...
dropped on one run before Wellard went on to strike him for seven sixes, including five from successive balls. In two games in the 1937 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1937
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1937 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for sixty six years. It was their thirty-ninth season in the County Championship and they came third after winning the Championship in 1936....
he took 7 for 36 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....
. He did not appear in 1938 and in the 1939 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1939
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1939 was the last cricket season before World War II, when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for sixty-eight years...
took no wickets in three matches.
Armstrong was an accountant with Jaguar cars in Coventry and during the war he played a number of miscellaneous games for Coventry. He returned to the Derbyshire side 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...
, another good season when he took 5 for 32 against Yorks. He then played one game in each of his final seasons 1949
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...
and 1950
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...
, both against Lancashire. Armstrong was a league professional in the north and midlands, but never won a Derbyshire cap. His last game was with Smethwick in the Birmingham League.
Armstrong was a slow left-arm orthodox bowler and took 133 first class wickets with an average of 24.35 and a best performance of 7 for 36. He was a left-hand batsman and played 83 innings in 58 first class matches with a top score of 28 not out and an average of 6.28.
Armstrong died at Marfield Court Nursing Home, Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
at the age of 90.